Overview of the Four Steps | National Association for the Education of Young Children | NAEYC Academy

General FAQs

The four steps to achieving NAEYC Accreditation of programs for young children clarify the NAEYC Accreditation process, help programs prepare for each stage of the process, and ensure that the crucial components of program quality are in place along the way.

Programs accredited prior to September 2006 and programs pursuing initial accreditation must complete the four-step accreditation process. Programs that have already completed the four-step process will pursue a new term of accreditation through the renewal process.

Step 1: Enrollment/Self-Study

Align your program with the 10 NAEYC Early Childhood Program Standards

Submit enrollment form and fee
Register for TORCH
Receive the Self-Study Kit within four to six weeks of submitting enrollment form
Use Self-Study tools in TORCH to evaluate program quality and to inform quality improvement efforts
Plan your program’s accreditation timeline, considering submission deadlines for reaccreditation if applicable

Step 2: Application/Self-Assessment

Compile evidence on how your program meets the 10 NAEYC Early Childhood Program Standards

Submit application and fee, selecting a Candidacy due date for Step 3
Use Self-Assessment tools in TORCH to document that your program meets the 10 NAEYC Early Childhood Program Standards
Gather documentation that your program meets the Candidacy Requirements
Download Candidacy Materials eight weeks prior to self-selected Candidacy due date
Complete Candidacy Materials

Step 3: Candidacy

Demonstrate key components of high quality programming and preparedness for site visit

Submit Candidacy Materials and fee on or before Candidacy due date
“Fine tune” program improvement efforts in preparation for site visit
Receive Candidacy decision from the NAEYC Academy

Step 4: Meeting the Standards

Demonstrate how your program meets the standards by allowing an NAEYC Assessor to observe your program in action and review evidence collected in Self-Assessment.

For programs accepted as Candidates for NAEYC Accreditation:

Receive contact from NAEYC Asessor(s)
Provide NAEYC Assessor(s) with your program’s calendar and selected exclusion dates
Submit changes in staff to NAEYC Academy (if applicable)
Receive notification of 15-day window in which the site visit could occur
Receive notification of site visit one business day prior to the visit
Receive site visit within six months of Candidacy due date
Receive accreditation decision within three months of site visit
Accredited Programs: Celebrate your Accreditation Decision!

Step 4: Maintaining the Standards

Demonstrate continued compliance with the 10 NAEYC Early Childhood Program Standards.

Submit Annual Report on first through fourth anniversaries of accreditation anniversary date
Update NAEYC with new information, including major programmatic changes, licensing/regulatory updates, and incidents that did or could have compromised the essential health or safety of any child.
Submit to additional verification or random unannounced visits to demonstrate continued compliance with the program standards