Overview || Step 1: Enrollment / Self-Study || Step 2: Application / Self-Assessment
Step 3: Candidacy || Step 4: Meeting the Standards
| Pre-Visit Protocol |  |
| Site Visit Protocol |
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| Sample Site Visit Forms | |
| Site Visit FAQs | |
Step 4: Meeting the Program Standards
Demonstrate to an NAEYC Assessor through Observable, Survey and Portfolio Evidence how your program meets the standards
The site visit provides an independent assessment that the program fully meets NAEYC’s Early Childhood Program Standards. During the site visit, an NAEYC Assessor will collect data on your program based on observations and an evaluation of the evidence your program compiled during Self-Assessment. Following the site visit, the data collected is sent to the NAEYC Academy for scoring.
Program Requirements:
- Continue to demonstrate compliance with eligibility and Candidacy Requirements
- Meet all site visit requirements
Tasks for Programs:
For programs accepted as Candidates for NAEYC Accreditation:
- Receive contact from NAEYC Assessor(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 will occur
- Receive notification the business day prior to the site visit
- Receive site visit within 6 months of the Candidacy due date.
- Review the current Pre-Visit Protocol and Site Visit Protocol
- Review the sample site visit forms
- To request past site visit protocols, please contact Accreditation Program Support
- Complete site visit evaluation and submit it to the NAEYC Academy
- Receive your program's accreditation decision within 3 months of the site visit
Decisions:
Programs will receive one of the following Accreditation Decisions within 3 months of the site visit.
- Accredited - Your program has achieved NAEYC accreditation! After celebrating your program’s success, please refer to maintaining accreditation for information on how to sustain your program’s accreditation throughout the five year term.
- Deferred - The assessment scores indicate that the program could make improvements within a short period of time and meet the 10 Program Standards. Programs that receive an accreditation decision of deferred will be offered the following options:
- Resubmit new Candidacy materials on the next available Candidacy due date.
- Withdraw from the NAEYC Accreditation process at this time and resubmit an Application (step 2) when the program is ready to continue towards NAEYC Accreditation.
- Appeal the accreditation decision by moving forward with a formal appeal process.
- Denied - The assessment scores indicate that the program needs a longer period of time to make the necessary improvements to meet all 10 Program Standards. Programs that receive an accreditation decision of denied will be offered the following options:
- Withdraw from the NAEYC Accreditation process at this time and resubmit an Application (step 2) when the program is ready to continue towards NAEYC Accreditation.
- Appeal the accreditation decision by moving forward with a formal appeal process.
- Accredited with Additional Verification Required – The NAEYC Academy has identified an area of concern related to a program’s full compliance with a Required Criterion. While this concern was not determined to be a serious violation, as a condition of accreditation, the program must either submit to an Unannounced Verification Visit that documents continued ability to perform at the level associated with NAEYC Accreditation or withdraw from the NAEYC Accreditation process and resubmit an Application (step 2) to continue towards NAEYC Accreditation.
