| 1 class/1 teacher | 2 classes/2 teachers | 3 classes/3 teachers | 4 or more classes/teachers | |
| 2006 * |
•Teacher has a minimum of a Child Development Associate Credential [CDA] or equivalenti.
•The teacher has or is working toward an Associatesii or Baccalaureateiii degree or equivalent. [Annual reports must show continuous progress.] |
•Both teachers have a minimum of a Child Development Associate Credential or equivalent.i
•Both teachers have or are working toward an Associatesii or Baccalaureateiii degree or equivalent. [Annual reports must show continuous progress.] |
•All teachers have a minimum of the Child Development Associate Credential or equivalent.i
•At least 1 teacher has an Associatesii or Baccalaureateiii degree or equivalent. •All teachers have or are working on an Associates or Baccalaureate degree or equivalent. [Annual reports must show continuous progress.] |
•All teachers have a minimum of a CDA or equivalent.i
•At least 25% of teachers have an Associatesii or Baccalaureateiii degree or equivalent. •All teachers have or are working on an Associates or Baccalaureate degree or equivalent. [Annual reports must show continuous improvement.] |
| 2010 | •Teacher must have a minimum of an Associates degreeii or equivalent. |
•Both teachers have a minimum of an Associates degreeii or equivalent.
•At least 1 of the 2 teachers is enrolled in a Baccalaureateiii degree program or equivalent. [Annual reports must show continuous progress.] |
•All 3 teachers must have a minimum of an Associates degreeii or equivalent.
•At least 1 of the 3 teachers must be enrolled in a Baccalaureateiii degree program or equivalent. [Annual reports must show continuous improvement.] |
•All teachers have a minimum of a CDA or equivalent.
•At least 50% of teachers have a minimum of an Associatesii degree or equivalent. •At least 25% of teachers have a minimum of a Baccalaureateiii degree or equivalent. •All must have or be enrolled in an Associatesii or Baccalaureateiii degree program. [Annual reports must show continuous progress.] |
| 2015 |
•The teacher must have a minimum of an Associatesii degree or equivalent.
•The teacher must be working toward a Baccalaureateiii degree or equivalent. [Annual reports must show continuous progress.] |
•At least one teacher must have a minimum of an Associatesii degree or equivalent.
•At least one teacher must have a minimum of a Baccalaureateiii degree or equivalent. |
•All teachers must have a minimum of an Associatesii degree or equivalent.
•At least 1 of 3 teachers must have a minimum of a Baccalaureateiii degree or equivalent. |
•All teachers have a minimum of an Associatesii degree.
•At least 50% of teachers have a minimum of a Baccalaureateiii degree or equivalent. |
| 2020 |
•The teacher must have a minimum of an Associatesii degree or equivalent and be enrolled in a Baccalaureateiii degree program.
(By the next NAEYC Accreditation cycle, the teacher must have a minimum of a Baccalaureateiii degree or equivalent.) |
•At least 1 teacher must have a minimum of a Baccalaureateiii degree or equivalent.
•The second teacher must have a minimum of an Associatesii degree or equivalent and be working toward a Baccalaureateiii degree. [Annual reports must show continuous progress.] |
•At least 2 teachers have a Baccalaureateiii degree or equivalent.
•The third teacher must have a minimum of an Associatesii degree or equivalent. |
•All teachers have a minimum of an Associatesii degree or equivalent.
At least 75% of teachers have a minimum of a Baccalaureateiii degree or equivalent. |
* Between 2006 and 2010, programs must meet two of the three criteria related to staff qualifications (for Teachers, Teaching Assistants/Teacher Aides and Supervisors/Mentors) and must have a plan in place for meeting all three criteria by 2010. [For further information, please see Table 2 in the Steps and Performance Expectations for Early Childhood Programs to Achieve NAEYC Accreditation.]
i Equivalence to CDA: A minimum of 12 college credits [semester hours] in Child Development [CD]/Early Childhood Education ECE]/Early Childhood Special Education [ECSE]
ii Associates degrees should be in Child Development/Early Childhood Education. Equivalence is defined as 60 college credits with 30 college credits [semester hours] in CD/ECE/ECSE as defined by Criterion 6.6, including relevant field-based experience.
iii Baccalaureate degree should be in CD/ECE/ECSE. Equivalence is defined as a Baccalaureate's degree in any discipline with a minimum of 36 college credits [semester hours] in CD/ECE/ECSE as defined by Criterion 6.6, including relevant field-based experience.