Whether you are new to accreditation or need a refresher, self-study is a great way to ensure that your staff and other stakeholders have a shared understanding of best practices and are able to reflect on your strengths and areas needing additional attention.

    Use the resource below to plan your self-study journey.

    Gearing Up for Self-Study Handout

Begin to examine your environment and observable practices with the same tools accreditation assessors use to conduct site visits. These observation tools will help you find strengths (all programs have strengths!) and areas needing additional attention (all programs have these too!).

 Use the resources below to observe and assess your program and classrooms. You may want to invite your teaching team and colleagues in your community to help observe and self-assess. The more the better!

•  Class Observation Tool
•  Program Observation Tool 

Begin to document evidence to showcase in your classroom and program portfolios. Collecting and documenting evidence for classroom and program portfolios will help you find strengths (all programs have them!) and areas needing additional attention (all programs have these too!).

Use the resources below to self-assess the evidence you’ve documented in your program and classrooms portfolios. You may want to invite your teaching team and colleagues in your community help document and self-assess evidence.  The more the better!

Document and self-assess with classroom and program portfolio tools

•    Class Portfolio Tool
•    Program Portfolio Tool

Portfolio Labels

The labels below are offered as an optional resource for organizing evidence in your classroom and program portfolios.  There is one label for each assessment item. These labels were designed to be used with Avery 5160 (1” x 2 5/8”) labels or a similar product. The use of these labels is not required.       

•     All Ages Classroom Portfolio Labels
•    Infant Class Portfolio Labels
•     Toddler Class Portfolio
•    Preschool Class Portfolio Labels
•    Kindergarten Class Portfolio Labels
•    School-Age Class Portfolio Labels
•    Program Portfolio Labels

Portfolio Templates  - Build a Digital Portfolio!

NAEYC has developed program portfolio and classroom (by age category) portfolio templates to assist programs that choose to use our free resources. 

To learn more about how to digitize your portfolio, click to review resources on how to digitize. 

Accreditation is not about perfection. It is about continuously celebrating your program’s strength and addressing areas needing additional attention. It is also about demonstrating that your program meets the standards that guide your profession.

You and your team have worked hard to document this commitment to quality. You’ve reflected and made enhancements. Now is time for our trained and reliable assessors to review this evidence and provide external feedback.

Use the resources below to help prepare for your site visit. These resources share data and tips with lessons learned from NAEYC assessors, accreditation coaches, and program directors.

•  Administrator Information Packet
•  Preparing for a Site Visit
•  Site Visit Protocol
• COVID Site Visit Protocol Guidance

• 2019 NAEYC Accreditation Standards and Assessment Items
• View the 2019 site visit assessment changes
• View the 2019 site visit assessment item changes by sources of evidence
• 2019 COVID Related Site Visit Protocol
• 2019 COVID Related Assessment Items Guidance
• Clean sanitize and disinfect table 
•  First-Aid CPR Staffing Pattern Worksheet 
•  Program Professional Development Plan (PPDP) 
•  Required Assessment Items 
•  Required Assessment Item 10B.16
• Shared Class Portfolio Guidance
•  Staff Child Ratio