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These materials are designed to deepen your understanding of the NAEYC Early Learning Program Accreditation Standards and Assessment Items. We encourage you to use these materials and other resources to support your accreditation process.  

Accreditation Resources

Condult a Self-Study
Observe your Classrooms and Program
Document and Self-Assess the Evidence
Prepare for a Site Visit
Additional Resources

Conduct a Self-Study

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

Observe Your Classrooms and Program

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

Document and Self-Assess the Evidence

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
• Digital Portfolio Tip Sheet
• Perfecting Your Program Portfolio (recorded webinar)

​​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. 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
• All-age (I,T,P,K,S) Class Portfolio Labels
• Program Portfolio Labels

Prepare for a Site Visit

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.

• Preparing for a Site Visit

Additional Resources

• Clean sanitize and disinfect table 
• First-Aid CPR Staffing Pattern Worksheet 
• Program Professional Development Plan (PPDP) 
• Required Assessment Items 
• Staff Child Ratio