Site Visit FAQs

Scheduling and pre-visit planning and communication

What's the first step for the site visit?

For programs that submitted their 4th annual report (or candidacy) after October 1, 2022 .

Shortly after submitting Programs will receive an initial email from NAEYC with information about the site visit process. Included in that email will be a link to complete the Site Visit Scheduling Form. Programs must complete the Site Visit Scheduling Form within 30 days of receiving the email.

For programs that submitted their 4th annual report (or candidacy) before October 1, 2022:

Programs will be contacted directly by their assigned assessor to begin the site visit planning process.

What is my site visit window?

The site visit window is the window of time in which NAEYC will conduct the visit. Unless otherwise notified by NAEYC, a program's visit window is 6 months long. The 6-month visit window starts 9 months before the Valid Until Date (VUD) and will end 3 months before the VUD. This means that if a program submits their 4^th Annual Report on time, there will be a 3-month “buffer” period before the visit window begins. Take for example, a program with a VUD of November 1, 2024:

4^th Annual Report due – 11/1/2023 (1 year before VUD)
3-month buffer period – 11/1/2023 – 2/1/2024
6-month visit window – 2/1/2024 – 8/1/2024
3-month window for scoring – 8/1/2024 – 11/1/2024

NAEYC strives to visit all programs within their window, however it is sometimes necessary to extend visit windows. Programs will not be penalized in any way if NAEYC extends the visit window.

When will the program be assigned an assessor?

For programs that submitted their 4th annual report (or candidacy) after October 1, 2022 .

An assessor is assigned after the program has completed the Site Visit Scheduling Form.

For programs that submitted their 4th annual report (or candidacy) before October 1, 2022:

An assessor will be assigned automatically.

What happens once an assessor is assigned?

The assessor will review the information provided by the program and begin planning the visit. The assessor will:

set a 15-day window in which the visit will occur,
create a visit schedule,
book travel arrangements, and
provide the program with a business-day prior notification of the site visit.

When will the program hear from the assigned assessor?

There are two contact points with the assessor prior to the visit:

A 15-day window e-mail, and
A call on the business-day prior to visit.

15-Day Window Notification: The first contact from the assessor will be an e-mail with the 15-day window in which the site visit will occur. It is important to check email boxes regularly, including spam and junk folders. The 15-day window notification is a courtesy to programs. Failure to receive this e-mail does not mean the visit cannot happen or that the data collected during the visit is invalid.

Business-Day Prior Notification: The program will next receive a call from the assessor on the business-day prior of the visit. Depending on program closures, exclusion dates, federal holidays, and weekends, this notification may be one or more days prior to the visit date. Assessors call programs as early in the day as possible and no later than 2:00 PM local time for the program.

Programs that submitted their 4th annual report (or candidacy) before October 1, 2022 will also have an initial call with their assigned assessor to collect important site visit logisitical information. For programs that submitted their 4th annual report (or candidacy) after October 1, 2022, this initial call is replaced by the initial email and Site Visit Scheduling Form.

Day of visit logistics

How long will the visit be?

The length of the site visit depends on the number of classes that must be assessed. Most site visits are one or two days. Sometimes a three-day visit may be needed to complete all visit tasks. The program will be told how many days are needed to conduct the visit in the 15-day window email.

What time will the assessor arrive?

The assessor will arrive between 7 AM and 8 AM, unless the program opens later in the day.

What tasks are completed during the visit?

Visits always start with an Orientation Meeting and end with a Closing Meeting. The rest of the visit tasks depend on the type of visit being conducted and will be scheduled by the assessor using the information they have been given by the program.

Standard site visits include review of the Program Portfolio and Class Portfolio(s) in addition to the Program Observation and Class Observation(s). Verification Visits, Random Visits, and Provisional Part 2 Visits include the Program Observation and Class Observations only.

Additional visit tasks may be added to the schedule as necessary such as breaks, reliability work, electronic portfolio orientation, and closing meeting preparation.

How much of the program administrator’s time is needed during the visit?

Much of the visit is conducted by the assessor on their own. However, there are two times the assessor will need to meet with the administrator:

The Orientation Meeting, scheduled for about 30 minutes at the start of the visit, and
The Closing Meeting, scheduled for the last 15 minutes of the site visit.

What if the program administrator is not able to be there for the visit?

The program administrator will need to choose another person at the program to take responsibility for the visit and meet with the assessor.

Assessment items, classes, and portfolios

How are the required assessment items assessed?

Required Assessment items are related to practices and policies deemed critical to creating safe early learning environments for young children. These items address licensing/regulatory status, adequate supervision, appropriate guidance and discipline, and safe infant sleep arrangements and practices.

These items are assessed on every site visit, regardless of visit type (standard site visit, verification visit, random visit, provisional part 2 visit). Programs not meeting any applicable required item will be deferred accreditation.

If at any time during the site visit the assessor believes there is reason a required assessment item is not being met, they will rate the assessment item as unmet on the relevant tool and provide a written report to the Early Learning Program Accreditation Quality Assurance team. The report then goes through an administrative review process where a final determination is made as to whether the assessment item is being met or not.

If it is determined that the required assessment item is not being met, the Early Learning Program Accreditation Quality Assurance team will notify the program within three business days following the conclusion of the site visit.

Which classes will be observed during the visit?

NAEYC uses a sampling method when choosing classes for assessment. Assessors will see 50% of the total number of classes, up to 10. Additionally, assessors need to see at least one class in each age category, and if the program has more than one site they must see at least one class at each location.

If there is more than one class within an age category, a randomization software will select which class(es) will be assessed. Programs are told which classrooms have been selected for assessment during the Orientation Meeting.

Will all the class portfolios be reviewed?

Class Portfolios are reviewed only for those classes that have been chosen for observation.

Program changes, Visit Extensions, and Rescheduling

What if there are changes to the classes or staff during the visit scheduling process?

If the program has class or staffing changes at any time during the visit scheduling process these can be updated in the portal at any time. When the assessor calls on the business day before the visit, they will confirm the open classes and adjust the schedule if necessary. During the Opening Meeting, the assessor will also again confirm the open classes and add the educators who will be present during the observation times to the schedule.

Assessors rate items related to staff qualification for educators and administrators (items 6C.1, 6C.2, 6C.3, and 6C.4) immediately following the visit. Programs should have all class and staff changes updated in the portal prior to the end of the visit.

What if the program is not prepared to receive a site visit?

Programs that will not be ready for their visit by the start of their window may request an extension of their site visit window. Extensions do incur a cost to the program. Extensions are only available to Accredited programs awaiting a renewal site visit and Candidate programs awaiting a candidacy site visit. Programs awaiting a Provision Part 2 visit or programs awaiting a verification visit are not eligible for extension unless the program is not serving children.

For renewal visits, the extension will extend both the 6-month site visit window and the the program’s Valid Until Date by 6 months. Renewing programs must first submit their 4^th annual report to be eligible for an extension. After submission of the 4^th Annual Report, the program will receive the initial email and can indicate on the Visit Scheduling Form that they want an extension. Once the extension has been processed and paid for, the program will remain in renewal status, but the 6-month window of the visit and the Valid Until Date will be extended by NAEYC. Three months prior to the start of their new (i.e., extended) 6-month window, the program will receive another email from NAEYC and will need to complete a new Visit Scheduling Form.

For candidate visits, the extension will extend the 6-month window. After submission of candidacy, the program will receive the initial email and can indicate on the Visit Scheduling Form that they want an extension. Once the extension has been processed and paid for, the program's visit window will be extended by 6 months by NAEYC. Three months prior to the start of their new (i.e., extended) 6-month window, the program will receive another email from NAEYC and will need to complete a new Visit Scheduling Form.

Programs eligible for an extension may extend for any reason -- they do not need to provide a reason for the extension request to NAEYC and requesting an extension will not negatively impact the program in any way. All renewing and candidate programs will have one (1) opportunity to extend the VUD and visit window. Once a program has received an extension, they will not be able to request additional extensions.

What if there are classroom closures due to COVID and/or teaching staff shortages?

The sampling protocols for classroom assessment allow for the site visit to proceed as scheduled so long as the program is still open and serving children and families. The only exception is when two or more age categories are not being served. For example, if the program typically has Infant, Toddler, and Preschool classrooms and only the Preschool classrooms are open, the visit will need to be rescheduled (see questions below).

What if the program previously indicated that it was ready for a visit (either to an assessor or through the Site Visit Scheduling Form), but now it is no longer prepared to receive the site visit?

For programs that submitted their 4th annual report (or candidacy) after October 1, 2022, the program must complete the Site Visit Disruption Form. Site Visit Disruptions for natural disasters or unplanned facility closures due to building infrastructure closures (e.g., burst pipes) will result in a 6-month extension at the standard extension fee. As Assessors plan their visit scheduled months in advance and site visit cancellations cause significant logistical challenges and costs, Site Visit Disruptions for any reason other than those listed above will incur a Site Visit Rescheduling Fee.

For programs that submitted there 4th annual report (or candidacy) before October 1, 2022, the program should contact their assessor directly. If no assessor has been assigned, programs should contact [email protected]. Site Visit Disruptions for natural disasters or unplanned facility closures due to building infrastructure closures (e.g., burst pipes) will result in a 6-month extension at the standard extension fee. As Assessors plan their visit scheduled months in advance and site visit cancellations cause significant logistical challenges and costs, Site Visit Disruptions for any reason other than those listed above will incur a Site Visit Rescheduling Fee.

Decisions and Next Steps

When will I receive a decision?

Decision will be ready within 90 days of the completion of the site visit. The decision will be one of two options:

Accredited – This means that the program has been approved for a new accreditation term (or – in the case of a provisional, random, or verification visit – that the current accreditation term will be maintained).
Deferred – This means that the program has not been approved for a new accreditation term (or – in the case of a provisional, random, or verification visit – that the current accreditation will be revoked).

How will I receive the decision?

Programs will receive a decision and an Accreditation Decision Report (ADR) in one of two ways:

For renewal visits – The ADR will be uploaded into the Portal.
For candidacy, provisional, random, and verification visits – The ADR will be emailed to the primary and secondary contacts on file.

Why am I being asked to submit a payment in order to see my decision?

For renewing programs, the 5^th year fee must be paid before you are able to view your decision or your ADR. Annual accreditation fees are paid in arrears (i.e., at the end of each accreditation year), so the 5^th year fee covers the accreditation period from the 4^th annual report through the valid until date. Because the 5^th year fee covers the 5^th year of the accreditation period, it is due regardless of the outcome of the site visit.

Programs have no obligation to pay this fee before their valid until date, but they will not be able to view the outcome of the visit until it is paid. ADRs are ready within 90 days of the completion of the visit. However, it is up to the program when they want to view that decision.

If the program wishes to wait until the valid until date to find out the results of the visit, they are welcome to do that. If the program wished to find out the results of the visit as soon as they are ready, they can pay the 5^th annual fee and view the ADR. NAEYC will not provide programs with any information regarding the outcome of the visit until the 5^th annual fee has been paid.

What happens if my program is accredited?

Candidacy visits – The program’s accreditation term begins as of the date of the decision. The term is valid for five (5) years through the 1^st of the subsequent month. For example, if the decision date is February 10, 2023, the accreditation term will be valid until March 1, 2028.
Renewal visits – The program’s accreditation term will be extended by five (5) years from the current valid until date regardless of the date of the decision. For example, if a program received a decision on June 10, 2023 but current their valid until date is November 1, 2023, the new accreditation term will be extended through November 1, 2028.
Provisional, Random, and Verification Visits – The program will retain its accredited status without any change to the term or valid until date.

What happens if my program is deferred?

Candidacy visits – The program will be moved back to Enrolled status and may reapply for accreditation as soon as they would like.
Renewal visits – The program will remain accredited through the end of the current accreditation term (i.e., until the valid until date). Upon the expiration of the term, the program will be moved back to Enrolled status and may reapply for accreditation as soon as they would like.
Provisional, Random, and Verification Visits – The program’s current accreditation term will be revoked. The program will be moved back to Enrolled status and may reapply for accreditation as soon as they would like.

Any program that is deferred is entitled to appeal that decision. Accredited programs that are under an active appeal process will retain their accredited status until the resolution of the appeal process.

Need Help with Accreditation?

Call: 1-800-424-2460, option 3. | Email: accreditation.inform[email protected]

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Audience: Administrator (director or principal), Teacher

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