Unit One The Children and You 42 Copyright Goodheart-Willcox Co., Inc. The purpose of this voluntary national system is to conduct a thorough evaluation based on recognized quality standards. The process helps strive for continuous quality improvement. Program accreditation assists families in their search for high-quality programs for their children. In addition, it helps assure parents that their children are receiving quality care. Four steps are required to prepare programs for initial accreditation. Included are enrollment, application/self-assessment, candidacy, and site visit to demonstrate how the program meets standards. The fi rst step involves submitting an enrollment form and fee. After this is received, programs are mailed a self-study kit focusing on 10 categories of center operations. Administrators, teachers, and parents evaluate program quality and guide quality improvement efforts using the tools in the kit. Their purpose of this process is to determine strengths and weaknesses. Improvement plans need to be developed for the weak areas. See Figure 2.11 for a list of standards for high-quality programs. Step two, application/self-assessment, involves compiling evidence of how the program meets Figure 2.11 NAEYC’s 10 Essential Standards for High-Quality Programs Standard 1: Relationships The program promotes warm, sensitive, and responsive relationships that help children feel secure. Standard 2: Curriculum The program promotes learning and development in language, cognition, social, emotional, and physical development. Standard 3: Teaching The program recognizes the children’s different needs, learning styles, capacities, interests, and backgrounds. The program uses developmentally, culturally linguistically appropriate teaching approaches that enhance each child’s development and learning. Standard 4: Assessment of Child Progress The program is informed by ongoing systematic formal and informal developmentally appropriate assessment approaches. Standard 5: Health Nutrition and the health of the children are promoted to protect them from injury and illness. Standard 6: Teachers Teaching staff have the specialized knowledge, educational qualifications, and professional commitment needed to promote the children’s development and learning. Standard 7: Families Collaborative relationships are established and maintained with parents to foster the child’s development and support optimal development. These relationships need to be based on mutual trust and respect to encourage families to fully participate in the program. Standard 8: Community Relationships The program establishes relationships with and utilizes community resources such as parks, museums, libraries, and zoos to support the achievement of program goals. Standard 9: Physical Environment Indoor and outdoor environment are safe, properly organized, and maintained to facilitate the children’s development. Standard 10: Leadership and Management The program has effective systems, policies, and procedures to support stable staff. Strong fiscal, personnel, and program management skills are supported so children, families, and staff members have high-quality experiences.