UNL Children's Center earns national accreditation

            The University of Nebraska-Lincoln Children's Center has earned accreditation from the National Association for the Education of Young Children, the nation's leading organization of early childhood professionals.

            "We're proud to have earned the mark of quality from NAEYC and to be recognized for our commitment to reaching the highest professional standards," said Jaci Foged, director of the center.

            To earn accreditation, the Children's Center went through an extensive self-study process, measuring the program and its services against the ten NAEYC Early Childhood Program Standards and more than 400 related accreditation criteria.

            The program received accreditation after a site visit by assessors to ensure the program meets each of the program standards.

            The center, 22nd and W streets, provides full-time care for children 6 weeks to 5 years, from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. weekdays. Each classroom is staffed with a lead teacher and assistant teachers who have earned a bachelor's or associate degree in early childhood education or a closely related field. Teachers plan activities to engage the minds of children in their daily activities.

            In the 25 years since NAEYC accreditation was established, it has become a widely recognized sign of high-quality early childhood education. More than 7,000 programs in the United States are accredited by the organization, about 8 percent of all preschools and other early childhood programs.

            "The NAEYC accreditation system raises the bar for child care centers," said Jerlean E. Daniel, the organization’s executive director. "Having earned accreditation is a sign that the UNL Children's Center is a leader in the national effort to invest in high-quality early childhood education."

            The center has earned the title for five years and will send an annual progress report to NAEYC.

            "It’s a whole building's responsibility to achieve and attain the accreditation," Foged said. "The staff has to be involved, all of the parents and families have to be on board and the backing of the university got us to go for it."