National Center on Child Care Quality Improvement
National Accreditation Organizations for Early Childhood Programs
The Office of Child Care’s National Child Care Information and Technical Assistance Center
Accreditation is a voluntary process designed to improve the quality of early and school-age care programs. Accreditation systems require programs to meet
standards that exceed minimum State regulatory requirements. Achieving accreditation involves extensive self-study and validation by professionals outside
the program to verify that quality standards are met. Research has demonstrated that accreditation positively impacts early and school-age care program
quality, including benefits to children, families, and staff.
A number of organizations have developed accreditation systems to recognize programs that meet higher standards than those required by State regulations.
The following is a sample of national accreditation systems for early and school-age care programs listed in alphabetical order.
The National Center on Child Care Quality Improvement does not endorse any non-Federal organization, publication, or resource.
National Accreditation Organizations
Organization Setting and Age Level Accreditation Components Contact Information
Accredited Professional Preschool Preschool Application and fees Florida Association for Child Care Management
Learning Environment (APPLE) 850-222-9923 or 800-322-2603
School age Self study [Link]
Portfolio
Onsite verification visit
American Montessori Society Montessori programs for Application and fees AMS
(AMS) children birth–high school 212-358-1250
Self study [Link]
Infant and toddler Evidence report
Preschool Onsite peer review visit
School age
November 2011 Email: OCCQualityCenter@[Link] Phone: 877-296-2250 1
National Accreditation Organizations for Early Childhood Programs (No.523)
hild Care’s National Child Care Information and Technical Assistance Center
Organization Setting and Age Level Accreditation Components Contact Information
Association of Christian Schools Preschool Application and fees Early Education Services
International 719-528-6906, ext. 228
School age (elementary and Self study [Link]
secondary) Candidacy status
Onsite verification visit
Council on Accreditation (COA) Preschool Application and fees COA
212-797-3000 or 866-COA-8088
School age Timeline [Link]
Family and children’s agencies Self-study report
Adult day care Onsite verification visit
Foster care
International adoptions
National Accreditation Commission Child care centers only Application and fees National Association of Child Care Professionals
for Early Care and Education 512-301-5557 or 800-537-1118
Programs (NAC) School-age programs (only Self study [Link]
those that are operated in Onsite verification visit
conjunction with child care
centers)
National Association for the Infant and toddler Application and fees NAEYC Academy for Early Childhood Program
Education of Young Children Accreditation
(NAEYC) Academy for Early Preschool Self study 202-232-8777 or 800-424-2460
Childhood Program Accreditation School age (kindergarten) Candidacy report [Link]
Portfolios
Onsite verification visit
National Association for Family Infant and toddler Application and fees NAFCC
Child Care (NAFCC) 800-359-3817
Preschool Self study [Link]
School age Evidence and documentation nt&view=article&id=70&Itemid=376
Onsite verification visit
National Center on Child Care Quality Improvement, A Service of the Office of Child Care 2
National Accreditation Organizations for Early Childhood Programs (No.523)
hild Care’s National Child Care Information and Technical Assistance Center
Organization Setting and Age Level Accreditation Components Contact Information
National Early Childhood Program Infant and toddler Application and fees The NECPA Commission, Inc.
Accreditation (NECPA) 800-505-9878
Preschool Self assessment [Link]
School age Action plan
Portfolio
Onsite verification visit
Accreditation and QRIS
Accreditation systems require early and school-age care programs to meet standards that exceed minimum State regulatory requirements. However, the steps
between State licensing and achieving national accreditation are often significant. Twenty-five States have developed a statewide quality rating and
improvement system (QRIS) as a method to assess, improve, and communicate the level of quality in early and school-age care settings. Twenty-one of these
States include accreditation in their QRIS, although how it is included varies.
National Center on Child Care Quality Improvement, A Service of the Office of Child Care 3
