NAEYC Why or why not?

[ZeeBaby]

We are doing the preschool search right now and I am debating between going with a NAEYC school and a non-NAEYC school. Anyone familiar with both? We are looking at Chesterbrook and Malvern.

[AnnieW625]

No idea where you are located so I can't really comment on the two preschools you are looking at because if I google them too many hits come up. I honestly had no idea what NAEYC was so my daughter doesn't go to a NAEYC school, but a really great non religious preschool (although they do sing Xmas songs) housed at a Christian Church. We went on a tour at their open house, and had a number of friends who sent their children there, and I knew one of the teachers. We were very happy with the school, it's reputation, and we thought it would be a good fit for our daughter. It is a part time program and we pay $225 a month for three day a weeks. We pay an additional $40 every two months so DD1 can have lunch there one day a week ($5 per session).

[ett]

The NAEYC certification didn't factor into our decision making for preschool. It's expensive to get certification and some preschools simply choose not to spend their money on that.

[ahisma]

DS1 is at a NAEYC school, we've been really happy. I think it's like all other programs though, there are excellent ones and I'm sure that there are some that are not so great.

We didn't pick based on accreditation at all, it was totally incidental to our decision. I'm sure that the requirements helped shape the program, but we'd happily be there if the program was the same without the accreditation as well.

We weren't happy with our previous, non accredited preschool, but I wouldn't extrapolate that to mean that all non-accredited preschools are problematic.

Truly, I went more with a gut feeling than anything. We knew what we were looking for (loving, bright, not solely play based, gentle academics but not too strong of a focus, etc.) and went with a program that was a good fit. Right now they're studying plants and have a play flower shop set up (money, social skills, etc.), are growing beans in the windows, growing grass in the shape of their first initial, changing the color of carnations with colored water, charting the favorite types of flowers in a graph, etc. That's pretty typical of a unit.

[sewarsh]

You clearly must live by me. My kids go to a NAEYC preschool in Berwyn and we love it. There are many criteria that they have to follow...just a couple examples: something as simple as washing hands with soap vs. santinzer and when to wash. Also, The teachers have to keep up to date on certifications/extended education.

I'm sure there are plenty of Non-NAEYC schools that are great, but there aren't that many NAEYC schools because it is so hard to get certified, so i think its definately a great thing.

[wellyes]

When I was considering putting DD into a daycare center as an infant the certification was important to me. Very strict rules about cleanliness and ratios and stuff like that seemed very assuring when I was thinking about care for a 12 week old. To me, it would be less important for preschool. There are lots and lots of great schools without accreditation. It's in the 'nice to have' category, but I'd also consider schools without it.

[SnuggleBuggles]

I don't think it is necessary. Some good schools with good standards, facilities, personnel, etc. don't go for the certification because it takes a lot of time and resources to go through the accreditation process and regular reviews. I was at a school that was going for the accreditation and it took so much of the staff's energy and they were so stressed- and this was a fantastic, well respected program. If it took them that much work to do it, and they had several people on the administrative staff, a small school might really struggle to do it. No doubt that you get a good program if they are accredited but there are plenty of other gems out there. I wouldn't rule anything out b/c they don't have the NAEYC. Visit a bunch, ask questions and see what fits you best.
eta- my boys have attended both. Both have been great. I preferred the non one slightly because they are just a little more relaxed about everything. I am comparing that to a non renewal/ application year, fwiw. Just the program in general is slightly more uptight with some stuff.
Beth

[ZeeBaby]

I have probably visited a dozen schools and the one I was most impressed with is NAEYC, but I am just agonizing. I am going to a montessori school Wednesday.

Sewarsh I am in the Philly metro.

[fortato]

I've worked in an NAEYC school, and I really didn't see any difference between that and the other schools I worked in. It's a lot of work to become accredited, but in all honesty, it's just a label. There are schools out there that are just as good as an NAEYC school, but they don't get the certificate.

[Karenn]

My kids went to one NAEYC accredited school and one that was not. Both programs had strengths and weaknesses. I think the accreditation is an easy signal to parents that the program is well run with a dedicated staff. However, there are plenty of other programs that are well run with dedicated staff that aren't NAEYC accredited. I wouldn't base my decision solely on accreditation. Like Beth said, the accreditation process is a huge, huge amount of work. I wouldn't fault a preschool for devoting its time, money and energy to developing itself in other ways that don't necessarily lead to accreditation.

[niccig]

There is a NAYEC accredited school 1 mile from their house. Excellent program but they're on the grounds for the hospital, mostly hospital staff use it, and they did not do part days. DS was 3 and I didn't want him to go 9-5.

[Wondermom]

At the preschool level, I'm not sure NAYEC makes as much difference, because there are so many good schools out there (age 3 and up) that are good for other reason/have other good qualities. For us, NAYEC certification was a must at the daycare level. The staffing ratios required, training of the staff, requirements for a plan of care/curriculum, regular reviews, reviews with parents, etc. all do make a difference, IMO. We must have visited 5-6 daycares. There was a noticable difference between the ones that were NAYEC and the ones that weren't. Our very good NAYEC daycare went through a period not quite a year ago, where there was an unprecedented spate of teacher turnovers right when their NAYEC renewal was coming due. They LOST their certification, and a bunch of parents ended up having conferences with the director, including me. We had all noticed the difference and weren't happy about them, and were furious that we were paying NAYEC rates for a center that was below standard. They have since tried very hard to turn things around. Not just because we complained, but because they knew they could no longer brag about their NAYEC status if they didn't have it. All this said, we've since moved our older son to a Montessori school for preschool. Nothing to do with NAYEC. We love the Montessori approach and will move the younger son there too once he's old enough.

[mommy111]

DD went to one that was and one that wasn't. We liked the one that wasn't better, quite honestly. I don't think it has anything to do with the accreditation, its just what the preschool is. The non accredited one was one of the best in the city and was a great nurturing environment. The accredited one sent out daily reports and I'm sure all the teachers washed their hands ad nauseum, but they were so busy with their reports and checklists that they had a hard time greeting the kids properly in the morning. Which is not to say that all accredited preschools are like that, just that I would go more on the feel you have for the place than on accreditation. And if you feel a place is such that you would feel more comfortable with it being accredited, then for me that would be a signal that its not a good place to send my DC to.

[daisymommy]

I totally agree with the other posters. I worked as a teacher for a year during a private school's NAEYC conversion, and the following year as a director of the same school. It took years to change everything over and work towards certification.

For that school, it had so many flaws to start with that working towards accreditation was a good thing because the center needed to seriously whip itself into shape and make some changes for the better.

But for other centers that are doing things right all along, I really don't think it's necessary. Sure, there might be some things they could do better if they had to follow NAEYC guidelines. But I believe if you tour a center and just love it, it comes highly regarded by other parents you speak to, then I would go with it even if not accredited.

[o_mom]

For us, it would have been a nice to have, but not something I actively sought out. However, we do a very limited amount of preschool - 2.5 hrs, 2-3 days/week. It is mainly social and to give me a break, not all day care. As long as there are basic standards, I don't think NAEYC would really add much to that. If I was looking at all day/full time care, I would probably give it more weight.

Also, the school we chose is very small - only 20-35 kids there at a time, two classes plus MDO. If it were a larger school where the director could not oversee all the classes I think the standards would be a benefit in that case as well. That's not to say that there aren't fabulous schools that are just as good and don't want to spend money/time on certification, just that the amount of weight placed on it can depend on your specific situation.