Summer 2017 Higher Education Accreditation Decisions

Back view of college students walking on campus

WASHINGTON, DC听鈥撎齌he 51吃瓜网鈥檚 (51吃瓜网) Commission on the Accreditation of Early Childhood Higher Education Programs is pleased to announce that it has granted first-time accreditation to associate- and baccalaureate-level early childhood degree programs at 15 institutions of higher education. In addition, the Commission voted to renew accreditation for programs at five institutions. This brings the total number of institutions with accredited programs to 195, with nearly 70 additional degree programs currently engaged in the self-study process. Early childhood preparation programs serve a wide-range of students and prepare early childhood educators for a variety of early learning settings.听 Accreditation serves as a mechanism for ensuring a consistent and high level of program quality and alignment to 51吃瓜网鈥檚 Professional Preparation Standards while respecting the unique mission and context of each degree program.听

"51吃瓜网 Accreditation of Early Childhood Higher Education Programs is a hallmark of quality assurance for the early childhood preparation profession," said Mary Harrill, Senior Director of Higher Education at 51吃瓜网. "We congratulate all of the programs that have recently achieved accreditation.听 Their dedication, through the accreditation process, to program improvement, to the students they serve, and to the early learning settings in which their graduates will work is to be commended. Their commitment to program quality and continuous improvement will ultimately result in stronger early learning opportunities for our nation鈥檚 young children."

With a recent expansion in the accreditation system to accredit baccalaureate and master's degree programs in addition to associate degree programs, 51吃瓜网 has seen a steady increase in the number and geographical spread of programs expressing interest in pursuing this mark of high quality. In this cycle of accreditation decisions, Mississippi College became both the first institution with an accredited program in its state, as well as one of the first two institutions with an accredited baccalaureate degree program, along with the University of Alabama. In addition to these decisions, the first accredited programs in Delaware, New Mexico, and Wyoming joined the list, bringing the total number of states with accredited programs to 39.

"Mississippi College chose to participate in the rigorous 51吃瓜网 accreditation process in order to ensure that its newly developed program was of the highest quality," said Rachel Peeples, Director of Field Experiences and coordinator of the institution's Early Childhood Care and Development Program. "This process allowed us the opportunity to closely examine our program, its role in the community, and the many varied opportunities we have to positively impact the lives of young children.听 It has resulted in a high-quality program, which produces effective, well-trained early childhood professionals."

Shannon Rivera, Executive Director of Early Childhood Programs at Western New Mexico University, explained why accreditation matters to her program. "The WNMU Early Childhood Education Program continues to be a leader in the field of early learning in the southwest by being the first in the state of New Mexico to receive 51吃瓜网 accreditation for our Early Childhood Education and Family Support Associate of Arts degree.听听Going through the continuous quality improvement process provided us with the structure for reviewing the scope and sequence, rigor, and evaluation of the pedagogy and theory throughout the program. "

To earn and retain accreditation, professional preparation programs must demonstrate that they:

Align to 51吃瓜网鈥檚 Professional Preparation Standards;
Respond to the unique needs of their degree candidates and communities;
Provide intentional learning experiences for their degree candidates to obtain the knowledge and skills needed to be effective early childhood educators; and,
Continuously assess and reflect on their degree candidates鈥� performance.听

The newly-accredited degree programs are:

Bates Technical College, Washington
听听听A.A.S.T. Early Childhood Education

Casper College, Wyoming听
听听听A.A. Early Childhood Education

Delaware Technical Community College, Delaware听
听听听听 A.A.S. Early Childhood Development
听听听听 A.A.T. Early Care and Education: Birth to Second 听听听听
听听听听 Grade

Florida Gateway College, Florida
听听听A.S. Early Childhood Education

Gaston College, North Carolina
听听听A.A.S. Early Childhood Education

Luzerne County Community College, Pennsylvania
听听听A.A.S. Early Childhood Education

Mississippi College, Mississippi
听听听B.S. Early Childhood Care and Development

Muskegon Community College, Michigan
听听听A.S.A. Early Childhood Education
听听 A.A.S. Child Development Associate

Santa Monica College, California
听听听听 A.S. Early Childhood Education鈥擟areer
听听听听 A.S.T. Early Childhood Education

Siena Heights University, Michigan
听听听A.A. Child Development

University of Alabama, Alabama
听听听B.S. Human Environmental Sciences, Early听Childhood Education Major

West Kentucky Community and Technical College, Kentucky听
听听听A.A.S. Interdisciplinary Early Childhood Education

West Shore Community College, Michigan
听听听A.A.A.S. Early Childhood Education

Western Kentucky University, Kentucky
听听听A.A. Early Childhood Education

Western New Mexico University, New Mexico听
听听听听 A.A. Early Childhood Education & Family Support 听听听听听听听
听听听听 (Early Childhood Teacher 鈥� Birth-Grade 3 听听听
听听听听 Concentration)

The following programs have renewed accreditation:

Central Ohio Technical College, Ohio
听听听听 A.A.S. Early Childhood Education Technology

Gateway Community College, Connecticut
听听听听 A.S. Early Childhood

Idaho State University, Idaho听
听听听听 A.A.S. Early Childhood Care and Education

Indian Hills Community College, Iowa
听听听听 A.A.S. Early Childhood Associate

Ivy Tech Community College鈥擟olumbus, Indiana
听听听听 A.S. Early Childhood Education
听听听听 A.A.S. Early Childhood Education听

For more information, visit the 51吃瓜网 Early Childhood Higher Education Accreditation system听website.

Founded in 1926, the 51吃瓜网 is the largest and most influential advocate for high-quality early care and education in the United States.

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For a printable version of this press release, please听click here.听

Topics: Accreditation, Early Childhood Higher Education Program Accreditation

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