Eagle Adventist Christian Center Receives National Accreditation

The Eagle Adventist Christian Center, located in Eagle, Idaho, has earned re-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 the NAEYC, and to be recognized for our commitment to reaching the highest professional standards," says Jodi Giem, EACC director. "NAEYC accreditation lets families in our community know children in our program are getting the best care and early learning experiences possible." EACC is the only NAEYC-accredited program in Eagle.

To earn NAEYC re-accreditation in the new system, EACC went through an extensive self-study process, measuring the program and its services against the 10 new NAEYC Early Childhood Program Standards and more than 400 related accreditation criteria. The program received re-accreditation after an on-site visit by assessors to ensure it met the standards. NAEYC-accredited programs are also subject to unannounced visits during accreditation, which lasts for five years.

In the 20 years since NAEYC accreditation was established, it has become a widely recognized sign of high-quality early childhood education. There are six NAEYC-accredited programs in Boise, and 21 in Idaho. Nationwide, more than 11,000 programs serve 1 million young children. Approximately 8 percent of all preschools and other early childhood programs in the nation are currently accredited by the NAEYC.

Featured in: April 2009

Author