Myth Buster

1. Myth Buster Myths about NAEYC Accreditation Created by the Florida Association of Young Children (FLAEYC) 2012 FLAEYC State Accreditation Co-Chairs Julia Musella and Wendi F. Siegel

2. MYTH # 1 • The cost is so high that my program will never be able to afford it.

3. FACT: • NAEYC Accreditation fees are spread out to allow programs to plan and budget for fees accordingly. Additionally, financial assistance is available to support programs that want to pursue NAEYC Accreditation. • NAEYC Accreditation Scholarships are offered by NAEYC. For an application, visit http://www.naeyc.org/academy/scholarships. • Many programs also host fundraising events to raise money and these events can serve a dual purpose by facilitating parental leadership and collaborative involvement in the accreditation process.

4. MYTH #2 • Our program will never be able to meet 100% of the criteria; • Therefore, we won’t be able to achieve NAEYC Accreditation.

5. FACT: • Programs are required to achieve a minimum of 80% of the criteria for each of the ten standards and at least 70% for each classroom observed. Programs must meet all Required Criteria. • 100% compliance with all criteria is very rare and is not required.

6. MYTH # 3 • Educational qualifications for teachers will prevent my program from being able to earn NAEYC Accreditation.

7. FACT • Programs that do not meet those criteria need to be aware that they “have little leeway for missing other criteria in the standard” because the educational qualifications will take up a significant portion of the allowed 20%, as was stated in the Fall 2009 NAEYC Accreditation Update. • Criteria 6.A.05 and 6.A.06 address teaching staff qualifications and are always assessed criteria but not required. A program may still become accredited even if they do not meet these two criteria. • The only required educational qualifications are those for Candidacy, and Candidacy requirements are assessed at a lower threshold than criteria. Most programs find the Candidacy requirements easier to achieve. To view candidacy requirements for educational qualifications, visit: http://www.naeyc.org/academy/pursuing/edquals/candidacy. • If you are unable to meet the educational qualifications found in the criteria, those criteria would simply fall within the 20% you are allowed not to meet and still earn accreditation

8. Myth # 4 • Our program cannot meet all the NAEYC ratios; • Therefore, we cannot earn NAEYC Accreditation.

9. FACT • If you are unable to meet the ratio and/or group size requirements found in the criteria, those criteria would simply fall within the 20% you are allowed not to meet and still earn accreditation. • As stated on the NAEYC website, “experience suggests that programs that exceed the recommended number of children for each teaching staff member and total group sizes will find it more difficult to meet each standard and achieve NAEYC Accreditation. The more these numbers are exceeded, the more difficult it will be to meet each standard.”

10. Myth # 5 • Programs must buy all new materials for classrooms.

11. FACT • Classrooms do not have to be full of new materials. • NAEYC Accreditation looks at how the materials are used within the classroom and whether they are clean and in good condition. • Homemade materials in good condition will meet the criteria just as readily as purchased materials.

12. Myth # 6 • Programs must buy a new curriculum and/or assessment materials.

13. FACT • Although some programs choose to buy a new curriculum or new assessment materials, it is not required. • The focus of NAEYC Accreditation is on ensuring what you are currently using meets the standards and criteria. • If the current curriculum/assessment tool meets Program Standards and criteria or can be improved upon to be able to meet criteria, there is no need to purchase something new.

14. Myth # 7 • The NAEYC Accreditation timelines are unreasonable and too quick for programs to meet.

15. FACT: “Every program moves through the NAEYC Accreditation process at its own pace, with the ability to select due dates that determine the specific timing of the process. “ There are four steps in the process: • Enrollment and Self-Study • Application • Candidacy • Site Visit

16. Con’t • Step 1: Enrollment/Self- Study is self -paced and self- directed, so the amount of time spent in this step depends on an individual program, its initial level of quality and how it structures the self study process. Please note: As of Jan.1,2011, after submitting the Enrollment Form, a program will be enrolled for 2 years. To maintain its status as an enrolled program after 2 years, a program must submit an Enrollment Maintenance fee of $100.00 for each additional year it wishes to remain in its enrolled status. For more information, please visit http://www.nayec.org/academy/enrollmentmaintenancefee

17. Step 2: When submitting its application, the program selects a candidacy due date from three provided options spaced out over the next year. • Step 3: Each program will submit its candidacy materials by the due date they selected. • Step 4: If a program is accepted as a candidate, it will receive a site visit within 6 months of the Candidacy due date and an accreditation decision within 3 months of the site visit. It is a self-directed pace for completing the four step process.

18. Fact: • Many programs take 1 1⁄2 - 3 years to complete all four steps for an initial accreditation. Earning NAEYC Accreditation is a process, not a single action.

19. System Update: Improved Policies to Replace Extensions Policy Late Fee Policy Jan.1,2011 • To accommodate programs that have missed a submission deadline, NAEYC has allowed programs to submit accreditation forms up to one calendar month past an established deadline. Programs submitting late are assessed a late fee.

20. Site Visit Postponement Policy, April 1, 2012 • A program that is currently serving children may postpone a site visit or the scheduling of the site visit for up to one calendar month. Programs postponing the site visit will be assessed a postponement fee. If a site visit or the scheduling of a site visit is postponed, the program’s accreditation status may expire and NAEYC is no longer bound to provide a site visit within 6 months of the Candidacy or Renewal Materials deadline.

21. Reporting Operational Disruption Policy: April 1,2012 • An operational disruption is a period of time during which a program is unable to serve children. Programs notify the NAEYC Academy of operational disruptions by submitting the 72‐Hour Notification form within 72 hours of the beginning of an operational disruption. A program that experiences an operational disruption that lasts for more than 3 business days is required to notify the NAEYC Academy. It is optional for programs to notify NAEYC of an operational disruption that lasts for 3 business days or less. • Late Fee Waiver: If a program appropriately notifies NAEYC of an operational disruption that occurs within one month of a submission deadline, NAEYC will give the program the option to submit the accreditation form up to one calendar month after the established deadline without paying the late fee.

22. Maintain Accreditation throughout Extended Operational Disruptions: • If a program appropriately notifies NAEYC of an operational disruption and the program does not resume serving children by an established deadline, the program may submit applicable fees without the associated accreditation forms and continue to maintain accreditation until the end of the five‐year accreditation term. • If accreditation has not yet expired and the program resumes serving children, it must notify NAEYC and a verification visit at the cost of the program may be required. A program must be currently serving children to submit accreditation forms or fees for the renewal process.

23. Site Visit Rescheduling • If a program appropriately notifies NAEYC of an operational disruption that occurs while a site visit is being scheduled, NAEYC will stop scheduling the site visit at no cost to the program. Once the program resumes serving children, it must notify NAEYC and the scheduling process will resume. • If the scheduling process is stopped, a program’s accreditation status may expire and NAEYC is no longer bound to provide a site visit within 6 months of the Candidacy or Renewal Materials deadline.

24. Myth # 8 • There are so many standards and criteria that have to be met that our program will never be able to sort through all of them.

25. FACT • There are 10 Program Standards. Each program standard is further explained and explored by the criteria listed for each standard. • Though the process can be overwhelming if taken in all at once, it is realistic to achieve if you take it one standard at a time and work your way through the process. • NAEYC also has excellent resources to assist programs in understanding Program Standards and Criteria. For a complete list of NAEYC Accreditation Program Support Resources, visit the NAEYC website TORCH at http://www.naeyc.org/torch.

26. www.naeyc.org/torch • The Online Resource Center Headquarters to support program quality improvement through NAEYC Accreditation for Early Childhood Programs ,TORCH is an online community that includes the following: • Resources to help you easily access and develop your understanding of the NAEYC Accreditation CriteriaTools and resources to support programs in all steps of the NAEYC Accreditation process • A calendar indicating important NAEYC due dates • A Help Desk through which you can submit questions to the NAEYC Accreditation Program Support Information Center

27. Myth # 9 • Portfolios are difficult to complete.

28. FACT • Portfolios are simply capturing what is already occurring in classrooms and programs by labeling examples of NAEYC standards and criteria being met. • Although it takes time to complete the initial portfolios, they are not difficult to organize and they take increasingly less time after they are established and are just being updated.

29. Con’t • Each piece of evidence simply needs to be labeled with the criteria number(s) to which it relates. Brief captions help explain how the documentation meets the criteria. • Evidence is individual to each program and classroom, but examples of some frequently used sources of evidence include photographs, forms, curriculum webs, observation notes, material lists, and lesson plans.

30. Electronic Portfolio Options • Programs may to submit their classroom and/or program portfolios in electronic format. As outlined in the NAEYC Assessor Site Visit Protocol, NAEYC Assessors are prepared to review portfolios in electronic format. • Portfolios can be classified and organized in files on your computer. • Portfolio evidence is current if it reflects a policy, practice or document that is currently in effect or has been documented within 12 months of the programs Candidacy or Renewal Materials due date. • Portfolio evidence may be older than 12 months and still reflects a policy, practice or document that is currently in effect

31. Con’t • Electronic portfolios must be viewable in the time allotted for these tasks as outlined in the site visit protocol: 30 minutes for each Classroom Portfolio and 2.5 hours for the Program Portfolio. It is strongly recommended that programs back up all electronic files onto a local disk, CD or USB drive. Please ensure that the computer provided for the assessor during the visit can handle the size of the portfolio document/software package to facilitate review in the time allotted. Assessors must have the portfolio evidence to review on the day of visit or credit will not be given. 

32. Companies listed on TORCH ( NAEYC does not endorse any company) EasyFolio: http://www.portfoliomyday.com/products/ easyfolio-portfolio/index.php School Chapters: http://www.schoolchapters.com/sc/index.php

33. Myth # 10 • There is no local support to help programs pursue NAEYC Accreditation.

34. FACT: • Your local affiliate (enter your affiliate name here) has a team of NAEYC Accredited centers ready and able to assist you locally. • Accreditation Facilitation Projects: ( AFP) NAEYC defines accreditation facilitation projects as those that support quality improvement efforts of child care centers, preschools, and other early childhood programs in many local communities and states and, in an effort to raise program quality, provide technical assistance and support to programs working on NAEYC Accreditation. (http://www.naeyc.org/academy/afp/finder)

35. Accreditation Facilitation Projects Enter your states AFP’s here

36. AFP con’t

37. AFP con’t.

38. Questions for NAEYC? • Sending an electronic message is the easiest way to get in touch with an accreditation expert at NAEYC who can answer your questions. Use any of the following options: • Submit a Consultation Request Form. • E-mail accreditation.information@naeyc.org • Visit www.naeyc.org/academy; click on Contact Us. • Visit the TORCH Help Desk.  • You may also reach NAEYC by phone at 800-424-2460. Dial option 3 for Accreditation, then option 1 for Accreditation of Programs for Young Children. Be sure to listen to the full menu of options to be connected with the best individual to meet your needs. If you reach our voicemail, leave a message and describe your question in detail. NAEYC will be in touch as soon as possible!

39. Join the schools of excellence • Every child deserves the best, every organization deserves the right to achieve the highest level of excellence • NAEYC Accreditation is a victory for all!