Early Childhood Education Program

Early Childhood Education Program Accreditation

The ECE program at TMCC is accredited by the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC), effective September 2009. Three degrees were accredited:

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"The mission of the NAEYC Early Childhood Associate Degree Program Accreditation System is to set a standard of excellence for associate degree early childhood programs and to recognize programs that have demonstrated to a peer review board that they meet this standard, thereby benefiting the early childhood profession, young children, families and communities" (NAEYC Handbook for Programs in Self-Study, 2007).

The accreditation process involved a comprehensive self-study to align the program with the standards and supportive skills for early childhood associate degree programs. "The standards are based on recent research in early childhood development and learning and describe what well-prepared graduates of associate degree programs should know and be able to do" (NAEYC Handbook for Programs in Self-Study, 2007).

The accreditation process involves a comprehensive self-study to align the program with the standards and supportive skills for early childhood associate degree programs. "The standards are based on recent research in early childhood development and learning and describe what well-prepared graduates of associate degree programs should know and be able to do" (NAEYC Handbook for Programs in Self-Study, 2007). During self-study, the program reviews curriculum, program degrees, student learning outcomes and assessment, and gathers documentation. A site visit is anticipated in spring 2009.

NAEYC Standards:

Standard 1: Promoting Child Development and Learning
Standard 2: Building Family and Community Relationships
Standard 3: Observing, Documenting, and Assessing to Support Young Children and Families
Standard 4: Teaching and Learning
Standard 5: Becoming a Professional

NAEYC Supportive Skills:

Supportive Skill 1: Self-assessment and self-advocacy
Supportive Skill 2: Mastering and applying foundational concepts from general education
Supportive Skill 3: Written and verbal skills
Supportive Skill 4: Making connections between prior knowledge/experience and new learning
Supportive Skill 5: Identifying and using professional resources

For more information on NAEYC Accreditation of associate degree programs, see their website.