The N. E. Miles Early Childhood Development Center (ECDC) at the College of Charleston has earned accreditation from the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) – the nation’s leading organization of early childhood professionals.
“We’re proud to have earned the mark of quality from NAEYC, and to be recognized for our commitment to reaching the highest professional standards,” said ECDC Director Candace Jaruszewicz. “NAEYC Accreditation lets families in our community know that children in our program are getting the best care and early learning experiences possible.”
The N.E. Miles ECDC has been part of the School of Education, Health, and Human Performance since 1974. The program serves the entire campus and extended early childhood community as a laboratory and demonstration program site and provides child care support for campus and community families.
To earn NAEYC Accreditation, the ECDC went through an extensive self-study process, measuring the program and its services against the ten NAEYC Early Childhood Program Standards and more than 400 related Accreditation Criteria. The program received NAEYC Accreditation after an on-site visit by NAEYC Assessors to ensure that the program meets each of the ten program standards. NAEYC-accredited programs are also subject to unannounced visits during their accreditation, which lasts for five years.
