How important is NAEYC accrediation in a daycare/preschool? (credit, daycares)

[daboywonder2002]

i figured i could narrow down my list by going with schools that are accredited. how important is that in a daycare? please explain

[idlemellow]

That depends on what you are looking for. Only very large daycares wil be able to afford / have the infrastructure to apply for accreditation. But if you only want to consider the larger centers, it could be useful.

[AndreaSoup]

Originally Posted by idlemellow

That depends on what you are looking for. Only very large daycares wil be able to afford / have the infrastructure to apply for accreditation. But if you only want to consider the larger centers, it could be useful.

Not necessairly true - where my kids go just recently became NAEYC accredited and they are a smaller group. Maybe a total of 100 kids across 6 programs? 100 might be stretching it.

OP - while I think it is a great accreditation, my kids have been at their center before and after accreditation and nothing changed, really, in their day to day...it was fabulous before and it is still fabulous now

[idlemellow]

By larger I meant several classrooms. We just realized as a family that we prefer really small preschools, i.e. 15-30 kids total spread across 1 or 2 mixed age classes. These types of places aren't going to be accredited but can be a good fit for some families. Our current daycare has about 150 kids and it is accredited. And very nice for a larger center.

[Stillnew]

It's helpful when you move across state lines. Most schools want to know of previous schooling and/or daycare experience as it helps them determine how "prepared" your child is for their school. So if your child is enrolled in a prep-kinder class, or private kinder, it could be helpful (if needed) in allowing the child to accelerate (skip grades).