If you’re searching for the perfect preschool for your little one to attend, then you’ve most likely noticed how some schools list that they are accredited or licensed while some others don’t say either. When selecting the best preschool for your child, it’s essential that you choose a school that specifically advertises its accreditation. Preschool accreditation is designed to improve the quality of preschool programs. A voluntary process taken by preschool institutions, a preschool accreditation guarantees students an exceptional schooling experience with high-level care and optimal academic environment. 

IMPORTANCE OF ACCREDITATION

While preschool accreditation is solely a voluntary process, it allows preschools across the country to show parents that their facility meets prestigious academic standards and social standards. Since early childhood education is crucial to a child’s future education, many high-authority preschools are taking the necessary steps to achieve accreditation. In order to gain accreditation, preschools must follow these steps.

• A self-assessment conducted by the school
• An outside assessment conducted by the accrediting agency 

During the outside assessment, the agency will conduct school visits, and interviews with the students, teachers, and administrators. Typically, accreditation can take years to obtain, ensuring parents that even though it’s on a volunteer basis, the school has met extremely high standards for both the education and safety of their children. During this long process, accreditation facilities will provide schools with recommendations on the actions they can take to further their accreditation. While education is one of the most important factors of preschool accreditation, many agencies take a much more in-depth analysis. They will run checks on the safety of the school, looking at heating and cooling units and their functionality, the cleanliness of the school, and other important safety factors. 

In your search for a quality preschool for your little one, be sure that you don’t confuse accredited with licensed. However, in order to be accredited, a preschool must first be licensed. A preschool licensed simply means that the specific education facility is registered as a business and it has passed specific regulations. Before making this major decision, make sure you do your research and locate a preschool that has its accreditation. With the right preschool and the right teachers, your child will be on their way to a successful early education experience.