Meeting Street Early Learning Center Awarded 5-Year Reaccreditation by National Association for the Education of Young Children

PROVIDENCE, RI –Meeting Street’s Early Learning Center was recently awarded a 5-year reaccreditation by the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC), the country’s leading organization working on behalf of children with an emphasis on high-quality educational and developmental programs. The Center first became accredited in 2009; its new certification will now run through 2019.

In being reaccredited, Meeting Street’s Early Learning Center was recognized for delivering programs that meet national standards of quality to provide the best learning atmosphere and experiences for its children while preparing them for school. The Center is 1 of just 29 early learning programs in the state to be NAEYC accredited, and is Rhode Island’s largest early learning center to utilize the inclusion education model. Further illustrating Meeting Street’s staff as experts in educating all children—those with and without special needs—the Center is also a 4-star BrightStars-rated program.

“We take great pride in our Early Learning Center being NAEYC-accredited; it’s a rigorous process that our entire staff embraces—they know how important it is to the children and families we serve,” said John Kelly, president and CEO of Meeting Street. “Combined with our inclusion model of teaching and its far-reaching benefits for all children, from social and emotional adaptation to individualized curriculum, this distinction underscores our commitment to providing the best education possible.”

To earn NAEYC Accreditation, the Early Learning Center went through an extensive self-study process that measured the program and its services against ten NAEYC Early Childhood Program Standards and hundreds of related accreditation criteria based on the latest research in early education. In addition to meeting each of NAEYC’s ten early childhood program standards of excellence, Center staff scored highly by demonstrating high levels of leadership expertise, certification and continuing education.

The Center received NAEYC Accreditation following an on-site visit by NAEYC Assessors, and is subject to unannounced visits during its 5-year accreditation term. Across the country, only 8 percent of all early childhood education programs are NAEYC accredited.

About Meeting Street

Founded in 1946, Meeting Street compassionately and innovatively empowers children and their families to thrive by fostering the development of the whole child. Meeting Street’s vision is to be a national leader in child development, education, research and training. Today, Meeting Street works with more than 3,000 children and families annually through its core programs: Meeting Street Early Intervention, Early Head Start, Meeting Street Early Learning Center, The Grace School, The Carter School, and Outpatient Therapy. For more information, visit www.MeetingStreet.org.

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