Early Childhood Education Program Receives Re-Accreditation

 

Haywood Community College’s Early Childhood Education Program recently received re-accreditation from the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC). The program first received accreditation in 2015. According to its website, NAEYC provides a mechanism for early childhood degree programs to demonstrate their commitment to high-quality professional preparation through the higher education accreditation system.  

The mission of the accreditation system is to set a standard of excellence for early childhood degree programs and to recognize programs that have demonstrated they meet this standard, thereby benefiting the early childhood profession, young children, families, and communities. 

“Our EDU team has worked hard over the past several years to create meaningful and rigorous projects that assess the cognitive demands and skills of our students,” says Dr. Eliza Dean, HCC Early Childhood Program manager. “With this accreditation, our program stands out as one that provides a higher quality of education for our students. They will be prepared to serve our region as excellent teachers in early learning programs.” 

At HCC, students can pursue an associate degree or certificate in Early Childhood Administration, Early Childhood Preschool or Infant/Toddler Care. Certificates can be completed in two semesters. The program at HCC is entirely online. 

Spring registration is currently open. Classes begin Wednesday, January 11. For more information, visit haywood.edu or call 828-627-2821.