Fayette County Head Start/Pre-K was recently granted reaccreditation by the National Association for the education of Young Children.

This recognition has been achieved by approximately 7 percent of early childhood programs nationwide.

NAEYC accreditation is a rigorous, voluntary process in which early childhood programs demonstrate that they meet national standards of excellence. Child care centers, preschools, kindergartens and before- and after-school programs are eligible to seek NAEYC accreditation.

Programs seeking accreditation undergo an intensive self-study, collecting information from parents, teachers, administrators and classroom observations. They receive an on-site visit, conducted by the early childhood professionals especially trained by NAEYC to validate their self-study results.

All of this information is independently reviewed by a team of national experts who grant or defer accreditation. When awarded, accreditation is valid for three years.

“The heart of NAEYC accreditation focuses on the child's experience,” said Barbara Willer, spokesman for NAEYC. “The process carefully considers all aspects of the program including health and safety, staffing, staff qualifications and physical environment. The greatest emphasis is on the children's relationships with the staff and how the program helps each child to grow and learn intellectually, physically, socially and emotionally.”

Fayette County Head Start/Pre-K is at 215 Bradford Square and 125 Carnegie Place. The center serves 171 children aged 3 - 5.