Head Start earns top accreditation

Community Services for Children’s Head Start classrooms have earned accreditation from the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) – the nation’s leading organization of early childhood professionals.

“NAEYC accreditation lets families in our community know that children in our program are getting the best early learning experiences possible,” said Jane Ervin, CEO and President of CSC.

“We’re proud to have earned the mark of quality form NAEYC and to be recognized for our commitment to reaching the highest professional standards,” said Paula Margraf, Executive Vice President of CSC and Director of Head Start of the Lehigh Valley.

To earn NAEYC accreditation, Head Start of the Lehigh Valley went through an extensive self-study process measuring the program and its services against the 10 NAEYC early childhood program standards and more than 400 related accreditation criteria. The program received NAEYC accreditation after an on-site visit by NAEYC assessors to ensure the program meets each of the 10 program standards. NAEYC-accredited programs are also subject to unannounced visits during their accreditation, which lasts 5 years.

In the 25 years since NAEYC accreditation was established, it has become widely recognized sign of high quality early childhood education. More than 7000 programs are currently accredited by NAEYC – approximately 8% of all preschools and early childhood programs.

Community Services for Children is a regional leader in early childhood education and family development, affecting the lives of 40,000 children annually. CSC believes all children deserve a chance to succeed in school, which begins in early childhood within a nurturing family.