Child Development Lab Recieves NAEYC Accreditation
The USU Brigham City Child Development Laboratory has received National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) Accreditation for the next 5 years. This has taken a tremendous effort by Kelly Esparza, USU Brigham City Child Development Laboratory Director, to meet all the standards and put together the extensive documentation needed to receive accreditation. “This has been a team effort with the children and their families, the CD lab student teachers and staff, and many USU colleagues,” says Kelly Esparza.
Dr. Thomas R. Lee, Dean of USU Brigham City states, “Please join me in congratulating Kelly on this significant achievement! I want to also recognize the commitment made by my predecessor Andy Shinkle in his role as Executive Director of the Brigham City campus to finish and equip the lab space to provide a model early childhood education setting. This is a great facility with a highly qualified staff and an outstanding director and so it is wonderful to see them recognized by NAEYC. It is already recognized by the community in that we have a four-year waiting list for children to get into the USU Brigham City Child Development Lab School!”
The laboratory serves university students as a student-teaching and practicum facility. University students participate both as teachers and observers in the child development laboratory. The program continues to grow with more students participating each year.
Congratulations Kelly and staff!
The National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) is the Nation’s leading organization of early childhood professionals.
“We’re proud to have earned the mark of quality from NAEYC, and to be recognized for our commitment to reaching the highest professional standards,” said Kelly Esparza. “NAEYC Accreditation lets families in our community know that children in our program are getting the best care and early learning experiences possible.”
To earn NAEYC Accreditation, the USU Brigham City Child Development Laboratory went through an extensive self-study process, measuring the program and its services against the ten 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 that the program meets each of the ten program standards. NAEYC-accredited programs are also subject to unannounced visits during their accreditation, which lasts for five years.