Division News
Wake Tech Early Childhood Education Program Earns Accreditation
RALEIGH, N.C. (June 13, 2013) – Wake Tech’s Early Childhood Education program has earned accreditation from the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) Commission on Early Childhood Associate Degree Accreditation. To earn accreditation, programs must undergo a two-year process that includes collecting and reporting data, participating in a self-study, and passing muster with a team of peer reviewers at a site visit.
“This is an honor that acknowledges our Early Childhood faculty for their expertise and passion for giving all students the opportunity to learn and grow – in the classroom and in our community,” says Walter Martin, Dean of Business and Public Services Technologies. “I am very proud of their accomplishments and their dedication to the profession.”
Karen Ray, Early Childhood Education Department Head, says, “Being awarded the NAEYC Certificate of Accreditation validates our program’s commitment to high-quality teacher education that aligns with the professional standards set by NAEYC. I too am extremely proud of my faculty and our community partners, who worked so hard to reach this important benchmark.”
The NAEYC recognized the program for offering exceptional learning opportunities in accordance with standards established by the association. The Commission on Accreditation praised the program’s high-quality field experiences and highly-qualified, diverse, and responsive faculty. The program was singled out for having a positive impact on students, local early childhood programs, and the community.
“We congratulate Wake Tech’s Early Childhood Education program on its achievement,” said Marica Cox Mitchell, Director of Higher Education Accreditation and Program Support at NAEYC. “The NAEYC accreditation system sets a standard of excellence for early childhood associate degree programs to meet, and Wake Tech’s program has demonstrated that it meets this standard.”
Wake Tech’s Early Childhood program is designed to introduce students to early childhood classroom settings and the roles that professionals play in those settings. Students are placed in high-quality early childhood environments where they work under the supervision of experienced mentor teachers as well as faculty coordinators.
