This study explored the possibility of more appropriate accreditation process in Korea by
analyzing the past and present early childhood program accreditation system. This study is
based upon the NAEYC’s accreditation system of the United States, where early childhood
program accreditation is closely related to and plays a practical role in the planning,
application, and the management of many programs.
NAEYC’s accreditation process has been recently reorganized in September 2006, and the
major mission of this reinvention was to improve not only the quality of the programs but also
the quality of the accreditation system itself.
This study examined the background and mission of the both accreditation systems
established in 1988 and 2006. It also compared the steps and methods of the accreditation
systems and further analyzed the standards and criteria.
As a result, it was found that NAEYC’s 2006 accreditation system remained to focus on the
continuous improvement of program quality. However, the details of the accreditation system
such as the steps, the organization of standards, and the numbers as well as the contents of
criteria, were found to have made major changes. This has great implications for the
enhancement of our current day care program accreditation system, which is still in its’ infancy.