What is the difference between child care licensing, school regulation, and program accreditation?
Head Start programs, child care centers, or family child care homes are required to be licensed or registered with the Office Child Care Administration (MSDE-DECD/CCA). Regulations for public school pre-kindergarten and kindergarten programs are issued by the State Board of Education and administered by the local boards of education. The licensing and regulatory requirements are minimum standards for operating programs. Program accreditation implies that services must move beyond mere licensing and regulatory requirements. Program accreditation standards represent the highest quality and reflect research-based, best practices in early childhood education.
Related Questions
- What should a program do if a NAEYC criterion differs from a rule or regulation from a public agency (licensing, public school board, military, etc.) that regulates the program?
- What is the difference between child care licensing, school regulation, and program accreditation?
- Does the child care assistance program at MCC pay for before and after school day care?
