UMaine child development learning center reaccredited by national association
The Katherine Miles Durst Child Development Learning Center at the University of Maine recently earned reaccreditation from the National Association for the Education of Young Children — the nation’s leading organization of early childhood professionals.
“It means we’re the best of the best,” says center coordinator Margo Brown. “It’s just recognition for what we do every day for the children in our program, and for the students on campus, who get to see firsthand what a quality learning environment looks like for young children.”
To earn accreditation, the program and its services were judged according to 10 NAEYC Early Childhood Program Standards, earning scores of 100 percent or more on each. The scores higher than 100 percent reflect the fact that the learning center meets emerging criteria in those areas, essentially going above and beyond what is required. In addition, there was an on-site visit by an NAEYC assessor in late September. The center will be subject to additional unannounced site visits during its accreditation, and must file annual documentation to stay in compliance.
The Katherine M. Durst Child Development Learning Center was established in 1931. It is used as a teaching tool for students focusing on early childhood education as part of the College of Education and Human Development’s undergraduate major in child development and family relations. Brown estimates that over the years more than 8,000 college students have been involved in the center, and that more than 4,000 young children have passed through its doors.
The NAEYC accreditation program is 25 years old. More than 7,000 preschool programs nationwide are accredited through the organization, including 47 in Maine.