NAEYC Accreditation is the right choice for kids. With over 11,000 programs accredited wordwide and over 1500 programs in Massachusetts, NAEYC Accreditation is the quality standard.

4-step process NAEYC has produced a number of tools, forms, and resources to help programs move through the 4-step process. The information and the links below will help you find the resources you need:

MassAEYC's “A Roadmap Through the NAEYC Accreditation System” This document will help you understand how all the tools and applications work.

Candidacy Requirements Before you start, be sure to read this. If you currently can’t meet the requirements, you may need to make additional plans to come into compliance.

Self-Study Enrollment Form To begin the process, download this form. In the Self Study Kit, you will receive a disc that has the tools necessary to implement your self study. These include the family survey, the teaching staff survey, the observation forms, and the tour. Once you finish your self-study, you will begin your self assessment.

Self Assessment Tools These tools measure what success you had in implementing changes you identified during the self-study process.

Many of the tools in this section are similar to the self-study tools, but have been edited to now serve as your source of evidence for compliance with the standards and criteria. These tools include:
Family Survey (in English and Spanish)	Teaching Staff Survey
Observation Form and Summary Sheet	Classroom Portfolio Guidelines
Tour Form for all classrooms	Child Files checklist
Program Portfolio Guidelines	Staff Files Checklist

Applications & Candidacy Materials
The Application (PDF) to declare that you want to become accredited has some specific deadlines you must meet if you are already accredited.

New applicants (PDF) have more flexibility.

The Sample Candidacy Materials will show you what you will need to submit to become an accepted candidate.