The Perry Child Development Center (PCDC) recently earned another five-year term of accreditation from the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) — the nation’s leading organization of early childhood professionals.
The PCDC has received NAEYC accreditation every five years since 1995.
“We’re proud to have earned the mark of quality from NAEYC,” said PCDC Director Laurie Wernli, “and to be recognized for our commitment to reaching the highest professional standards. NAEYC accreditation lets families in our community know that children in our program are getting the best care and early-learning experiences possible.”
Currently, fewer than 10 percent of all child care centers, preschools and kindergartens in the U.S. achieve this recognition. Along with NAEYC accreditation, the PCDC has also achieved five out of five stars from the Iowa Department of Human Services Quality Rating System (QRS).
The PCDC is located at 920 18th St. in Perry and is open Monday through Friday from 5 a.m. to 6 p.m. throughout the year. The center provides preschool programs, child care and before- and after-school programs for children 2 through 12 years of age.
Wernli said the PCDC has worked hard to provide high-quality child care that is affordable for all families. Several community partners have made it possible for the PCDC to offer scholarships to reduce tuition costs. Generous scholarship grants have been received from the United Way of Central Iowa Women United, the Dallas County Hospital, the Bock Family Foundation and St. Martin’s Episcopal Church.
To earn NAEYC accreditation, the PCDC is put through an extensive self-study and quality-improvement process, followed by an on-site visit by NAEYC assessors to verify and ensure that the program meets each of the 10 program standards and hundreds of corresponding individual criteria.
“The NAEYC accreditation system raises the bar for child care centers and other early childhood programs,” said Rhian Evans Allvin, executive director of NAEYC. “Having earned NAEYC accreditation is a sign that the Perry Child Development Center is a leader in a national effort to invest in high-quality early childhood education.”
The NAEYC accreditation system has set voluntary professional standards for programs for young children since 1985. Evans Allvin said NAEYC is committed to using the newest studies and analysis on positive child outcomes to ensure young children continue receiving the highest quality care and education possible.
For more information about NAEYC accreditation, visit the NAEYC website, or call the Perry Child Development Center at 515-465-2522.
