VGCC Early Childhood Program Earns Accreditation
The Early Childhood Associate program at Vance-Granville Community College recently received its official accreditation from the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC). The organization granted the college preliminary accreditation in 2007. The accreditation system establishes standards to raise the quality of teacher education, and in turn raise the quality of early childhood education programs serving young children.
“VGCC’s accreditation will help make our graduates more marketable as child care centers and schools are looking for the best-trained employees,” said Jennifer M. Johnson, head of the Early Childhood Associate program at VGCC. “Students and the community benefit from knowing that our instructors are providing high-quality education and meeting the demand for excellent, well-prepared teachers for our young children.”
NAEYC’s Commission on Early Childhood Associate Degree Accreditation recognizes associate degree programs in colleges and universities that meet a high standard for preparation of teachers. The accreditation system opened to public application in 2006. VGCC became one of the first 17 programs in the nation to successfully complete the initial process in 2007. A total of 69 programs are now accredited. In 2007, NAEYC’s commission wrote that VGCC’s program “is responsive to students’ needs…Program offerings are flexible, student advising and support are extensive, and technology is well-supported.” The program’s field experiences are “rich and varied,” the commission noted, and the instructors “are well-qualified, good role models, and connected with the professional community.”
VGCC offers an Early Childhood Associate degree and diploma , as well as certificates concentrating on early childhood administration, general education, infants and toddlers , family home child care, and Special Needs. The early childhood education programs prepare individuals to work with children from birth through age eight in diverse learning environments. For more information, contact Jennifer M. Johnson at (252) 738-3408.
