YMCA Child Care and Preschool Accreditation

Accreditation is a guarantee that the YMCA Child Care and Preschool program is committed to constantly improving early childhood education. A program’s accreditation ensures your child will learn the educational standards that prepare them for kindergarten. All YMCA of the North Early Childhood programs are fully licensed and in good standing with their state regulatory bodies, the Minnesota Department of Human Services or the Wisconsin Department of Children and Family Services, as appropriate.

All eligible YMCA early childhood programs are currently accredited by NAEYC or in the process of pursuing NAEYC accreditation.

NAEYC Accreditation

NAEYC Accredited

The National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) is the stamp of quality when it comes to early childhood learning. Passionate in promoting high-quality early learning from birth through age eight, NAEYC members connect child care practice and policy with evidence-based research and training.

NAEYC accreditation brings you the assurance that your child is learning in a program that focuses on:

  • promoting positive relationships between children and teachers
  • implementing a curriculum that supports learning
  • teaching that supports curriculum goals
  • establishing a system of assessment for children’s learning
  • promoting the health of children
  • employing teachers who have a professional commitment
  • maintaining relationships with families
  • identifying community resources to support goals
  • maintaining a safe physical environment
  • following policies to maintain high-quality experiences for children, families and staff

4-Star Parent Aware Rating

Parent Aware

Parent Aware is a Minnesota rating system that informs parents if and how much a program is using kindergarten readiness best practices. Child care programs who participate in the Parent Aware ratings get one, two, three or four stars to identify programs that best prepare students for kindergarten. Four stars is the highest rating a program can receive.

The YMCA consistently receives a four-star rating through Parent Aware, which means we’re committed to on-going quality education for every child.