OU's Lowry Center for Early Childhood earns national accreditation

Oakland University’s Lowry Center for Early Childhood Education has earned accreditation from the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC), the nation’s leading organization of early childhood professionals.

“We’re proud to have earned the mark of quality from NAEYC, and to be recognized for our commitment to reaching the highest professional standards,” said Julie Ricks-Doneen, director of the Lowry Center. “NAEYC accreditation lets families in our community know that children in our program are getting the best care and early learning experiences possible.”

To earn NAEYC accreditation, the Lowry Center went through an extensive self-study process, measuring the program and its services against the 10 NAEYC Early Childhood Program Standards and more than 400 related accreditation criteria. The program received accreditation after an on-site visit by NAEYC assessors to ensure that the program meets each of the ten program standards. NAEYC-accredited programs are also subject to unannounced visits during their accreditation, which lasts for five years.

In the 25 years since NAEYC accreditation was established, it has become a widely recognized sign of high-quality early childhood education. More than 7,000 programs are currently accredited by the NAEYC, approximately eight percent of all preschools and other early childhood programs. 

 
“The NAEYC accreditation system raises the bar for child care centers and other early childhood programs,” said Jerlean E. Daniel, Ph.D., executive director of NAEYC. “Having earned NAEYC accreditation is a sign that the Lowry Center is a leader in a national effort to invest in high-quality early childhood education.”

The NAEYC accreditation system was created to set professional standards for early childhood education, and to help families identify high-quality preschools, child care centers and other early education programs. The Lowry Center offers early childhood education programming to children ages 18 months to five years.

For more information on the Lowry Center for Early Childhood Education, call (248) 370-4100, or visit the website at oakland.edu/lowry.