High-quality daycare and early education programs have many benefits, especially concerning social-emotional, language, and cognitive development. To find a high-quality program, you will want to look for providers who are:
State-licensed. Not every provider is automatically licensed, and searching for one that demonstrates safety best practices in its operation. Care.com has an easy search form to scan for licensed programs in your state.
Accredited. You may also search for programs that pursue national accreditation, an official review process performed by a nationally recognized agency with high standards that often exceed state licensing requirements. The process involves staff and family participation, classroom observations, and health and safety checks.
A provider who is licensed and accredited indicates that they are deeply committed to providing an exceptional learning environment that is both safe and enriching. Many different agencies can provide national accreditation. Two of the most common agencies include The National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) and the National Association for Family Child Care (NAFCC).
As you evaluate the programs available to you and your child, here are some green flags to look for:
Qualified staff who can speak to their training.Being state-licensed or having a national accreditation speaks more to the overall programming, not necessarily the credentials of the staff. It is helpful to meet the team and ask about teacher training and qualifications (All the better if they have an advanced degree in early education).
The staff has opportunities for ongoing training in early childhood development,especially in infant and toddler development (birth to age 3). This remains true even if they teach slightly older children because knowledge of earlier development allows caregivers to adjust expectations and strategies to provide individualized support. This is especially helpful since the COVID-19 pandemic, as teachers are noticing more “scattered skills,” where there are large discrepancies between areas of strengths and challenges among students.
A child-centered environment.Young children learn best from trusting, nurturing relationships. Teachers and caregivers in high-quality programs form a foundation for learning by consciously cultivating individualized relationships with their students and taking a connection over correction approach.
Stage-appropriate adult-to-child ratio:An ideal adult-to-child ratio will vary slightly depending on your state licensing requirements and the child’s age/class level. For example, infant classes should be smaller – typically no more than 8 infants in one room with two caregivers, while preschool and kindergarten grow to bigger class sizes, typically around 20 -24 students with two teachers present.
Structured and open-ended:All aspects of development—social-emotional, fine and gross motor, cognitive, adaptive, and language—benefit from a mix of structured opportunities with explicit guidance and open-ended opportunities with self-directed exploration. Both formats are valuable!
Open communicationbetween you and your child’s school director and teachers allows for real-time adjustments to your child’s care. A program sensitive to the needs of young children will have a system for exchanging information with parents beyond yearly or bi-yearly parent-teacher conferences. The kind of information shared runs the gamut from whether your child skipped breakfast that morning to enlisting support during a bigger life transition, such as welcoming a sibling or moving house.
There are other things to think about as well when you are making a school or program choice, some practical and some preferential:
Cost and availability. There is a huge disparity in the cost of childcare and early education. Some programs cost more than a state college tuition, and others are free! Many schools offer financial aid. Some programs require that you apply a year ahead of time, while others allow you to enroll year-round.
Location and geographic accessibility. You may want to send your toddler to a program close to home or close to work, whichever best suits your family’s needs.
Full-time or part-time. Deciding between a full-time and part-time program may also impact where you send your child.
Teaching method and philosophy. There is a plethora of choices available in terms of educational philosophy, ranging from “traditional” to “progressive.” Taking the time to learn about differences like teacher-led vs. child-led, or play-based vs. academic can help you figure out where to focus your search.