North Providence learning center receives accreditation

North Providence-based Way to Grow Learning Center has been granted accreditation by the National Association of the Education for Young Children. This recognition has been achieved by approximately 7 percent of early childhood programs nationwide –some 7,584 programs as of July 1, 2001, serving 688,987 children.



According to Beverly Jesuino, executive director of Way to Grow, NAEYC accreditation is a voluntary process by which early childhood programs demonstrate that they meet national standards of excellence. Programs seeking accreditation undergo an intensive self-study, collecting information from parents, teachers, administrators and classroom observations. They receive an on-site visit, conducted by early childhood professionals especially trained by NAEYC, to validate the self-study results. All of this information is independently reviewed b y a team of national experts who grant or defer accreditation. When awarded accreditation is valid for three years.



Way to Grow is the first childhood program in North Providence to receive this accreditation.