Austin Community College District’s (ACC) Children's Lab School was awarded re-accreditation from the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) –– one of the highest available for early childhood programs in the United States.

“I am so proud of the work our teams did for this accreditation process. The families, teachers, and administration have all worked collaboratively on the accreditation process since 2018, when the standards were revised. We saw program improvement during our self-assessment and have identified areas where we can continue to improve,” says Dawn Leach, ACC Children’s Lab School manager.

The program received a 100% pass rate for classroom and program observations, classroom portfolios, and the program portfolio. The ACC Children's Lab School has been accredited by NAEYC since 1989. NAEYC is a nonprofit that works to promote high-quality early learning for children up to age 8 years old by connecting early childhood practice, policy, and research. 

Located at Eastview Campus, ACC’s Children’s Lab School offers full-time childcare for ACC students, faculty, and staff. The center serves children from six months through five years. Evening care also is available for children ages two to ten for ACC students enrolled in evening courses. 

Students enrolled in the college’s Child Care and Development Program, also accredited by the NAEYC Higher Education Accreditation system, learn about child development, child guidance, curriculum planning, and more. The program offers multiple award plans and stackable credits. Students complete fieldwork at the Children's Lab School under the supervision of degreed and experienced teacher mentors, which offers them practical experience in the field and helps them build their resumes.

For more information, visit austincc.edu/childcare. For more information about the Children’s Lab School, click here.