TCC’s Early Childhood Education program earns national accreditation

Close-up of children's books in early childhood education classroom.

Tidewater Community College’s Early Childhood Education program has achieved first-time national accreditation from the world’s largest organization working on behalf of young children.

TCC is one of only two associate programs in the state accredited by the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC). Northern Virginia Community College is the other.

TCC’s Early Childhood Education program prepares students in the care, supervision and education of young children from birth to age 8. The college offers a 62-credit Associate of Applied Science in Early Childhood Education and certificates in Early Childhood Instruction, Child Development, Preschool and Educational Support.

Graduates are prepared for work in settings that include preschools, child care centers, Head Start programs, private schools, public schools and before- and after-school programs. Students who graduate from the associate program are equipped to transfer to four-year programs.

TCC holds transfer agreements with Norfolk State University and Bellevue University.

“National accreditation benefits us in many ways,” said Jeanne Hopkins, department chair and assistant professor of Early Childhood Education on the Portsmouth Campus. “We are intentional in creating a comprehensive program for our students that makes them attractive candidates for employment upon graduation.”

Programs accredited by NAEYC demonstrate that they:

Align to NAEYC’s Professional Preparation Standard
Respond to the unique needs of their degree candidates and communities
Provide intentional learning experiences for their degree candidates to obtain the knowledge and skills needed to be effective early childhood educators

Founded in 1926, the NAEYC is the largest and most influential advocate for high-quality early care and education in the United States.

Fall classes at TCC begin on Aug. 20.

For more information about TCC’s Early Childhood Education program, visit www.tcc.edu/academics/professional-services/programs/early-childhood-development-degree. Contact Hopkins at jehopkins@tcc.edu (Portsmouth Campus), Cassandra Andrews at candrews@tcc.edu (Norfolk Campus) or Maggie Charlton at mcharlton@tcc.edu (Chesapeake and Virginia Beach campuses).