Examining the Effects of Accreditation on Military Child Development CenterOperations and Outcomes

摘要

This document was prepared for the Under Secretary of Defense for Personnel andReadiness (Personnel Support, Families and Education) and is the first of two reports that explore the implementation of the Military child Care Act (MCCA) of 1989. This report fulfills an MCCA mandate to assess the effect of accreditation of military child development centers (CDCs) on child outcomes. The objectives of this research were fourfold: to analyze the accreditation process; to examine the effect of accreditation on CDC staff morale, professionalism, and interactions; to explore the perceived impact of accreditation on child outcomes; and to assess the incremental value of accreditation over the benefits associated with DoD certification of CDCs. The report uses information derived from documents on certification and accreditation published, respectively, by DoD and the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC), data collected during site visits to 17 military installations and four major commands, and data collected from a worldwide mall survey of Child Development Program directors. These data and the recommendations that follow should help Congress and military policymakers, child care managers, and installation level commands better understand the accreditation process and the unique benefits it provides to CDC children, staff, and parents. -BKA.