Baker College earns accreditation for early childhood education program

The early childhood education (ECE) associate-degree programs offered at Baker College of Auburn Hills and seven other Baker College campuses across the state have earned accreditation through the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC).

Baker College is the first multi-campus system to apply for accreditation since the NAEYC accreditation began in 2006 and joins about 200 colleges with NAEYC-accredited programs. NAEYC’s accreditation standards include promotion of child development and learning, building family and community relationships, and content knowledge to build meaningful curriculum.

“We wanted to set the bar high for multi-campus college accreditation, which we did with full accreditation without any conditions on the first application,” said Natalie Campbell, Baker College of Auburn Hills ECE program director. “We had confidence that our programs were among the top nationally and believed NAEYC accreditation would benefit the programs’ reputation and employability of our graduates. This is good news for our students. Employers recognize the benefits of hiring a graduate of a NAEYC-accredited program.”

The application process took three years and was intensive. It included a lengthy self-study report, a campus peer visit/review and a post-visit report to summarize the findings. ECE directors at the other Baker College campuses and Peni Aldrich, director of education and human services for Baker College System, were involved in the coordinated submissions and meetings.

Graduates of Baker’s ECE two-year program are eligible for jobs as child care program directors, preschool teachers, teacher assistants and family child care managers.

Campbell explained that a majority of graduates continue their educations to pursue bachelor’s degrees. “An ECE associate degree can help a student obtain jobs, such as a preschool teacher or other related positions, while pursuing a bachelor's degree,” she said. “It’s smart. They gain work experience in the subject they are studying, which makes their educations more relevant.”  

ECE program students learn to plan and organize age-appropriate curricula and environments for infants, toddlers, preschool-age children and school-age children in before-and-after-school settings. The program examines current challenges that early childhood educators will face as they enter the educational profession.

In addition to Baker College of Auburn Hills, ECE programs are offered at Baker College campuses in Allen Park, Cadillac, Clinton Township, Flint, Jackson, Muskegon and Owosso.

For more information about the ECE associate degree program, contact Baker College of Auburn Hills admissions at 248.340.0600 or nicole.chirco@baker.edu.

NAEYC is the largest organization working as an advocate for high-quality early care and education in the U.S.

The largest private college in Michigan, Baker College is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission and is a member of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools. It is a nonprofit higher education institution, serving more than 35,000 students on 12 campuses and in three satellite locations. Baker grants certificates and associate, bachelor’s and master’s degrees in business, health sciences, education and human services, and various technical fields, as well as a doctorate of business administration. As a career college, the Baker College system is pleased to report that 97 percent of its available graduates are employed. For more information about Baker College, please check out our website at www.baker.edu.