PLYMOUTH — Plymouth State University's Child Development and Family Center has become one of the first facilities in the nation to receive re-accreditation under new guidelines created by the National Association for the Education of Young Children.

"The NAEYC is the world's largest organization working on behalf of children. Accreditation from this system is a voluntary process. It signifies a high quality program and one that strives to continually improve its services," said Karen Sanders, the center's educational program coordinator.

Sanders said under the NAEYC's earlier accreditation guidelines, only 7 percent of the nation's child care centers had received accreditation and that under the new system, which was introduced this year, that figure could actually decrease.

"This is considered the highest mark of quality for early childhood education," said Cantor. She noted that the Center has been accredited by NAEYC since 1995, and cited the high quality education being enjoyed by both children at the center as well as the PSU students who help it function. "We're preparing a new generation of early childhood teachers," said Cantor.

The PSU Child Development and Family Center is part of the University's Early Childhood Studies Program.