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First United Methodist Church Omaha NE

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Rainbow Factory Accredited by NAEYC

Omaha, NE -- May 20, 2003 -- Rainbow Factory Preschool has earned accreditation from the National Association for the Education of Young Children -- the nation's leading organization of early childhood professionals.

"We're proud to be accredited by NAEYC, and recognized for our commitment to reaching the highest professional standards," said Linda Thompson, Director of Rainbow Factory Preschool. "NAEYC Accreditation lets families in our community know that children in our program are getting the best care and early learning experiences."

More than 8,000 early childhood programs--serving nearly three-quarters of a million children--are currently accredited by NAEYC. "In recent years, we've seen a growing number of child care and preschool programs earning NAEYC Accreditation," said Mark Ginsberg, Ph.D., executive director of NAEYC. "By earning accreditation, Rainbow Factory Preschool has become a leader in a national effort to raise the quality of early childhood education, and to help give all children a better start."

Responding to the growth of the system, in 1999 the NAEYC Governing Board appointed a National Commission on Accreditation Reinvention to conduct a comprehensive review of NAEYC's Accreditation system. Building on their work, NAEYC is making many changes to prepare the system for the future, and to ensure the integrity and reliability of the process that programs go through to earn NAEYC Accreditation.

NAEYC created its accreditation program in 1985 to set professional standards for early childhood education, and to help families identify high-quality child care and early education programs. To earn NAEYC's accreditation, a program conducts a self-study to determine how well it meets the standards. After necessary improvements are made, the program is observed by independent, professional validators, and then reviewed by a national panel. Programs are accredited by NAEYC for a three-year period.

For more information, please contact Linda Thompson, Preschool Director, 556-6262, extension 1009 or e-mail her.