The Carole Robertson Center for Learning is thrilled to share that its location at 5101 N. Kimball Ave. in Albany Park, one of the Center’s three flagship sites, has earned accreditation through the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC). The recognition followed a rigorous, year-long process that involved a self-study to better understand quality standards and identify strengths and areas for improvement; a self-assessment to prepare evidence for a site visit and demonstrate eligibility requirements; and the site visit itself.
To achieve NAEYC accreditation, Early Childhood Education programs must meet or exceed standards in the following 10 areas: relationships with children, curriculum, teaching approaches, child assessment, nutrition and health, staff qualifications, relationship with children’s families, relationship with the community, physical environment, and program leadership and management.
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The Albany Park flagship site, previously known as the Albany Park Community Center, had been accredited for preschool prior to the Carole Robertson Center’s acquisition of the site in 2021. The site’s recent accreditation extends to infants and toddlers and shows, according to NAEYC’s website, “both a commitment to quality and continuous quality improvement. Accredited programs continuously ensure that their environment, policies, and practices are aligned with the standards.” This achievement reaffirms our commitment to providing high-quality, research-based programs that prepare Chicago’s earliest learners for future success.
“There is no way [the accreditation] would’ve even been possible without such a great team of support. We are truly so blessed to be part of such a great organization that cares about children and families,” said Albany Park Site Director Tonia Holden.
We celebrate this accomplishment with deep gratitude for all the staff who made it possible. Here’s to many more years of educating, enriching, and empowering children and families in Albany Park!
NAEYC’s accreditation process is on a 5-year cycle.
About the Carole Robertson Center:
The Carole Robertson Center for Learning is a nonprofit organization reaching approximately 2,500 children, youth, and their families across Chicago, with a significant presence in the North Lawndale, Little Village, and Albany Park communities. The Center is one of the largest early childhood organizations in the City of Chicago, serving linguistically and culturally diverse populations across 27 communities, and with recent growth made possible by federal funding, the Center has become the city’s largest birth-to-three program provider. Our programs reach children at every stage of development, from before birth to age 17.
