SDSU Laboratory Preschool       SDSU Kindergarten Laboratory       SDSU OST Program

Quality Assurances

Licensing

The South Dakota State University Laboratory Preschool and Out of School Time Programs are licensed by the South Dakota Office of Child Care Services.  The SDSU Laboratory Preschool is licensed as a child care facility although it operates as a preschool experience rather than child care.  The licensing process includes inspections for food safety and fire safety.  Both programs are renewed every year in September as part of the licensing process.

Accreditation

The Fishback Center for Early Childhood Education is accredited by the National Academy of Early Childhood Programs which is a branch of the National Association for the Education of Young Children.  It has been accredited since 1989.  The accreditation process is a rigorous process which upholds the standards of high quality early childhood education.  NAEYC is the largest and most widely known, professional accrediting body.  Currently, there are only 6 early childhood sites in South Dakota that are accredited.  The Center was accredited through the new accreditation process and will be accredited through 2012, the teaching team will submit annual reports to the Academy. 

What is accreditation?  "Early childhood programs accredited by NAEYC's National Academy of Early Childhood Programs have voluntarily undergone a comprehensive process of internal self-study, invited external professional review to verify compliance with the Criteria for High-Quality Early Childhood Programs, and been found to be in substantial compliance with the Criteria."  (taken from the NAEYC Accreditation brochure).  As of January 1, 2005, the National Academy of Early Childhood Programs has put forth a new set of quality criteria for early childhood centers.  For more information, see NAEYC's website:  http://www.naeyc.org.

As a teaching facility, the Early Childhood Education program is also accredited by NCATE, and the College of Family Consumer Sciences is accredited by American Association of Family and Consumer Sciences (AAFCS), and Cooperative State Research Education and Experiment Station (CSREES).

Food Service Policy

All snacks for theFishback Center for Early Childhood Education and breakfast (for the OST program) follow the USDA Child and Adult Nutrition Services Food Program.  All snacks shall be nutritious using bran fiber, fresh foods when possible, and low in sugar.  Snacks must include two of the four groups:  Fiber, meat, fruits and vegetables, and milk or milk alternative.  All breakfasts will consist of a bran fiber, fruit and milk.

Safety Qualifications

All personnel employed within the Fishback Center for Early Childhood Education have CPR certification, including student teachers.  Mentor teachers also have First Aid Certification.  In addition, all personnel employed with the FishbackCenter for Early Childhood Education are mandated reporters of abuse and/or neglect.

Americans with Disabilities Act

The Fishback Center for Early Childhood Education complies with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).  In recent years (1998-2006), the facilities have been renovated in order to become accessible. It is part of our philosophy to make all reasonable accommodations necessary for children and individuals to succeed.

Mandated Reporting of Abuse and Neglect

Any employed individual within the teaching team is considered a mandated reporter (as set forth in paragraph 13.1.1).  It is a requirement to report abuse and neglect for those who have actual knowledge of or who have reasonable cause to suspect sexual misconduct against a minor must report that information to the South Dakota Department of Social Services.

Equal Opportunity/ Affirmative Action

The Fishback Center for Early Childhood Education is committed to providing Equal Employment Opportunity to all individuals and actively seeks qualified individuals who reflect the diverse population found in the community.  Skills, knowledge, and abilities are appropriate factors to consider in the selection process.  The following factors are irrelevant to successful job performance, and should not be considered in the assessment:  race, color, national origin, marital/family status, religion, disabilty, sex, age, disabled and Vietnam Era Veterans.