Accreditation

Is Doodle Bugs! accredited?
Yes! Doodle Bugs! was the first child care program in Western New York to be accredited by the Middle States Association (MSA). In contrast to most accreditation models, MSA provides nationally recognized accreditation to early childhood programs, elementary schools, high schools and colleges.
 
MSA has provided nationally recognized accreditation since 1978 and launched an innovative Early Age Accreditation project in 2004. Doodle Bugs! was the first program in WNY to participate in this project and is thrilled to be an integral part of the collaborative effort to set high-quality standards for early childhood programs.  All Doodle Bugs! locations are required to comply with MSA standards; new centers apply for candidacy after one year in operation.

Why does accreditation matter?
Accreditation is a voluntary, rigorous process that requires a program to meet and maintain high standards. Accreditation by MSA is recognized around the world as an indication of trustworthiness, educational quality, and a commitment to continuous improvement.
 
The heart of the accreditation process is a genuine commitment to our mission – building a community of happy children, happy parents and happy teachers. MSA standards require evidence of this commitment in all facets of our program including assessment, curriculum, health & safety, nutrition, parent relationships, administration, facilities and finances. More information about MSA is available at www.msa-cess.org.
 
 
Ways to learn more about accreditation:
Each classroom at Doodle Bugs! maintains an MSA Classroom Portfolio. This collection of classroom specific work samples and photographs is designed to provide families and visitors with evidence of MSA high quality indicators. Each center also maintains an MSA Center Portfolio that provides site-specific evidence of high quality, aligned with MSA standards and indicators. Families will also find specific information about MSA standards and classroom practice in the ‘Accreditation Spotlight’ feature of our community newsletter.