| What is ACCESS? |
| Who Does ACCESS Represent? ACCESS represents a variety of faculty in associate degree granting programs all over North America from junior, community, and technical colleges and 4-year institutions with 2-year programs. These programs prepare individuals for careers in child care and education, from birth through school age. |
| Why the title ACCESS? The exact origins of the name are no longer clear. In its beginnings in the late 70s, the membership functioned informally as a kind of caucus at NAEYC conferences without a defined structure. Recollection by some suggests American Community College Educators in Social Service. As the organizational structure evolved, it became obvious that the associate degree was the common element, not the community college. A decision was made to formalize the name American Associate Degree Early Childhood Educators, but the acronym ACCESS remained in the form of an extender: ....ACCESS to the profession. |
| What Can ACCESS Do For Me? At both the state and national levels, ACCESS can create the consensus necessary to inform various initiatives involving child care and education professional development issues. The consensus will evolve through ongoing communication among faculty from different institutions and from systems across the country. The voice of associate degree granting programs needs to be clearly heard as state and national coordination efforts progress. At the state level, we meet four times a year and support each other in terms of program and course development, articulation concerns and state initiatives. |
| What Can I Do Within ACCESS? Members contribute their own ideas within the framework of the group, crossing institutional, system and state lines. Communication occurs via state and national meetings and conferences, newsletters, and e-mail list serves. ACCESS is vital--both to its members and the wider professional development community--as its members choose to make it. |
| ACCESS VISION AND MISSION |
| VISION: ACCESS is founded on the belief that learning is a lifelong process and that associate degree programs are an important link in early childhood professional preparation. The members of ACCESS support the vision that quality care and educational services should be available to all children and their families. |
| THE MISSION OF ACCESS IS TO: *promote the aquisition of a core body of knowledge at the associate degree level. *work with practitioners to ensure the availability of quality early care and education for families and children. *provide a professional network for sharing knowledge and support among early childhood educators at associate degree granting institutions. *address issues and concerns of members and promote the professional growth and education of early childhood practitioners. *cooperate with national organizations concerned with the study and education of young children and *promote and advocate for quality in early childhood care and education. |
| For more information about joining New York State's ACCESS group, click here. For more information about joining the National ACCESS group, click here. |