DMACC’s Child Development Center Receives Level 5 Rating

The DMACC Child Development Center (CDC), which serves as DMACC's Lab School for early childhood education students, has received a Level 5 rating, the highest possible, from Iowa Quality for Kids (IQ4K®), Iowa's new voluntary Quality Rating and Improvement System (QRIS) for Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) licensed Child Care Centers and preschools, registered Child Development Homes and programs operating under the authority of an accredited school district or nonpublic school.

IQ4K^® provides five levels of quality (building blocks) that programs can achieve and continue to improve on. DMACC Early Childhood Education Program Chair and Professor Katie Champlin said the DMACC Lab School receiving the highest rating for IQ4K affirms the programs dedication to serve as both a model learning environment for young children and a vital training ground for college students pursuing careers in early childhood education.

"DMACC's Early Childhood Education program continues to invest in evidence-based practices, community partnerships, and student supports that promote high-quality teaching and lifelong learning as reflected in this top tier rating," said Champlin. "Faculty and staff in the ECE program are deeply committed to shaping the next generation of educators who will make a lasting impact on young children and their families."

Jenn Whitted, Director of DMACC's Child Development Center, elaborated on the comprehensive nature of the evaluation. "Earning the Level 5 designation required us to demonstrate excellence across all seven core domains of the IQ4K framework: Nutrition and Physical Activity; Professional Development; Leadership and Administration; Family and Community Partnerships; Environment; Teaching Staff Qualifications; and Teaching and Learning.

"This commitment to quality is evident in every aspect of our program," said Whitted. "We are staffed with seven full-time Child Development Specialists, and licensed to serve 65 children, ranging from eight-weeks to five-years-old, in three classrooms. Our center provides consistent, high-quality care year-round on DMACC student contact days, offering families the flexibility of regularly scheduled full or part-time attendance to meet their needs."

She said DMACC students receive first priority in enrolling their children, then the remaining spots are offered to DMACC employees, and after that, spots are made available to the public.

Whitted said there's a waiting list, so she recommended the first step for any prospective family is to complete an application, which secures their place on the wait list.

The Center started out as a half-day preschool program in 1969 serving only children in the Ankeny Community. In 1975, it switched to a full-day program. In 1986, the Child Development Center moved to its current location on the DMACC Ankeny Campus. The Child Development Center is the official lab school for DMACC's Early Childhood Education program.

"Our Early Childhood Education students gain continuous, hands-on classroom experience from the beginning of their studies through graduation," said Whitted. "The Center also serves as a clinical site for Nursing and Dental students and as an observation site for many other DMACC programs/classes."

In addition to the state Quality Rating and Improvement System recognition, DMACC consistently receives national accreditation from the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC)-the world's largest organization working on behalf of young children. The center was first accredited by the NAEYC in 1989.

For more information, contact:

Jenn Whitted

[email protected]

515-964-6588