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Professional Standards & Competencies Resource Library
The Professional Standards and Competencies for Early Childhood Educators outline the essential knowledge, skills, and practices that are foundational to high-quality early childhood education. These standards define what early childhood educators should know and be able to do in order to support the learning and development of young children from birth through age 8. They serve as a guiding framework for professional development, practice, and evaluation within the field of early childhood education.
Understanding and implementing these standards is crucial for educators as they help ensure the delivery of equitable, inclusive, and high-quality education that promotes the well-being and success of all children. By adhering to these standards, educators also contribute to the profession's commitment to continuous improvement and accountability.
Please note that while the collection of resources has been organized and tagged according to the Professional Standards and Competencies, only the most applicable competencies have been prioritized for searching and tagging purposes.
For NAEYC resources in the library, you can find policies related to reproducing, distributing, or otherwise using content here. For all other resources, please follow appropriate practices for using/citing sources.
Directions for Using the Professional Standards and Competencies Resource Library
Check out the resource library tutorial here!
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The PS&Cs Resource Library allows you to peruse ALL of the many resources available (by default) or you can utilize the provided filter and narrow down your search to target specific resources.
Check out the resource library tutorial for more info.
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By using the filtering categories, you are able to narrow your search to particular professional standards, one or more of the 22 key competencies, various ECE topics, a variety of age ranges, specific types of resources such as articles or videos or even find resources available in languages other than English.
The robust filters even allow you to choose multiple choices across categories or within the same category to further narrow your search!
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Once you have opened the various filter categories provided in the filter tool, you will notice that “all” is highlighted and checked in each category by default. This means the filter tool will not filter out any of those options within that category. If you wish to narrow your search, you simply click on one or more of the other options within the various filtering categories. Clicking will check that option. Checked options will be utilized for your search!
To remove an option, simply click it again to remove the check from the checkbox.
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The search feature is similar to any other search engine on a website. It can be used for a specific key word or phrase. Although the search may be helpful and is provided, the more robust filter tool may ultimately be more helpful in focusing and narrowing your search for resources.
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Naturally, broken links will occur. Sometimes the resource has been moved to a new web address and other times it has been temporarily or permanently removed. We welcome you to report any broken links you find here. We will do our best to replace the link when possible or remove the resource if it is no longer available.
**As of Feb. 2025, certain webpages and resources, particularly from agencies/organizations/projects that receive federal funds, have been at least temporarily removed in order to comply with federal mandates related to the Trump Administration’s Executive Orders. We will continue to monitor these resource links and update them if and when new links are available.
Start Your Search--Resource Library
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Sort quickly through the hundreds of available resources by using the filter tool on the left to populate the specific resources you need!
Universal Design for Learning (UDL) OER Book Chapter
Universal Design for Learning (UDL) OER Book Chapter
Open Educational Resources (OER) are teaching and learning materials that you may freely use and reuse at no cost, and without needing to ask permission.
An overview of UDL, including what it looks like in a preschool classroom.
Organization/Author: ECE: Diverse and Inclusive Practices in Nova Scotia
Type of Resource: Book Chapter, OER Textbook
Publication Date: 2022
OER Textbook: Implementing Developmentally Appropriate Practices (DAP) in the Preschool Environment
OER Textbook: Implementing Developmentally Appropriate Practices (DAP) in the Preschool Environment
Open Educational Resources (OER) are teaching and learning materials that you may freely use and reuse at no cost, and without needing to ask permission.
This OER textbook describes how to implement developmentally appropriate practices in an early childhood classroom. It includes information on implementing standards, building relationships, supporting diverse learners, and creating curriculum.
Organization/Author: Joan Hayden and Laura Hutton
Type of Resource: Book Chapter, Open Educational Resource (OER)
Publication Date: 2021
OER Textbook: Principles and Practices of Teaching Young Children
OER Textbook: Principles and Practices of Teaching Young Children
Open Educational Resources (OER) are teaching and learning materials that you may freely use and reuse at no cost, and without needing to ask permission.
This OER textbook includes 8 chapters that provide an overview of the history of the field of early childhood education, developmental theories, and the profession. In addition, observation, assessment, developmental ages and stages, curriculum basics, environments, and partnering with families are explored.
Click here to learn more about the OER Collection from College of the Canyons.
Organization/Author: Cindy Stephens, Gina Peterson, Sharon Eyrich, and Jennifer Paris, College of the Canyons OER Collection
Type of Resource: Book Chapter, Open Educational Resource (OER)
Publication Date: 2020
OER Textbook: Introduction to Curriculum for Early Childhood Education
OER Textbook: Introduction to Curriculum for Early Childhood Education
Open Educational Resources (OER) are teaching and learning materials that you may freely use and reuse at no cost, and without needing to ask permission.
This OER textbook describes how to develop curriculum for infants and toddlers, preschoolers, and school-age children. Multiple content areas are addressed.
Click here to learn more about the OER Collection from College of the Canyons.
Organization/Author: Kristin Beeve and Jennifer Paris, College of the Canyons OER Collection
Type of Resource: Book Chapter, Open Educational Resource (OER)
Publication Date: 2020
Textbook Chapter, Diverse Family Structures from OER textbook, Infant and Toddler Development
It all begins with an idea.
Textbook Chapter, Diverse Family Structures from OER textbook, Infant and Toddler Development
Open Educational Resources (OER) are teaching and learning materials that you may freely use and reuse at no cost, and without needing to ask permission.
In this chapter of an OER Infant and Toddler textbook, read about diverse family structures as well as terms that help to build a culture of inclusivity and equity.
Organization/Author: Krischa Esquivel, Emily Elam, Jennifer Paris, and Maricela Tafoya, College of the Canyons OER Collection
Type of Resource: Book Chapter, Open Educational Resource (OER)
Publication Date: 2019
Textbook Chapter, The Importance of Culture from OER textbook, Infant and Toddler Development
It all begins with an idea.
Textbook Chapter, The Importance of Culture from OER textbook, Infant and Toddler Development
Open Educational Resources (OER) are teaching and learning materials that you may freely use and reuse at no cost, and without needing to ask permission.
In this chapter of an OER Infant and Toddler textbook, read about culture, how culture is passed, and how knowing about culture can help educators be responsive to children and families.
Organization/Author: Krischa Esquivel, Emily Elam, Jennifer Paris, and Maricela Tafoya, College of the Canyons OER Collection
Type of Resource: Book Chapter, Open Educational Resource (OER)
Publication Date: 2019
OER Textbook: Observation and Assessment in Early Childhood Education
OER Textbook: Observation and Assessment in Early Childhood Education
Open Educational Resources (OER) are teaching and learning materials that you may freely use and reuse at no cost, and without needing to ask permission.
This OER textbook includes chapters about the following topics:
Observation and Documentation: The Key to Intentional Teaching
Quality Counts
Using Observation Methods, Tools and Techniques to Gather Evidence
The Purpose, Process and Practice of Monitoring, Screening and Evaluating
How to Plan Effective and Meaningful Curriculum
Using Documentation and Assessment to Communicate with Families
Click here to learn more about the OER Collection from College of the Canyons.
Organization/Author: Gina Peterson and Emily Elam, College of the Canyons OER Collection
Type of Resource: Book Chapter, Open Educational Resource (OER)
Publication Date: 2018
Additional Resources
