Welcome to the…
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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Start Your Search--Resource Library *
Sort quickly through the hundreds of available resources by using the filter tool on the left to populate the specific resources you need!
Head Start Center for Inclusion
Head Start Center for Inclusion
A variety of resources that support early childhood educators to ensure that children with disabilities can participate as full members of their learning communities.
Organization/Author: Head Start Center for Inclusion
Type of Resource: website
Publication Date: Unknown
Careers in Early Care & Education: A National Directory
Careers in Early Care & Education: A National Directory
A directory that includes wide-ranging descriptions of the many career options that exist in early care and education as well as recommended education for obtaining those careers and personal profiles.
Organization/Author: T.E.A.C.H. Early Childhood® (T.E.A.C.H.) National Center
Type of Resource: Website Online Guide
Publication Date: 2022
Inclusion: Learning Through Books
Inclusion: Learning Through Books
Check out this series for ways to use children's books to teach about inclusion in your learning environment, or in a child's home.
Organization/Author: Head Start Center for Inclusion
Type of Resource: Website
Publication Date: Unknown
Alliance for Early Success Website
Alliance for Early Success Website
The Alliance for Early Success is a national nonprofit that works with early childhood policy advocates at the state level to ensure that every child, birth through eight, has an equal opportunity to learn, grow, and succeed.
Organization/Author: Alliance for Early Success
Type of Resource: Website
Publication Date: unknown
Think Babies Website
Think Babies is a website created by Zero to Three to advocate for every baby on 5 key policy areas: paid leave, child care, Early Head Start, infant and early childhood mental health, family support, and economic security. The website outlines policy priorities, stories, and ways to take action.
Organization/Author: Think Babies, Zero to Three
Type of Resource: Website
Publication Date: Unknown
Commission for Professional Excellence in Early Childhood Education
Commission for Professional Excellence in Early Childhood Education
The goal of Commission for Professional Excellence in Early Childhood Education is to advancing a unified, diverse, equitable, effective and well-compensated ECE profession. This website includes resources and useful information about the Commission.
Organization/Author: Commission for Professional Excellence in Early Childhood Education
Type of Resource: Website
Publication Date: unknown
Power to the Profession Website
Power to the Profession Website
This is a website which features the Unifying Framework for the Early Childhood Education Profession and various resources.
Organization/Author: NAEYC
Type of Resource: Website
Publication Date: unknown
Build Your Advocacy Skills
NAEYC has a section on their website dedicated to building advocacy skills. Various resources are linked.
Organization/Author: NAEYC
Type of Resource: Website
Publication Date: unknown
Build Your Public Policy Knowledge
Build Your Public Policy Knowledge
NAEYC has a section on their website dedicated to public policy. Various resources are linked.
Organization/Author: NAEYC
Type of Resource: Website
Publication Date: unknown
Rocking and Rolling. Fresh Air, Fun, and Exploration: Why Outdoor Play Is Essential for Healthy Development
Rocking and Rolling, edited by Rebecca Parlakian and her colleagues from ZERO to THREE, focuses on supporting infants, toddlers, and their families. Each column offers instructional insights and suggestions that are grounded in research yet presented through real-life examples.
Organization/Author: Kathy Kinsner,Young Children, NAEYC
Type of Resource: Article
Publication Date: 2019
Supporting Early Literacy: Fostering Family Involvement
Supporting Early Literacy: Fostering Family Involvement
Explore this training to discover strategies for boosting early literacy development through family engagement. Materials include a video presentation and handouts.
Organization/Author: Head Start Center for Inclusion
Type of Resource: Website
Publication Date: unknown
National Center on Parents, Family & Community Engagement (lots of resources)
It all begins with an idea.
National Center on Parents, Family & Community Engagement (lots of resources)
A comprehensive set of parent, family, and community engagement resources.
Organization/Author: National Center on Parent, Family, and Community Engagement
Type of Resource: website
Publication Date: unknown
Parenting Counts
Parenting Counts is a research-based resource developed to support parents and caregivers in raising socially and emotionally healthy children. Our approach is to provide parents, caregivers, and early learning professionals with information they can trust, understand, and use in their daily interactions with children.
Organization/Author: Talaris Institute
Type of Resource: Website
Publication Date: 2024
Pathways.org
Pathways is a website that provides information on developmental milestones, arranged by months and year.
Organization/Author: Pathways
Type of Resource: Website
Publication Date: 2024
CDC Milestones in Action Series
CDC Milestones in Action Series
This is CDC’s free video and photo library of various developmental milestones, arranged by month and year.
Organization/Author: CDC
Type of Resource: Website
Publication Date: 2024
CDC’s Developmental Milestones
CDC’s Developmental Milestones
This is CDC’s website on developmental milestones, arranged by month and year.
Organization/Author: CDC
Type of Resource: Website
Publication Date: 2024
Anti-Bias Leaders ECE: A Guide to Change (For Change Website)
Anti-Bias Leaders ECE: A Guide to Change.For Change Website
This is a website by leaders Louise Derman-Sparks, Debbie LeeKeenan, and John Nimmo. It includes resources, publications, and films related to anti-bias education.
Organization/Author: Louise Derman-Sparks, Debbie LeeKeenan, and John Nimmo
Type of Resource: Website
Publication Date: unknown
Key Competency 4c
Developmentally Appropriate Practice
Anti-bias Education
Relationships and Interactions
Age Range: Birth to 8
Additional Resources
