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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!

  • 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.

  • 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!

  • 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.

  • 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.

  • 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!

Standard 2, Standard 3, Standard 4, Topic: Assessment Methods and Tools, Topic: Assessment Partnerships, Topic: Multilingual Learners, Topic: Collaboration with Service Providers and other Members of the Team, Topic: Partnership-building with Families, Topic: Teaching Skills and Strategies, Topic: Curriculum, Topic: Anti-bias Education, Topic: Universal Design for Learning, Topic: Children with Disabilities/Delays, Resource Type: Report Kadisha Conteh Standard 2, Standard 3, Standard 4, Topic: Assessment Methods and Tools, Topic: Assessment Partnerships, Topic: Multilingual Learners, Topic: Collaboration with Service Providers and other Members of the Team, Topic: Partnership-building with Families, Topic: Teaching Skills and Strategies, Topic: Curriculum, Topic: Anti-bias Education, Topic: Universal Design for Learning, Topic: Children with Disabilities/Delays, Resource Type: Report Kadisha Conteh

Early Care and Education Environment Indicators and Elements of High-Quality Inclusion

Early Care and Education Environment Indicators and Elements of High-Quality Inclusion

There are 4 sets of Indicators of High Quality Inclusion (state, community, local program, and environments levels). This is the set for early care and education environments.

Organization/Author: Early Childhood Technical Assistance Center (ECTA)

Type of Resource: Report

Publication Date: 2023

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Standard 4, Topic: Anti-bias Education, Topic: Teaching Skills and Strategies, Resource Type: Video Collection Kadisha Conteh Standard 4, Topic: Anti-bias Education, Topic: Teaching Skills and Strategies, Resource Type: Video Collection Kadisha Conteh

The Role of Early Childhood Education in Promoting a Just World Video Collection

The Role of Early Childhood Education in Promoting a Just World Video Collection

The videos and resources provide ideas and guidance on guiding children’s development in anti-bias education.

Organization/Author: Center for Early Childhood Education at Eastern Connecticut University

Type of Resource: Video Collection

Publication Date: Unknown

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Standard 2, Standard 4, Topic: Anti-bias Education, Topic: Community Partnerships and Resources, Resource Type: Report Kadisha Conteh Standard 2, Standard 4, Topic: Anti-bias Education, Topic: Community Partnerships and Resources, Resource Type: Report Kadisha Conteh

Critical Practices for Anti-Bias Education

Critical Practices for Anti-Bias Education

 This guide offers practical strategies for creating a space where academic and social-emotional goals are accomplished side by side in an educational setting. It also provides advice for how teachers can implement culturally responsive pedagogy and bring anti-bias values to life. Critical Practices for Anti-Bias Education are organized into four sections: Instruction, Classroom Culture, Family and Community Engagement, and Teacher Leadership. In each section, you can explore recommended practices, find helpful explanations and learn how each practice connects to anti-bias education. A companion website offers additional resources.

Organization/Author: Perspectives for a Diverse America and Teaching Tolerance

Type of Resource: Report

Publication Date: 2014

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Standard 6, Topic: Reflective Practices, Topic: Anti-bias Education, Resource Type: Article Kadisha Conteh Standard 6, Topic: Reflective Practices, Topic: Anti-bias Education, Resource Type: Article Kadisha Conteh

What Kind of Human Do you Want to Be? Teacher Identities in Anti-Bias Education

What Kind of Human Do you Want to Be? Teacher Identities in Anti-Bias Education

This article explores how the social identities of teachers shape their role as teachers, with children and families.

Organization/Author: Debbie LeeKeenan and John Nimmo, Child Care Exchange

Type of Resource: Article

Publication Date: 2021

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Standard 4, Topic: Anti-bias Education, Topic: Relationships and Interactions Kadisha Conteh Standard 4, Topic: Anti-bias Education, Topic: Relationships and Interactions Kadisha Conteh

It Can Be Done! Strategies for Embedding Anti-bias Education into Daily Programming

It Can Be Done! Strategies for Embedding Anti-bias Education into Daily Programming

This article focuses on short and long term strategies that educators can use to bring the four goals of anti-bias education to the classroom. 

Organization/Author: Debbie LeeKeenan and Betty Allen

Type of Resource: Article

Publication Date: 2017

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Standard 1, Topic: Play, Topic: Reflective Practices, Topic: Anti-bias Education, Topic: Developmentally Appropriate Practice, Topic: Multilingual Learners, Topic: Family Diversity, Resource Type: Textbook, Resource Type: Open Educational Resource (OER), Standard 6 Kadisha Conteh Standard 1, Topic: Play, Topic: Reflective Practices, Topic: Anti-bias Education, Topic: Developmentally Appropriate Practice, Topic: Multilingual Learners, Topic: Family Diversity, Resource Type: Textbook, Resource Type: Open Educational Resource (OER), Standard 6 Kadisha Conteh

OER Textbook: The Role of Equity and Diversity in Early Childhood Education

OER Textbook: The Role of Equity and Diversity 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 covers a broad range of topics related to equity, diversity, and justice in the field of early childhood education. 

Click here to learn more about the OER Collection from College of the Canyons. 

Organization/Author: Krischa Esquivel, Emily Elam, Jennifer Paris, and Maricela Tafoya, College of the Canyons OER Collection

Type of Resource: Book, Open Educational Resource (OER)

Publication Date: 2020

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Standard 4, Topic: Developmentally Appropriate Practice, Topic: Anti-bias Education, Topic: Relationships and Interactions, Resource Type: Website Kadisha Conteh Standard 4, Topic: Developmentally Appropriate Practice, Topic: Anti-bias Education, Topic: Relationships and Interactions, Resource Type: Website Kadisha Conteh

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

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Standard 4, Topic: Anti-bias Education, Topic: Reflective Practices, Topic: Relationships and Interactions, Resource Type: Video Kadisha Conteh Standard 4, Topic: Anti-bias Education, Topic: Reflective Practices, Topic: Relationships and Interactions, Resource Type: Video Kadisha Conteh

Reflecting on Anti-bias Education in Action: The Early Years Film

Reflecting on Anti-bias Education in Action: The Early Years Film 

The 48 minute film, Reflecting on Anti-bias Education in Action: The Early Years (48 minutes), produced by Debbie LeeKeenan and John Nimmo,  features vignettes of anti-bias strategies in early childhood classrooms interspersed with teachers reflecting on their practice.  By taking viewers into diverse early childhood classrooms, the film seeks to demonstrate the importance of teacher reflection on identity, context, and practice in anti-bias education and provides a much-needed resource for teacher education and professional development. A Discussion Guidebook (in English and Spanish) and extended vignettes are included. 

Organization/Author: Louise Derman-Sparks, Debbie LeeKeenan, and John Nimmo 

Type of Resource: Video

Publication Date: 2022

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Additional Resources

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