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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
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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.
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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!
Supporting Early Literacy Through Universal Design and Assistive Technology
Supporting Early Literacy Through Universal Design and Assistive Technology
Prepare to engage children with disabilities who are linguistically diverse in language and literacy development opportunities, with this set of practical tools and resources. Materials include presentation video, presentation slides, and related handouts.
Organization/Author: Head Start Center for Inclusion
Type of Resource: Training
Publication Date: Unknown
Routines-Based Planning for Infants and Toddlers
Routines-Based Planning for Infants and Toddlers
The purpose of this module is to provide trainers and participants with information about using typical routines as the context for assessment and planning for infants and toddlers with disabilities. The module describes the practice of Routines-Based Assessment and Planning, the associated benefits, and step-by-step guidance for implementing routines-based assessment and planning.
Organization/Author: Head Start Center for Inclusion
Type of Resource: Training
Publication Date: Unknown
Building Blocks for Supporting all Children in Inclusive Settings Webinar
Building Blocks for Supporting all Children in Inclusive Settings Webinar
This webinar explores the Building Blocks Framework to support all children in the classroom. This framework includes four components: 1) A High Quality Early Childhood Environment 2) Curriculum Modifications 3) Embedded Learning Opportunities4) Child Focused Instructional Strategies. This framework is designed to work in any early learning setting (including families homes for early intervention providers) and aligns with other early childhood curriculum.
Note: registration is required to view webinar
Organization/Author: Angi Stone-Macdonald, Ph.D, and Amanda Lopes, Ph.D, Early Childhood Investigations
Type of Resource: Webinar
Publication Date: 2024
Visual Supports
This high-quality collection of visuals and supports can be printed and used immediately to support young children's development and learning. Each visual support includes a guide that explains what the support is, why it might be used, and how to increase the participation, engagement, and learning of children in your learning environment.
Organization/Author: Early Childhood Learning and Knowledge Center (ECLKC)
Type of Resource: Toolkit
Publication Date: Unknown
Individualizing
Learn about individualizing to support individual learning outcomes and goals for children with disabilities. Materials include Adapting the Curriculum: Supervisors Tool, a guide for observations in the classroom; the Classroom Quality Indicators Checklist—a checklist to help supervisors determine that foundational elements of a quality classroom are in place; and Supervisor’s Guide: More About the Quality Indicators.
You’ll find practical strategies for educators and other caregivers in the Classroom Quality Indicators Checklist; Individualizing Within a Group Activity; and the Planned Instruction Form—to use when planning for an individual child in your program. The Arts & Crafts signs can be posted throughout the learning spaces to give staff ideas about what to work on while engaging with children.
Organization/Author: Head Start Center for Inclusion
Type of Resource: Training
Publication Date: Unknown
Inclusion Basics: Membership
Embedded Learning Opportunities for Infants and Toddlers
Foster belonging for young children with disabilities in inclusive early childhood settings, with support from this range of resources for educators and supervisors. Materials include a video presentation, presentation slides, video clips for asking a friend to play, print and go materials, and handouts.
Organization/Author: Head Start Center for Inclusion
Type of Resource: Training
Publication Date: Unknown
Early Childhood Behavior Management Case Study
Early Childhood Behavior Management Case Study
This Case Study includes information on how to create developmentally and culturally appropriate classroom rules and how to effectively teach them. It also explores how to encourage appropriate behavior, address challenging behavior, and partner with families to address behavioral issues.
Organization/Author: Iris Center, Vanderbilt Peabody College
Type of Resource: Module
Publication Date: Unknown
Behavior Management Module
This module, a DEC-recommended resource, includes information on how to create developmentally appropriate behavior rules for early childhood classrooms so that they link to a given school's behavior expectations. The importance of communication with families about rules and expected behaviors is also stressed (est. completion time: 2 hours).
Organization/Author: Iris Center, Vanderbilt Peabody College
Type of Resource: Module
Publication Date: Unknown
Early Childhood Environments: Designing Effective Classrooms Module
Early Childhood Environments: Designing Effective Classrooms Module
This multi-media module offers information on how to set up effective inclusive early childhood classroom environments for young children. It also provides details about the interrelated physical, social, and temporal components of those environments, as well as adaptations to help teachers meet the needs of children with disabilities (est. completion time: 1 hour).
Organization/Author: Iris Center, Vanderbilt Peabody College
Type of Resource: Module
Publication Date: Unknown
Early Childhood Inclusion: A Joint Position Statement of DEC and NAEYC
Early Childhood Inclusion: A Joint Position Statement of DEC and NAEYC
The position statement contains a definition of early childhood inclusion and provides recommendations for families and professionals for improving early childhood services and policies with regards to inclusion.
Organization/Author: NAEYC and DEC
Type of Resource: Position Statement
Publication Date: 2009
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
Early Childhood Recommended Practice Module 6: Instruction
Early Childhood Recommended Practice Module 6: Instruction
In this module you will learn effective instructional practices and why intentional and systematic instruction is crucial for children with disabilities.
Organization/Author: Early Childhood Recommended Practices
Type of Resource: Module
Publication Date: unknown
Early Childhood Recommended Practice Module 4: Teaming and Collaboration
Early Childhood Recommended Practice Module 4: Teaming and Collaboration
In this module you will learn the components of teaming and collaboration and why teaming and collaboration amongst practitioners and families is crucial for children with disabilities.
Organization/Author: Early Childhood Recommended Practices
Type of Resource: Module
Publication Date: unknown
Early Childhood Recommended Practice Module 3: Environment
Early Childhood Recommended Practice Module 3: Environment
In this module you will learn the components of a child’s natural and inclusive environment and why attending to the environment is crucial for children with disabilities.
Organization/Author: Early Childhood Recommended Practices
Type of Resource: Module
Publication Date: unknown
ECTA Practice Improvement Tools: Instruction
ECTA Practice Improvement Tools: Instruction
Instructional practices are a cornerstone of early intervention and early childhood special education. Teachers, other practitioners, family members, and other caregivers use instructional practices to maximize learning and improve developmental and functional outcomes for young children who have or are at risk for developmental delays/disabilities.This set includes instruction checklists, instruction guides for practitioners, and instruction practice guides for families.
Organization/Author: Early Childhood Technical Assistance Center (ECTA)
Type of Resource: Toolkits
Publication Date: various
ECTA Practice Improvement Tools: Interaction
ECTA Practice Improvement Tools: Interaction
Sensitive and responsive interactional practices are the foundation for promoting the development of a child's language and cognitive and emotional competence. These interactional practices are the basis for fostering all children's learning. For children who have or are at risk for developmental delays/disabilities, they represent a critical set of strategies for fostering children's social-emotional competence, communication, cognitive development, problem-solving, autonomy, and persistence. This set includes interaction checklists, interaction guides for practitioners, and interaction practice guides for families.
Organization/Author: Early Childhood Technical Assistance Center (ECTA)
Type of Resource: Toolkits
Publication Date: various
Inclusion of Children with Disabilities Training Guide
Inclusion of Children with Disabilities Training Guide
The Inclusion of Children with Disabilities: Training Guide is designed to strengthen the inclusion of young children with disabilities and their families in programs serving infants, toddlers, and preschoolers.
The guide features four modules, each containing a facilitator’s guide, training scripts, handouts, and videos. The modules are:
Including Infants and Toddlers with Disabilities
Building Relationships with Families
Collaboration and Teaming
Preschool Inclusion Series
The training materials can be used in a variety of professional development settings. They can also help service providers and parents plan together to increase opportunities for inclusion in their communities.
Organization/Author: Early Childhood Learning and Knowledge Center (ECLKC)
Type of Resource: Video and Facilitator’s Guide
Publication Date: 2024
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
IEP Basics
Build knowledge about Individualized Education Programs (IEPs) with this comprehensive overview training. Materials include slide decks, handouts, and videos of the IEP meeting process (setting up, round table introductions, beginning the meeting, generating goals, signing, and wrapping up).
Organization/Author: Head Start Center for Inclusion
Type of Resource: Training
Publication Date: Unknown
Additional Resources
