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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
Think, Try, Fix, Share Inclusive Engineering with Young Children Using Universal Design Webinar
Think, Try, Fix, Share Inclusive Engineering with Young Children Using Universal Design Webinar
This recorded webinar presentation (with handouts) explains the engineering practices and problem-solving framework and then teaches how to implement them in an inclusive classroom using fun, engaging, play-based activities. The activities incorporate children’s literature as part of the problem-solving experiences to help children participate in the general education curriculum across various domains. Finally, we will show participants how to make these engineering experiences accessible to young children in an inclusive setting. This presentation will provide educators with hands-on activities using Next Generation Science Standards and specific UDL strategies that support all young children.
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
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
Rocking and Rolling. Promoting Inclusion in Infant and Toddler Settings
Rocking and Rolling. Promoting Inclusion in Infant and Toddler Settings
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: Rebecca Parlakian, Young Children, NAEYC
Type of Resource: Article
Publication Date: 2021
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
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
Embedded Learning Opportunities for Infants and Toddlers
Embedded Learning Opportunities for Infants and Toddlers
The purpose of this module is to provide trainers and participants with information about Embedded Learning Opportunities for Infants and Toddlers. Other common terms that refer to this practice include “activity-based intervention,” “naturalistic instruction,” and “incidental teaching.” This training module provides examples and suggestions for using embedded learning opportunities (ELOs) in inclusive, home-based family child care, and center-based early care and education settings.This set of materials includes presentation slides, presenter notes, and related handouts.
Organization/Author: Head Start Center for Inclusion
Type of Resource: Training
Publication Date: Unknown
Curriculum Modifications for Infants and Toddlers
Curriculum Modifications for Infants and Toddlers
Curriculum modifications are changes to the environment, activity, or materials that promote infant or toddler participation in planned activities, interactions, and routines. This set of materials includes presentation slides, presenter notes, and related handouts.
Organization/Author: Head Start Center for Inclusion
Type of Resource: Training
Publication Date: Unknown
Video Series: Why Inclusion
A set of three animated videos that describe high quality inclusion:
Part 1: Let’s Change Attitudes and Beliefs
Part 2: Key Characteristics of High Quality Inclusive Education
Part 3: Social Outcomes in Inclusion
Organization/Author: STEMIE: Innovation for Inclusion in Early Education
Type of Resource: Toolkit
Publication Date: 2021
A Guide to Teaching Practices
Teaching strategies are practices used by adults (e.g., family members, practitioners) or, in some instances, by other children to help facilitate children’s participation in everyday routines, learning experiences, and activities. Using these strategies engages children in activities, maintains their interest, and provides opportunities for them to learn concepts and thinking skills that support STEM learning when using adaptations (see STEMIE’s A Guide to Adaptations resource for more information) is not a sufficient support.
Organization/Author: STEMIE: Innovation for Inclusion in Early Education
Type of Resource: Toolkit
Publication Date: 2023
A Guide to Asking Open-Ended Questions
A Guide to Asking Open-Ended Questions
Interacting with children in sensitive and responsive ways is foundational to fostering all children’s learning (DEC, 2014). Using open-ended questions can be a powerful way to foster positive interactions between you and your child.
Organization/Author: STEMIE: Innovation for Inclusion in Early Education
Type of Resource: Toolkit
Publication Date: 2023
A Guide to Adaptations
The inclusion framework is informed by evidence-based inclusive practices (e.g., Campbell & Milbourne, 2007; DEC, 2014) and focuses on the supports adults can implement to facilitate STEM learning for children with disabilities.
Within the hierarchy, adaptations to the environment and materials are aligned to the Division for Early Childhood (DEC) Recommended Practices on environment while instructional adaptations are aligned to the Recommended Practices on instruction.
1. Environment (e.g., room set-up, equipment, how an activity is done, length of time)
2. Materials (e.g., adaptations to toys, materials, assistive technology devices)
3. Instruction (e.g., add information, reduce steps)
Organization/Author: STEMIE: Innovation for Inclusion in Early Education
Type of Resource: Toolkit
Publication Date: 2023
A Guide to Book Adaptations
Find examples of adaptations based on functional needs/skills that can be used before or during dialogic reading and other shared book reading experiences. The related blog post includes additional information such as an introduction to dialogic reading including a tip sheet, and a video demonstration of dialogic reading using an augmentative communication device.
Organization/Author: STEMIE: Innovation for Inclusion in Early Education
Type of Resource: Toolkit
Publication Date: 2023
MicroLesson: Learning Trajectories
MicroLesson: Learning Trajectories
This microlesson provides a quick overview of research-based learning trajectories and each of the components.
Organization/Author: STEMIE: Innovation for Inclusion in Early Education
Type of Resource: Toolkit
Publication Date: 2020
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
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
Circle Time Magazine: Inclusion
Circle Time Magazine: Inclusion
Circle Time Magazine is a unique early childhood professional development series that offers a web-based talk show, magazine, and online resources with each episode. This season is all about inclusion. Learn about the services that support children with disabilities, gain an understanding of what inclusion means, and learn strategies for making inclusion happen successfully through planning. You’ll also see easy modifications to increase access and participation and learn ways to facilitate friendships between peers. Check out the short video below for an enticing sample of what you can expect this season.
Organization/Author: Circle Time Magazine, Cultivate Learning, University of Washington
Type of Resource: Web-based Talk Show, Magazine, and Online Resources
Publication Date: Unknown
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