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
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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
Accessible Learning Spaces: A Guide to Implementing Universal Design in Early Childhood Webinar
Accessible Learning Spaces: A Guide to Implementing Universal Design in Early Childhood Webinar
Whether you’re new to UDL or looking to deepen your understanding and practice, this edWebinar empowers you to unlock the potential of every child in your early learning environment. Prepare to transform your teaching and create a more inclusive, engaging, and effective environment. From designing flexible learning spaces to using technology to support diverse learners, you discover practical strategies and tips for implementing UDL in your classroom to increase student engagement and success. Note: registration is required to view webinar
Organization/Author: Cindy Mudroch, edWeb Webinar
Type of Resource: Webinar
Publication Date: 2024
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
Universal Design for Learning: Designing Learning Experiences That Engage and Challenge All Students
Universal Design for Learning: Designing Learning Experiences That Engage and Challenge All Students
This module examines the Universal Design for Learning (UDL) framework and discusses how educators can apply UDL to proactively design learning experiences that are flexible enough to challenge and engage all students and that promote learner agency (est. completion time: 2.5 hours).
Organization/Author: Iris Center, Vanderbilt Peabody College
Type of Resource: Module
Publication Date: Unknown
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
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
Universal Design for Learning (UDL)
Universal Design for Learning (UDL)
This guide provides an overview of UDL, including tips for educators.
Organization/Author: Early Childhood Learning and Knowledge Center (ECLKC)
Type of Resource: Resources
Publication Date: 2024
Universal Design for Learning Resources from ECTA
Universal Design for Learning Resources from ECTA
A collection of resources about UDL, including online tool kits, articles, books, and national centers.
Organization/Author: ECTA
Type of Resource: Collection
Publication Date: Unknown
Universal Design for Learning: Meeting the Needs of All Students
Universal Design for Learning: Meeting the Needs of All Students
This site provides an overview of UDL concepts, then shares examples of how UDL approaches are being used to support two specific and different children in their literacy development.
Organization/Author: Patti Ralabate, Reading Rockets
Type of Resource: Blog
Publication Date: 2024
Universal Design for Learning in the Early Childhood Classroom
Universal Design for Learning in the Early Childhood Classroom
This article provides a concise overview of the components of Universal Design for Learning, along with examples.
Organization/Author: Molly Breen, Free Spirit Publishing Blog
Type of Resource: Blog
Publication Date: 2024
UDL at a Glance
This brief video shows how UDL can guide the design of instructional goals, assessments, methods, and materials that can be customized and adjusted to meet individual needs.
Organization/Author: CAST
Type of Resource: Video
Publication Date: 2010
UDL: Principles and Practice
National Center on UDL Director David Rose explains how UDL helps meet the most pressing issues facing educators today. Drawing on brain research and the learning sciences, he describes UDL principles and what they mean for classroom practice.
Organization/Author: National Center on UDL
Type of Resource: Video
Publication Date: 2010
Building Inclusive Child Care
This 12-minute video provides an overview of UDL, then shows how UDL is incorporated in the infant/toddler, preschool, and kindergarten classrooms at the Northampton Community College lab school.
Organization/Author: Northampton Community College Lab School
Type of Resource: Video
Publication Date: 2019
Using a Universal Design for Learning Framework to Enhance Engagement in the Early Childhood Classroom
This article from the Journal of Special Education Apprenticeship offers ideas for using UDL in inclusive settings that align with both NAEYC and DEC practices.
Organization/Author: Marla J. Lohman, Katrina A. Hovey, and Ariane Gauvreau
Type of Resource: Article
Publication Date: 2018
Take a Look! Visual Supports for Learning
Take a Look! Visual Supports for Learning
With pictures and words, this article defines visual supports and shows how they help all children to understand rules and expectations, engage in daily routine, navigate transitions, communicate thoughts, feelings and needs, and increase independence in child care routines and activities.
Organization/Author: Bonnie Blagojevic, Mary Ellin Logue, V. Susan Bennett-Armistead, Billie Taylor, and Erika Neal, Teaching Young Children
Type of Resource: Article
Publication Date: unknown
Integrating Principles of Universal Design into the Early Childhood Curriculum
Integrating Principles of Universal Design into the Early Childhood Curriculum
The authors offer examples and recommendations for how teachers of young children can support each young learner in diverse early learning settings by using Universal Design for Learning.
Organization/Author: Laurie A. Dinnebeil, Mary Boat, and Youlmi Bae, Dimensions of Early Childhood
Type of Resource: Article
Publication Date: 2013
DEC Recommended Practices in Early Intervention/Early Childhood Special Education 2014
DEC Recommended Practices in Early Intervention/Early Childhood Special Education 2014
The DEC Recommended Practices highlight those practices specifically known to promote the outcomes of young children who have or are at risk for developmental delays/disabilities and to support their families in accordance with the DEC/NAEYC (2009) position statement on early childhood inclusion. Universal Design for Learning principles are specifically highlighted as a practice to create accessible environments (E1).
Organization/Author: Division for Early Childhood Education
Type of Resource: Recommended Practices
Publication Date: 2014
Promoting Positive Outcomes for Children with Disabilities: Recommendations for Curriculum, Assessment, and Program Evaluation
The Division for Early Childhood developed this document be read and used in conjunction with the NAEYC-NAECS/SDE position statement (Early Childhood Curriculum, Assessment, and Program Evaluation: Building an Effective, Accountable System in Programs for Children), which puts forth general recommendations and guidance intended to apply practices for all young children, including those with disabilities. The recommendations in this document are not alternatives, nor do they contradict the NAEYC-NAECS/SDE recommendations. Rather, they extend, more specifically apply, and further explicate the recommendations in the more general position statement. By reading and implementing both sets of recommendations, practitioners and policy makers will have the benefit of complementary perspectives and expertise.
Organization/Author: Division for Early Childhood (DEC)
Type of Resource: Position Statement
Publication Date: 2007
NAEYC’s Developmentally Appropriate Practice (DAP) Position Statement
NAEYC’s Developmentally Appropriate Practice (DAP) Position Statement
These sections of NAEYC’s DAP Position Statement focus on creating a caring, equitable community of learners, engaging in community relationships and teaching practices to support development and learning.
Organization/Author: National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC)
Type of Resource: Position Statement
Publication Date: 2020
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