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!

  • 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

*

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!

Resource Type: Position Statement, Topic: Advocacy, Topic: Assessment Partnerships, Topic: Partnership-building with Families, Topic: Community Partnerships and Resources, Topic: Ethical and Professional Guidelines, Topic: Developmentally Appropriate Practice, Standard 1, Standard 2, Standard 3, Standard 4, Standard 5, Standard 6 Kadisha Conteh Resource Type: Position Statement, Topic: Advocacy, Topic: Assessment Partnerships, Topic: Partnership-building with Families, Topic: Community Partnerships and Resources, Topic: Ethical and Professional Guidelines, Topic: Developmentally Appropriate Practice, Standard 1, Standard 2, Standard 3, Standard 4, Standard 5, Standard 6 Kadisha Conteh

Code of Ethics for Early Childhood Educators Position Statement (full document & related resources)

Code of Ethics for Early Childhood Educators | NAEYC

Along with core knowledge, skills, values, and dispositions, early childhood educators who work in homes, centers, and schools have professional, ethical responsibilities. The “Code of Ethics for Early Childhood Educators” outlines the essential ethical responsibilities for the early childhood education profession. It speaks to a set of professional ethics—the moral responsibilities that go beyond personal beliefs—that guide ECE workplace decision making and behavior. This link access the full position statement along with other related code of ethics resources and supplements. (Available in English, Spanish, and Chinese)

Organization/Author: NAEYC

Type of Resource: Position Statement

Publication Date: 2025

Read More
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

Read More
Standard 4, Resource Type: Modules, Topic: Teaching Skills and Strategies, Topic: Early Childhood Special Education Kadisha Conteh Standard 4, Resource Type: Modules, Topic: Teaching Skills and Strategies, Topic: Early Childhood Special Education Kadisha Conteh

CONNECT Module 1: Embedded Interventions

CONNECT Module 1: Embedded Interventions

These modules are designed for faculty and professional development providers to use in their professional development. Instructor Guides, in the form of dashboards, are included. Students learn about the practice of embedded interventions to help children participate in a variety of early learning opportunities and environments promoting high quality inclusion.

Organization/Author: CONNECT: The Center to Mobilize Early Childhood Knowledge

Type of Resource: Module

Publication Date: unknown

Read More
Standard 1, Standard 2, Standard 3, Standard 4, Standard 6, Topic: Family Diversity, Topic: Developmentally Appropriate Practice Kadisha Conteh Standard 1, Standard 2, Standard 3, Standard 4, Standard 6, Topic: Family Diversity, Topic: Developmentally Appropriate Practice Kadisha Conteh

NAEYC’s Advancing Equity in Early Childhood Education Position Statement Recommendations for Early Childhood Educators: (full document)

advancingequitypositionstatement.pdf

This position statement is one of five foundational documents NAEYC has developed in collaboration with the early childhood profession. With its specific focus on advancing equity in early childhood education, this statement complements and supports the other foundational documents that (1) define developmentally appropriate practice, (2) set professional standards and competencies for early childhood educators, (3) define the profession’s code of ethics, and (4) outline standards for early learning programs.

Organization/Author: NAEYC 

Type of Resource: Position Statement

Publication Date: 2019

Read More
Standard 1, Standard 2, Standard 3, Standard 4, Standard 6, Topic: Developmentally Appropriate Practice, Resource Type: Position Statement Kadisha Conteh Standard 1, Standard 2, Standard 3, Standard 4, Standard 6, Topic: Developmentally Appropriate Practice, Resource Type: Position Statement Kadisha Conteh

Valuing Diversity: Developing a Deeper Understanding of All Young Children's Behavior

Valuing Diversity: Developing a Deeper Understanding of All Young Children's Behavior

A reflection on NAEYC’s position statement, Advancing Equity in Early Childhood Education. 

Organization/Author: Barbara Kaiser, Judy Sklar Rasminksy, Teaching Young Children, NAEYC

Type of Resource: Article

Publication Date: 2019/2020

Read More
Standard 1, Topic: Family Diversity, Topic: Relationships and Interactions, Topic: Teaching Skills and Strategies, Topic: Collaboration with Service Providers and other Members of the Team, Resource Type: Position Statement, Standard 4, Topic: Developmentally Appropriate Practice Kadisha Conteh Standard 1, Topic: Family Diversity, Topic: Relationships and Interactions, Topic: Teaching Skills and Strategies, Topic: Collaboration with Service Providers and other Members of the Team, Resource Type: Position Statement, Standard 4, Topic: Developmentally Appropriate Practice Kadisha Conteh

NAEYC’s Advancing Equity in Early Childhood Education Position Statement Recommendations for Early Childhood Educators- Focus: Caring, Equitable Community of Engaged Learners

The Recommendations for Early Childhood Educators section of this Position Statement includes eleven practices related to creating a caring, equitable community of engaged learners.

Links-

Create a Caring, Equitable Community of Engaged Learners

Organization/Author: NAEYC 

Type of Resource: Position Statement

Publication Date: 2019

Read More
Standard 2, Topic: Partnership-building with Families, Resource Type: Position Statement Kadisha Conteh Standard 2, Topic: Partnership-building with Families, Resource Type: Position Statement Kadisha Conteh

NAEYC’s Advancing Equity in Early Childhood Education Position Statement- Focus: Reciprocal Relationships with Families

It all begins with an idea.

NAEYC’s Advancing Equity in Early Childhood Education Position Statement Recommendations for Early Childhood Educators: Establishing Reciprocal Relationships with Families

The Recommendations for Early Childhood Educators section of this Position Statement includes five practices related to building reciprocal partnerships with families.  

Organization/Author: National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC)

Type of Resource: Position Statement

Publication Date: 2019

Read More
Standard 3, Topic: Assessment Methods and Tools, Topic: Assessment Partnerships, Topic: Observation and Documentation, Resource Type: Position Statement Kadisha Conteh Standard 3, Topic: Assessment Methods and Tools, Topic: Assessment Partnerships, Topic: Observation and Documentation, Resource Type: Position Statement Kadisha Conteh

NAEYC’s Advancing Equity in Early Childhood Education Position Statement- Focus: Observation, Documentation & Assessment

NAEYC’s Advancing Equity in Early Childhood Education Position Statement

Recommendations for Early Childhood Educators: Observe, Document, and Assess Children’s Learning and Development

The Recommendations for Early Childhood Educators section of this Position Statement includes three practices related to observation, documentation, and assessment of children’s learning and development. 

Organization/Author: National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC)

Type of Resource: Position Statement

Publication Date: 2019

Read More

Additional Resources

About the Resource Library &

The Professional Standards & Competencies for Early Childhood Educators

Learn more