Early Childhood Education: Web Resources

"The California Early Childhood Educator (ECE) Competencies describe the knowledge, skills and dispositions that early childhood educators need in order to provide high quality care and education to young children and their families. The California ECE Competencies are organized into twelve overlapping areas: (1) Child Development and Learning; (2) Culture, Diversity and Equity; (3) Relationships, Interactions, and Guidance; (4) Family and Community Engagement; (5) Dual-Language Development; (6) Observation, Screening, Assessment, and Documentation; (7) Special Needs and Inclusion; (8) Learning Environments and Curriculum; (9) Health, Safety, and Nutrition; (10) Leadership in Early Childhood Education; (11) Professionalism; and (12) Administration and Supervision. The term early childhood educator includes everyone responsible for the care and education of young children."

Free online publications in English and Spanish on early childhood and parenting.. "The Clearinghouse on Early Education and Parenting (CEEP) is part of the Early Childhood and Parenting (ECAP) Collaborative within the College of Education at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. CEEP (a content provider) and the ECAP Information Technology Group (ECAP/ITG) work closely to build print and online resources for the worldwide early childhood and parenting communities. "

Resources, reports, and data for parents and educators in San Mateo County.

The National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) is the world's largest organization working on behalf of young children with nearly 80,000 members, a national network of more than 300 state and local Affiliates, and a growing global alliance of like-minded organizations.

Advocates for Montessori education and principles

The database contains information on health and human service agencies serving San Mateo County and the Bay Area. Fairly extensive descriptions exist for the agencies, including addresses and telephone numbers, but also the names of executive directors, eligibility requirements for service, fees, access by public transportation, wheelchair accessibility into the building, target populations, languages other than English spoken by agency staff, and a narrative description of the services.

Register online and then attend a New Volunteer Orientation; over 100 Bay Area volunteer opportunities each month.

Alphabetical list of organizations and hints for volunteers and volunteering

A clearinghouse of volunteer information for San Francisco nonprofit organizations, individuals, city agencies, and other civic groups, VCSF also develops more specialized programs for people with disabilities, youth, corporate volunteers, potential board members, and more. The site has a searchable database of organizations desiring volunteer, lists of specific volunteer opportunities, advice for nonprofits on recruiting and working with volunteers, and other information, some of which is also provided in Spanish.

Interested volunteers can enter their ZIP code to quickly find local volunteer opportunities posted by nonprofit organizations throughout the United States.

This is the California state agency that enforces state regulations. The website is rich in resources.

This is the entire online evaluator manual. Note the links in the left frame to regulations, forms, and the "Index to Precedents" (legal decisions of an administrative law judge which other judges then look to for guidance when deciding a case ruling), among other things. Each update to sections of the online evaluator manual is clearly noted.

An advocacy group for children and families. Hot topics in childcare and preschool and recent California legislation. Check out the "Resources" page.

Viewpoints of child care workers to child care administrators and students.

Includes online journal (with regular features on administration). Other provider resources as well.

"Supports low-income working families through child care financial assistance and promotes children's learning by improving the quality of early care and education and afterschool programs."

Literature review and policy options from the California Research Bureau, California State Library, February 1998.

The California Child Care Portfolio presents a compilation of California statewide and county-by-county statistics on child care. The California Child Care Resource & Referral Network is an "advocate for a quality childcare system that supports the diversity of families and children in every community and California."

Find the latest state-level data on demographics, health, and health policy, including health coverage, access, financing, and state legislation to support proposals and program needs.

The California Budget Project (CPB) is a non-profit, nonpartisan organization based in Sacramento that works to improve public policies affecting the economic and social well-being of low- and middle-income Californians. It serves as a resource to the media, policymakers, and state and local constituency groups seeking accurate information and analysis of a range of state policy issues.

In 1991 the state legislature established Local Child Care and Development Planning Councils in every county in California. In San Mateo County, the Child Care Partnership Council is the Local Planning Council. Find links at the bottom of the web page to the Council's S.M. County Strategic Plan for2000-2005, the county's Child Care Needs Assessment report, and the county's survey of child care centers.

The National Association for the Education of Young Children standards for Early Childhood professional preparation.

Check out the Help Sheet: Using the Curriculum Standards Module

Click here to download the milestone checklist.

Click here to download the milestone checklist.

From Emory University School of Medicine.

Click here to download the milestone checklist.

Click here to download the milestone checklist.

From University of Michigan.

There is a book Early start : preschool politics in the United States at CSM you can check out.

See also Full-Day Kindergarten.

See also this article.