U.S. EDUCATION > The U.S. Education System > Structure of the U.S. Education System > Structure of U.S. Education > Early Childhood Education

Early Childhood Education

Early childhood education is the term used in the United States to describe the educational development of infants and young children prior to starting regular school and through the first year or two of school. It is considered a critical stage of growth and development, with significant national resources being increasingly devoted to this educational level. Early childhood educators are considered specialists who are specially trained and certified, and the field has also emerged as a separate research area.

The facilities that provide early childhood education include public and private kindergartens, elementary schools, day care centers, child care services (including home services), and charitable organizations such as religious congregations.

Children usually attend early childhood programs for half a day (generally in the morning) in the pre-kindergarten age range (3-4). This frequently expands to a full day for the year immediately preceding school entry.

General Resources

ERIC Clearinghouse on Elementary and Early Childhood Education provides extensive research information and online resources in the area of early childhood education for academics, professionals, and families.

National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) is a national professional association of early childhood educators that provides resources on professional standards, accreditation, current national policy issues, and applied research.

Early Childhood.Com is a web portal providing databases and links on all aspects of early childhood education for professionals and parents.

Early Childhood Education On Line is an educator-oriented web directory of early childhood resources hosted by the University of Maine.

Early Growth and Development

Head Start Bureau is the office of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services that administers the Head Start Program, a highly successful national initiative to prepare young children for school via a combination of social, dietary, health care, and educational services.

National Child Care Information Center is a federally sponsored information clearinghouse on child care and child health issues and services that provides several online resources including searchable databases and information on services and policies in each state.

National Center for Early Development and Learning (NCEDL) is a federally sponsored research center conducting studies on the relationship between child development and learning abilities, styles, and processes.

Early Childhood Professionals

American Associate Degree Early Childhood Educators is a national association that approves training programs at the associate degree level for support staff at child care centers and teachers' aides in kindergartens and related pre-school facilities.

Center for Early Childhood Leadership (CECL) is an association that provides research, statistics, training, and consulting services related to the development of administrative and leadership skills among certified early childhood educators and the preparation of pre-school directors and principals.

Council for Early Childhood Professional Recognition is a national association promoting professional standards in the training and licensure of child care and education professionals. The site includes a registry of professionals and a description of the stages of training and recognition.

National Association of Early Childhood Teacher Educators (NAECTE) is a professional association of educators and researchers that publishes the Journal of Early Childhood Teacher Education.

Regulation

National Association of Early Childhood Specialists in State Departments of Education (NAECS) is a national association of state officials responsible for overseeing or administering early childhood education programs and services.

National Association of Child Care Resource and Referral Agencies (NACCRRA) is a national association of public and private sector child care agencies and providers with regional centers across the country. The site provides online databases of approved services and other information useful in choosing professional child care.

Curriculum

Center for the Improvement of Early Reading Achievement (CIERA) is a research center conducting theoretical and applied studies in the teaching of beginning reading.

Culturally and Linguistically Appropriate Services Institute (CLAS) is a federally sponsored research institute conducting studies on, and recommending, appropriate early childhood learning resources for children from diverse cultural and linguistic backgrounds and who may be at-risk for educational failure.

Punky's Childcare Connection provides teaching resources including lesson plans, activities, learning games, music and art projects, movement exercises, early literacy tools, and other curricular materials.

Ready Web provides parenting and educator information and resources aimed at getting children ready for school, including documents, tips, statistics, research summaries, and information on preparing schools to receive entering children.