NAEYC Accreditation Performance Criteria, Copyright © NAEYC 2005

NAEYC ACCREDITATION PERFORMANCE CRITERIA

Approved April 2005 by NAEYC Governing Board

UNIVERSAL AND PRESCHOOL STRANDS

This is the final version of the NAEYC Accreditation Performance Criteria, as approved by the NAEYC Governing Board April 2005. Minor edits may be made for the purpose of clarification.

Note: Words within criteria that are underlined and in bold, when clicked, will take you to the support document being referenced.

In reviewing the criteria by accreditation strand, please note that the criteria for the Universal strand are listed first, followed by those for the Kindergarten strand. Also, for each criterion, the number corresponds to its program standard:

1 - Relationships
2 - Curriculum
3 - Teaching
4 - Assessment
5 - Health
6 - Teachers
7 - Families
8 - Community Partnerships
9 - Physical Environment
10 - Leadership and Management

Please note: When a state rule/regulation prohibits the performance expectation outlined in the criterion, the state rule/regulation takes precedence. When a state rule/regulation exceeds the performance expectation outlined in the criterion, the state rule/regulation again takes precedence. When state rules or regulations differ in other ways, or mandate a lower threshold of performance, NAEYC's criteria take precedence.

NUMBER	STRAND	ACCREDITATION PERFORMANCE CRITERIA
1.x	U	Teachers work in partnership with families, establishing and maintaining regular, ongoing two-way communication.
1.x	U	Teachers gain information about the ways families define their own race, religion, home language, culture, and family structure.
1.x	U	Teachers communicate with family members on an ongoing basis to learn about children's individual needs and to assure a smooth transition between home and program.
1.x	U	Teachers are sensitive to and reassure family members who are concerned about leaving children in non-family care.
1.x	U	Teachers share information with families about classroom rules, expectations, and routines at enrollment and as needed throughout the year.
1.x	U	Teachers foster children's emotional well-being by demonstrating respect for children and creating a positive emotional climate as reflected in behaviors such as frequent social conversations, joint laughter, and affection.
1.x	U	Teachers express warmth through behaviors such as physical affection, eye contact, tone of voice, and smiles.
1.x	U	Teachers are consistent and predictable in their physical and emotional care of all children.
1.x	U	Teachers encourage and recognize children's work and accomplishments.
1.x	U	Teachers function as secure bases for children. They respond promptly and in developmentally appropriate ways to children's positive initiations, negative emotions, and feelings of hurt and fear by providing comfort, support, and assistance.
1.x	U	Teachers encourage children's appropriate expression of emotions, both positive (e.g., joy, pleasure, excitement) and negative (e.g., anger, frustration, sadness).
1.x	U	Teachers evaluate and change their responses based on individual needs. Teachers vary their interactions to be sensitive and responsive to differing abilities, temperaments, activity levels, and cognitive and social development.
1.x	U	Teachers support children's competent and self-reliant exploration and use of classroom materials.
1.x	U	Teachers never use physical punishment such as shaking or hitting. Teachers never use verbal abuse, threats, or derogatory remarks, and do not withhold or withdraw nor threaten to withhold or withdraw food as a form of discipline.
1.x	U	When children's behavior exceeds group limits, teachers respond by keeping all children safe, and then provide feedback that builds children's competence.
2.x	U	The program has a written statement of philosophy and uses one or more written curricula or curriculum frameworks consistent with its philosophy that address central aspects of child development.
2.x	U	A clearly stated curriculum or curriculum framework provides a coherent focus for planning children's experiences. It allows for adaptations and modifications to ensure access to the curriculum by all children.
2.x	U	Curriculum guides teachers' development and intentional implementation of learning opportunities consistent with the program's goals and objectives.
2.x	U	The curriculum can be implemented in a manner that reflects responsiveness to family home values, beliefs, language, and experiences.
2.x	U	Curriculum guides teachers to engage in attentive, responsive interactions throughout the day to facilitate the development of children's social competence and their ability to learn through interacting with others.
2.x	U	Curriculum goals and objectives guide teachers' ongoing assessment of children's progress.
2.x	U	Curriculum guides teachers to integrate assessment information with curriculum goals to support individualized learning.
2.x	U	The daily schedule is predictable yet flexible and responsive to individual needs of the children. provides time and support for transitions. includes both indoor and outdoor experiences. is responsive to a child's need to rest or be active. incorporates time and materials for play, self-initiated learning, and creative expression. includes time for large group, small group, and child-initiated activity.
2.x	U	Materials and equipment used to implement the curriculum reflect the lives of the children and families. reflect the diversity found in society, including gender, age, language, and abilities. provide for children's safety while being appropriately challenging. encourage exploration, experimentation, and discovery. promote action and interaction. are organized to support independent use. are rotated to reflect changing curriculum and accommodate new interests and skill levels. are rich in variety. accommodate children's special needs.
2.x	U	Curriculum guides teachers to help children learn to recognize and name their own and others' feelings.
2.x	U	Children have varied opportunities to learn the skills needed to regulate their emotions, behavior, and attention.
2.x	U	Children have varied opportunities to develop a sense of competence and positive attitudes toward learning, such as persistence, engagement, curiosity, and sense of mastery.
2.x	U	Curriculum guides teachers to value and support children's oral and written communication in a language their family uses or understands.
2.x	U	Children have varied opportunities to develop competence in verbal and nonverbal communication by responding to questions; communicating needs, thoughts, and experiences; and describing things and events.
2.x	U	Children have varied opportunities to develop vocabulary through conversations, experiences, field trips, and books.
3.x	U	Teaching staff and other classroom and/or program staff work as a team to implement daily teaching and learning activities, including Individualized Family Service Plans (IFSPs), Individualized Education Programs (IEPs), and other individual plans.
3.x	U	Teachers design an environment that protects children's health and safety at all times.
3.x	U	Teaching staff support children's needs for physical movement, sensory stimulation, fresh air, rest, and nourishment.
3.x	U	Teaching staff supervise by positioning themselves to see as many children as possible.
3.x	U	Teachers arrange space and select materials to stimulate exploration, experimentation, discovery, and conceptual learning in all content and developmental domains.
3.x	U	Teachers reorganize the environment when necessary to help children sustain their activities and extend their learning during focused work/play.
3.x	U	Teachers modify the schedule and intentionally arrange the equipment, materials, and themselves in order to scaffold children's learning.
3.x	U	Teaching staff's daily interactions demonstrate their knowledge of the children they teach; the children's families; and the social, linguistic, and cultural context in which the children live.
3.x	U	Teachers create and maintain a setting in which children of differing abilities can progress, with guidance, toward increasing levels of autonomy, responsibility, and empathy.
3.x	U	Teaching staff develop individual relationships with children by providing support and attentive, consistent, comforting, culturally sensitive, and responsive care.
3.x	U	Teaching staff are active in identifying and countering any practices, curriculum approaches, or materials that reflect a degrading bias toward gender, sexual orientation, age, language, ability, race, religion, family structure, background, or culture.
3.x	U	Teaching staff help individual children learn socially appropriate behavior by providing guidance that corresponds to their level of development.
3.x	U	Teachers demonstrate consistency when managing behavior and implementing classroom rules and expectations.
3.x	U	Teachers draw on knowledge of children's home and classroom life to inform responses to challenging, unpredictable, or unusual behavior.
3.x	U	Teachers notice patterns in children's challenging behaviors and over time provide thoughtful, consistent, and individualized responses.
3.x	U	Teachers provide time daily for indoor activity and outdoor activities, except when conditions pose a health risk as defined by local health officials.
3.x	U	Teaching staff use routine care to facilitate children's self-awareness, language, and social interaction.
3.x	U	Teachers provide time and materials daily for children to select their own activities.
3.x	U	Teaching staff offer children opportunities to interact with children of various ages.
3.x	U	Teachers offer children opportunities to engage in classroom experiences with members of their families.
3.x	U	Teachers intentionally extend or adjust experiences throughout the day in response to children's interests and needs.
3.x	U	Teachers plan for children to revisit experiences and materials over periods of days, weeks, and months.
3.x	U	Teachers use curriculum in all content and developmental domains as a flexible framework for teaching. Teachers use curriculum to support the development of daily plans and learning experiences.
3.x	U	Teachers carefully plan and organize activities that are responsive to children's needs and interests. Play is planned for each day.
3.x	U	Teachers and families work together to help children participate successfully in the early childhood setting when professional values and practices differ from family values and practices.
3.x	U	Teaching staff use pictures, familiar objects, body language, and physical cues to help children understand spoken language, particularly for children who are learning a new language.
3.x	U	Teaching staff support the development and maintenance of children's home language whenever possible.
3.x	U	Teachers use children's interest in and curiosity about the world to engage them with new content and developmental skills.
3.x	U	Teachers use their knowledge of individual children to modify strategies and materials to enhance children's learning.
3.x	U	Teachers use a variety of teaching strategies that consider children's interests and needs, selecting among a broad range of approaches and responses.
3.x	U	Teachers use multiple sources (including children's initiations, questions, interests, and misunderstandings) to identify what children have learned, adapt curriculum and teaching to meet their needs and interests, foster curiosity, extend their engagement, and support self-initiated learning.
3.x	U	As children learn and acquire new skills, teachers use knowledge of children's abilities to fine-tune their teaching support. Teachers adjust challenges as children gain competence and understanding.
3.x	U	Teaching staff help children enter into and sustain play.
3.x	U	Teachers support and challenge children's learning during both teacher- and child-initiated interactions or activities.
4.x	U	Programs conduct assessments as an integral part of the program. Programs use assessments to support children's learning, using a variety of procedures, such as observations, checklists, rating scales, and individually administered tests.
4.x	U	The program has a written plan for assessment that describes assessment purposes, procedures, and uses of the results. The plan also includes required training for all involved staff; conditions under which children will be assessed; timelines associated with assessments that occur throughout the year; procedures to keep individual child records confidential.
4.x	U	The program's written assessment plan includes the multiple purposes and uses of assessment including arranging for developmental screening and referral for diagnostic assessment when indicated; identifying children's interests and needs; describing the developmental progress and learning of children; improving curriculum and adapting teaching practices and the environment; planning program improvement; communicating with families.
4.x	U	Program staff collaborate with families in planning and implementing assessments and develop methods to effectively communicate assessment information to families.
4.x	U	Assessments use a variety of procedures that are sensitive to and informed by family culture, experiences, children's disabilities, and home language; are meaningful and accurate; and are used in settings familiar to the children.
4.x	U	Assessment procedures obtain information on all domains of children's development and learning, including, cognitive skills, language, social-emotional development, approaches to learning, health, and physical development including self-help skills.
4.x	U	Norm-referenced and standardized tests are used primarily when seeking information on eligibility for special services, or collecting information for overall program effectiveness. When formal assessments are used, they are combined with informal methods such as observation, checklists, rating scales, and work sampling.
4.x	U	If the program uses published instruments, it evaluates information from the publisher about the standardization sample, standardization procedures, scoring, reliability, and validity to ensure that the results obtained with the instruments are valid for the program's purposes.
4.x	U	Staff-developed assessment procedures are aligned with curriculum goals. provide an accurate picture of all children's abilities and progress. are appropriate and valid for their stated purposes. provide meaningful and stable results for all learners including English language learners and children with special needs. provide teachers with clear ideas for curriculum development and daily planning. are regularly reviewed to be certain that they are providing the needed information.
4.x	U	Staff share an understanding of the purposes, values, and uses of assessment in their program and can explain these to others.
4.x	U	All children receive developmental screening that includes the timely screening of all children within three months of program entry; screening instruments that meet professional standards for standardization, reliability, and validity; screening instruments that have normative scores available on a population relevant for the child being screened; screening children's health status and their sensory, language, cognitive, gross motor, fine motor, and social-emotional development; a plan for evaluating the effectiveness of the screening program; using the results to make referrals to appropriate professionals, when appropriate, and ensuring that the referrals are followed up.
4.x	U	Teachers assess the developmental progress of each child across all developmental domains using a variety of instruments and multiple data sources that address the program's curriculum areas. Staff with diverse expertise and skills collect information across the full range of children's experiences.
4.x	U	Teachers refer to curriculum goals and developmental expectations when interpreting assessment data.
4.x	U	Teachers or others who know the children and are able to observe their strengths, interests, and needs on an ongoing basis conduct assessments to inform classroom instruction and to make sound decisions about individual and group curriculum content, teaching approaches, and personal interactions.
4.x	U	Teaching teams meet at least weekly to interpret and use assessment results to align curriculum and teaching practices to the interests and needs of the children.
4.x	U	Teachers interact with children to assess their strengths and needs to inform curriculum development and individualize teaching.
4.x	U	Teachers and other professionals associated with the program use assessment procedures and information to design goals for individual children, as well as to guide curriculum planning and monitor progress.
4.x	U	Families have ongoing opportunities to share observations from home to contribute to the assessment process.
4.x	U	Family members are provided information, either verbally or in writing, about their child's development and learning on at least a quarterly basis, with written reports at least two times a year.
4.x	U	Teachers, families, and relevant specialists have regular opportunities to participate in two-way communication conferences to discuss each child's progress, accomplishments, difficulties in the classroom and at home, and to plan learning activities.
4.x	U	Staff work with families to achieve consensus about assessment methods that will best meet the child's needs.
4.x	U	Communication with families about their child's assessments is sensitive to family values, culture, identity, and home language.
4.x	U	The program staff provide families with information about the choice, use, scoring, and interpretation of screening and assessment procedures that includes the purpose and use for which an assessment is designed and its programmatic purpose and use; the interpretations of the results and their meaning in terms of future learning opportunities for their child; the way teaching staff and/or others have been trained to use assessment procedures and interpret results and the conditions under which the child will be assessed (e.g., group size, time constraints, familiarity with adults involved); access to or information about the specific instruments used.
4.x	U	The program staff provide families with a full explanation of confidentiality by listing the categories of individuals who will have access to individual child screening and assessment results and the reasons for their access. sharing regulations governing access to files and familial rights. describing the procedures used to keep individual child records confidential. explaining how and why children's individual screening results and assessment information will be represented, used, and interpreted.
5.x	U	Programs maintain current health information from documented health assessments for all paid staff and for all volunteers who work more than 40 hours per month and have contact with children. A current health assessment (not more than one year old) is received by the program prior to an employee’s starting work or before a volunteer has contact with children. The health assessment is updated every two years. Documented health assessments include immunization status; capacities and limitations that may affect job performance; and documentation by a licensed health professional of TB skin testing using the Mantoux method and freedom from active TB disease. For those who have positive TB skin tests and develop a persistent cough or unexplained fever, immediate assessment by a licensed physician is required. For those who have increased risk of TB according to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), documentation of freedom from active TB disease by a licensed health professional is required annually.
5.x	U	Within 6 weeks after a child begins the program, and as age-appropriate thereafter, health records document the dates of services to show that the child is current for routine screening tests and immunizations according to the schedule recommended, published in print, and posted on the Web sites of American Academy of Pediatrics, Centers for Disease Control of the United States Public Health Service (CDC-USPHS), and the Academy of Family Practice. When a child is overdue for any routine health services, parents and/or legal guardians provide evidence of an appointment for such services prior to the child's entry into the program and as a condition of remaining enrolled in the program, except for any immunization for which parents are using religious exemption. Child health records includes current information about any health insurance coverage required for treatment in an emergency; results of health examination, showing up-to-date immunizations and screening tests with an indication of normal or abnormal results and any follow-up required for abnormal results; current emergency contact information for each child that is kept up-to-date by a specified method during the year; individuals authorized by the family to have access to health information about the child; instructions for any special health needs of the child, such as allergies or chronic illness^[1] Staff have evidence in their child's files if any child is under-immunized because of a medical condition (documented by a licensed health professional) or the family's beliefs. They implement a plan to exclude the child promptly if a vaccine-preventable disease to which children are susceptible occurs in the program.
5.x	U	The program has and implements a written agreement with a health consultant who is either a licensed pediatric health professional or health professional with specific training in health consultation for early childhood programs. The health consultant visits at least two times a year and as needed. Where infants and toddlers/twos are in care, the health consultant visits the program at least four times a year and as needed. The health consultant observes program practices and reviews and makes recommendations about the program's practices and written health policies to ensure health promotion and prevention of infection and injury. The consultation addresses physical, socio-emotional, nutritional, and oral health, including the care and exclusion of ill children. Unless the program participates in the United States Department of Agriculture's Child and Adult Care Food Program, at least two times a year a registered dietitian or pediatric public health nutritionist evaluates the menus for nutritional content; portion sizes; nationally recommended limits on juice, sugar, sodium, and saturated fats; food service operations; special feeding needs to be met by the program; and procedures used for food brought from home. The program documents compliance and implements corrections according to the recommendations of the consultant(s).
5.x	U	At least one staff member who has a certificate of satisfactory completion of pediatric first-aid training, including management of a blocked airway and providing rescue breathing for infants and children, is always present with each group of children. When the program includes swimming and wading and when a child in the group has a special health condition that might require CPR, one staff person who has successfully completed training in CPR is present in the program at all times.
5.x	U	The program makes a child comfortable in a location where the child is supervised by a familiar caregiver and, if is suspected of having a contagious disease, will not expose new individuals until the child can be picked up by the child's family if an illness prevents the child from participating comfortably in activities; an illness results in a greater need for care than the staff can provide without compromising the health and safety of other children; or a condition is contagious and requires exclusion as identified by public health authorities. The program immediately notifies the parent, legal guardian, or other person authorized by the parent when a child has any sign or symptom that requires exclusion from the program. A program that allows ill children or staff to remain in the program implements plans that have been reviewed by a health professional about what level and types of illness require exclusion; about how care is provided for those who are ill, but who are not excluded; and about when it is necessary to require consultation and documentation from a health care provider for an ill child or staff member.
5.x	U	Staff and teachers provide information to families verbally and in writing about any unusual level or type of communicable disease to which their child was exposed, signs and symptoms of the disease, mode of transmission, period of communicability, and control measures that are being implemented at the program and that families should implement at home. The program has documentation that it has cooperative arrangements and has at least annually made contact with local health authorities to keep current on relevant health information and to arrange for obtaining advice when outbreaks of communicable disease occur.
5.x	U	Children of all ages have daily opportunities for outdoor play when weather, air quality, and/or environmental safety conditions do not pose a health risk as defined by local health authorities consistent with local agency or program protocols and the advice of public safety officers. When outdoor opportunities for gross motor activities are not possible because of weather conditions, the program provides similar activities inside; indoor equipment for gross motor activities meets national safety requirements and is supervised at the same level as outdoor equipment.
5.x	U	To protect against cold, heat, sun injury, and insect-borne disease, the program ensures that children wear clothing that is dry and layered for warmth in cold weather. when children are in the sun, they wear sun-protective clothing and/or sunscreen or sun block with UVB and UVA protection of SPF 15 or higher that is applied to exposed skin. The children have the opportunity to play in the shade. Program staff apply sunscreen or sun block with written parental permission to do so. when public health authorities recommend use of insect repellents due to a high risk of insect-borne disease, only repellants containing DEET are used, and these are only applied on children over 2 months of age. Staff apply insect repellent no more than once a day, but only with written parental permission.
5.x	U	For children who are unable to use the toilet consistently, the program ensures that staff use only commercially available disposable diapers or pull-ups unless the child has a medical reason that does not permit their use (the health provider documents the medical reason); for children who require cloth diapers, the diaper has an absorbent inner lining completely contained within an outer covering made of waterproof material that prevents the escape of feces and urine. Both the diaper and the outer covering are changed as a unit. Cloth diapers and clothing that is soiled by urine or feces is immediately placed in a plastic bag and sent home that day for laundering (without rinsing or avoidable handling); staff check children for signs that diapers or pull-ups are wet or contain feces at least every 2 hours when children are awake, and when children awaken; diapers are changed when wet or soiled; staff change children's diapers or soiled underwear in the designated changing areas and not elsewhere in the facility; the changing area is separated by a partial wall or at least 3 feet from other areas that children use and is assigned for exclusive use to one group of children. For kindergartners, the program may use an underclothing changing area designated for and used by only this age group; at all times, staff have a hand on the child when the child is being changed on an elevated surface; staff post and follow changing procedures outlined in the Cleaning and Sanitation Frequency Table in the changing area and use these procedures to evaluate teachers who change diapers; surfaces used for changing and for placing changing materials are not used for other purposes, including temporary placement of other objects, and especially not for any object involved with food or feeding; containers that hold soiled diapers and diapering materials have a lid that closes tightly and opens using a hands-free device (such as a step can). These containers are kept closed (except for receipt of soiled materials) and are not accessible to children; staff members whose primary function is preparing food do not change diapers until their food preparation duties are completed for the day.
5.x	U	Staff members and those children who are developmentally able to learn personal hygiene are instructed in handwashing and are periodically monitored. Handwashing is required by all staff, volunteers, and children in situations where handwashing reduces the risk of transmission of infectious diseases to themselves and to others. Staff assist children with handwashing as needed to successfully complete the task. Children wash either independently or with staff assistance. Children and adults wash their hands on arrival for the day; after diapering or using the toilet (For infants, the use of wet wipes is acceptable.); after handling body fluids (e.g., blowing or wiping a nose, coughing on a hand, or any touching of mucus, blood or vomit); before meals and snacks, preparing or serving food, or handling any raw food that requires cooking (e.g., meat, eggs, poultry); after playing in water that is shared by two or more people; after handling pets and other animals or any materials such as sand, dirt, or surfaces that might be contaminated by contact with animals; when moving from one group to another (e.g., visiting) that involves contact with infants and toddlers. Adults also wash their hands before and after feeding a child; before and after administering medication; after assisting a child with toileting; after handling garbage or cleaning. Proper handwashing procedures are followed by adults and children and include using liquid soap and running water; rubbing hands vigorously for at least 10 seconds, including back of hands, wrists, between fingers, under and around any jewelry, and under fingernails; rinsing well; drying hands with a paper towel, a single-use towel, or a dryer; and avoiding touching the faucet with just washed hands, such as by turning off water by using a paper towel. Except when handling blood or body fluids that might contain blood (when wearing gloves is required), wearing gloves is an optional supplement but not a substitute for handwashing in any situation listed above as requiring hand hygiene. Staff must wear gloves when contamination with blood may occur. Staff do not use handwashing sinks for bathing children or removing smeared fecal material. Staff clean and sanitize sinks used both for food preparation and other purposes before using these sinks to prepare food.^[3]
5.x	U	Children are not permitted to play without constant supervision in areas where there is any body of water, including sinks, water tables, tubs, pails, toilets, swimming pools, wading pools, ponds, and irrigation ditches. Children are not permitted to use spas, hot tubs, or saunas. Precautions are taken to ensure that communal water play does not spread infectious disease: No child drinks the water. Children with sores on their hands are not permitted to participate in communal water play. Fresh potable water is used, and the water is changed before a new group of children come to participate in the water play activity. The water is drained when the group of children allowed to use the table during the activity period completes the activity. Alternately, fresh potable water flows freely through the water play table and out through a drain in the table.
5.x	U	Safeguards are used with all medications for children: Staff administer both prescription and over-the-counter medications to a child only if the child's record documents that the parent or legal guardian has given the program written permission and the record contains instructions from a licensed health care provider who has prescribed or recommended the medication for that specific child. The instructions may be written by the licensed health provider or given by telephone by the licensed health provider's office to the program staff^[4] Any administrator/teacher who administers medication has (a) specific training and (b) a written performance evaluation updated annually by a health professional on the practice of the five rights of medication administration: (1) verifying that the right child receives the (2) right medication (3) in the right dose (4) at the right time (5) by the right method with documentation of each right each time the medication is given. The person giving the medication signs documentation of items (1) through (5) above. Teachers who are required to administer special medical procedures have demonstrated to a health professional that they are competent in the procedures and are guided in writing about how to perform the procedure by the prescribing health care provider. Medications are labeled with the child's first and last names, the date the prescription was filled or the recommendation was obtained from the child's licensed health care provider, the name of the licensed health care provider, the expiration date of the medication or the period of use of the medication, the manufacturer's instructions or the original prescription label that details the name and strength of the medication, and instructions on how to administer and store it. All medications are kept in a locked container.
5.x	U	If the program provides food for meals and snacks (whether catered or prepared on site), the food is prepared, served, and stored in accordance with USDA Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP) requirements.
5.x	U	Staff work with families to ensure that foods brought from home meet the food requirements of USDA Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP). All foods and beverages brought from home are labeled with the child's name and the date. Staff check for food that is brought from home and requires refrigeration to be sure that the food stays cold until served. Food is provided to supplement food brought from home if necessary. All foods that require refrigeration and are brought from home for sharing among the children are either whole fruits or commercially prepared packaged foods in factory-sealed containers.
5.x	U	The program complies with the food safety standards of national public health authorities. Staff discard foods with expired dates. The program documents compliance and corrections that it has made according to the recommendations of the program's health consultant, nutrition consultant, or a sanitarian.
5.x	U	For all infants and for children with disabilities who have special feeding needs, program staff keep and provide families with a daily record documenting the type and quantity of food a child consumes.
5.x	U	For each child with special health care needs or food allergies or special nutrition needs, the child's health provider gives the program an individualized care plan that is prepared in consultation with family members and specialists involved in the child's care. The program protects children with food allergies from contact with the problem food. The program asks families of a child with food allergies to give consent and then, if consent is given, posts information about that child's food allergy in the food preparation area and in the areas of the facility the child uses as a visual reminder to all those who interact with the child during the program day.
5.x	U	Clean sanitary drinking water is made available to children throughout the day. (Infants who are fed only human milk do not need to be offered water.)
5.x	U	Liquids and foods that are hotter than 110 degrees F are kept out of children's reach.
5.x	U	The routine frequency of cleaning and sanitizing all surfaces in the facility is as indicated in the Cleaning and Sanitation Frequency Table. Ventilation and sanitation, rather than sprays, air freshening chemicals, or deodorizers, control odors in inhabited areas of the facility and in custodial closets.
5.x	U	Procedures for Standard Precautions are used and include the following: surfaces that may come in contact with potentially infectious body fluids must be disposable or made of a material that can be sanitized. staff use barriers and techniques that minimize contact of mucous membranes or openings in skin with potentially infectious body fluids and reduce the spread of infectious disease. when spills of body fluids occur, staff clean them up immediately with detergent followed by water rinsing. After cleaning, staff sanitize nonporous surfaces by using the procedure for sanitizing designated changing surfaces described in the Cleaning and Sanitation Frequency Table. Staff clean rugs and carpeting by blotting, spot cleaning with a detergent-disinfectant, and shampooing or steam cleaning. staff dispose of contaminated materials and diapers in a plastic bag with a secure tie in a closed container.
5.x	U	A toy that a child has placed in his or her mouth or that is otherwise contaminated by body secretion or excretion is either to be washed by hand using water and detergent, then rinsed, sanitized, and air dried or washed and dried in a mechanical dishwasher before it can be used by another child.
5.x	U	Staff maintain areas used by staff or children who have allergies or any other special environmental health needs according to the recommendations of health professionals.
5.x	U	Classroom pets or visiting animals appear to be in good health and have documentation from a veterinarian or an animal shelter to show that the animals are fully immunized (if the animal should be so protected) and that the animal is suitable for contact with children. Teachers closely supervise all interactions between children and animals and instruct children on safe behavior when in close proximity to animals. Program staff must ensure that no child is exposed to animals to which that child is allergic. Reptiles are not allowed as classroom pets.
6.x	U	All teaching staff know and use ethical guidelines in their conduct as members of the early childhood profession.
6.x	U	When working with children, all teaching staff demonstrate the ability to interact with children without using physical punishment or any form of psychological coercion or abuse. recognize health and safety hazards and act to ensure that children are protected from harm. encourage and provide children with a variety of opportunities for learning and social experiences. communicate with children and their families.
6.x	U	All teaching staff possess the physical and mental health required to carry out the responsibilities of their position.
6.x	U	Before working alone with children, new teaching staff are given an initial orientation that introduces them to fundamental aspects of program operation including program philosophy, values, and goals; expectations for ethical conduct; health, safety, and emergency procedures; individual needs of children they will be teaching or caring for; accepted guidance and classroom management techniques; daily activities and routines of the program; program curriculum; child abuse and neglect reporting procedures; program policies and procedures; NAEYC Early Childhood Program Standards; regulatory requirements. Follow-up training expands on the initial orientation.
6.x	U	Substitutes, volunteers, and other adults are given a preliminary orientation that introduces them to fundamental aspects of program operation before they begin working with children. The orientation includes health, safety, and emergency procedures; accepted guidance and classroom management techniques; child abuse and neglect reporting procedures; regulatory requirements. These adults work with children under the direct supervision of qualified teaching staff. Follow-up training expands on the initial orientation.
6.x	U	All teachers have a minimum of an associate's degree or equivalent. At least 75% of teachers have a minimum of a baccalaureate degree or equivalent. Degrees include or are supplemented by college-level course work in early childhood education, child development or early childhood special education, which encompasses child health, development and learning, family and community relationships, observing, documenting and assessing young children, teaching and learning, and professional practice and development. [This requirement is phased in between 2005 and 2020; see Timeline for Meeting Teacher Qualifications. For the definition of teaching staff see Teaching Staff Definitions.] Degrees and college course work are from regionally accredited institutions of higher education. They may be earned in a variety of ways, including distance learning, on-line course work, and/or degree completion programs that offer credit as a part of formal assessment of prior learning.
6.x	U	Assistant teachers/teacher aides (staff who implement program activities under direct supervision) have a minimum of a high school diploma or GED and 50% of assistant teachers/teacher aides have at least a Child Development Associate Credential (CDA) or equivalent. 100% of assistant teachers/teacher aides who do not have at least a CDA are enrolled in a program leading to a CDA or equivalent, are actively participating in the program, and are demonstrating progress toward the CDA or equivalent. College-level course work is from regionally accredited institutions of higher education. If there is only one assistant teacher/teacher aide, then either of the requirements can be met.
6.x	U	All teaching staff have specialized college-level course work and/or professional development training that prepares them to work with children and families of diverse races, cultures, and languages. They adapt their teaching in response to children's differences. Specialized college-level course work may include core courses that cover these topics or courses addressing these topics specifically.
6.x	U	All teaching staff have specialized course work or professional development training in the program's curriculum and in communication and collaboration skills that prepare them to participate as a member of a team.
6.x	U	All teaching staff who supervise or mentor other staff members have specialized college-level course work or professional development training and preparation in adult supervision, mentoring, and leadership development. Specialized college-level course work may include core courses that cover these topics or courses addressing these topics specifically.
6.x	U	All teachers and assistant teachers/teacher aides have specialized college-level course work in knowledge and skills relevant to the specific age(s) or the special circumstances/specific needs of the children they teach. Specialized college-level course work may include core courses that cover these topics or courses addressing these topics specifically.
6.x	U	All teachers and assistant teachers/teacher aides have specialized professional development training in how to accurately use the program's assessment procedures for assessment of child progress and program quality. Their training is used to adapt classroom practices and curriculum activities.
6.x	U	All teachers and assistant teachers/teacher aides have specialized college-level course work or professional development training that prepares them to work with children who have special needs. The course work or training may include core courses that cover these topics or courses addressing these topics specifically. The course work and training includes family-centered practice; atypical development and common health problems; IDEA and other applicable laws; children's and families' rights under these laws; roles and responsibilities related to the IEP/IFSP; strategies for supporting inclusion; strategies for modifying and adapting curriculum, schedules, materials, and instruction to meet individual needs; referral and assessment process; community supports and resources.
6.x	U	All teaching staff evaluate and improve their own performance based on ongoing reflection and feedback from supervisors, peers, and families. They add to their knowledge and increase their ability to put knowledge into practice. They develop an annual individualized professional development plan with their supervisor and use it to inform their continuous professional development.
6.x	U	All teaching staff continuously strengthen their leadership skills and relationships with others and work to improve the conditions of children and families within their programs, the local community or region, and beyond. Teaching staff participate in informal or formal ways in local, state, or regional public-awareness activities related to early childhood education by joining groups, attending meetings, or sharing information with others both at and outside the program.
6.x	U	All teaching staff have the knowledge and skills to adapt and respond to changing and challenging conditions in ways that enhance program quality.
7.x	U	New and existing program staff develop skills and knowledge to work effectively with diverse families as a part of orientation and ongoing staff development.
7.x	U	Program staff use a variety of formal and informal strategies (including conversations) to become acquainted with and learn from families about their family structure; their preferred child-rearing practices; and their socioeconomic, linguistic, racial, religious, and cultural backgrounds.
7.x	U	Program staff actively use information about families to adapt the environment, curriculum, and teaching methods to the families they serve.
7.x	U	To better understand the cultural backgrounds of children, families, and the community, program staff (as a part of program activities or as individuals) participate in community cultural events, concerts, storytelling activities, or other events and performances geared to children and their families.
7.x	U	Program staff provide support and information to family members legally responsible for the care and well-being of a child.
7.x	U	Program staff establish intentional practices from the first contact with families designed to foster strong reciprocal relationships and maintain them over time.
7.x	U	Program staff ensure that all families, regardless of family structure; socioeconomic, racial, religious, and cultural backgrounds; gender; abilities; or preferred language, are included in all aspects of the program, including volunteer opportunities. These opportunities consider families' interests and skills and the needs of program staff.
7.x	U	Program staff engage with families to learn from their knowledge of their child's interests, approaches to learning, and the child's developmental needs, and to learn about their concerns and goals for their children. This information is incorporated into ongoing classroom planning.
7.x	U	Program staff use a variety of formal and informal methods to communicate with families about the program philosophy and curriculum objectives, including educational goals and effective strategies that can be used by families to promote their children's learning. They implement a variety of methods, such as new family orientations, small group meetings, individual conversations, and written questionnaires, for getting input from families about curriculum activities throughout the year.
7.x	U	The program works with families on shared child caregiving issues, including routine separations, special needs, the food being served and consumed, and daily care issues.
7.x	U	Families may visit any area of the facility at any time during the program's regular hours of operation as specified by the procedures of the facility.
7.x	U	The program facilitates opportunities for families to meet with each other on a formal and informal basis, work together on projects to support the program, and learn from and provide support for each other.
7.x	U	The program's governing or advisory groups include families as members and active participants. Family members are mentored into leadership roles by staff or other families in the program.
7.x	U	Program staff and families work together to plan events. Families' schedules and availability are considered as part of this planning.
7.x	U	Program staff use a variety of mechanisms, such as family conferences or home visits, to promote dialogue with families. Program staff ask adults to translate or interpret communications as needed.
7.x	U	The program compiles and provides information about the program to families in a language the family can understand. This information includes program policies and operating procedures.
7.x	U	Program staff inform families about its systems for formally and/or informally assessing children's progress. This includes the purposes of the assessment, the procedures used for assessment, procedures for gaining family input and information, the timing of assessments, the way assessment results or information will be shared with families, and ways the program will use the information.
7.x	U	When program staff suspect that a child has a developmental delay or other special need, this possibility is communicated to families in a sensitive, supportive, and confidential manner, with documentation and explanation for the concern, suggested next steps, and information about resources for assessment.
7.x	U	Program staff encourage families to regularly contribute to decisions about goals for their child and plans for activities and services.
7.x	U	Program staff encourage families to raise concerns and work collaboratively with them to find mutually satisfying solutions that staff then incorporate into classroom practice.
7.x	U	Program staff encourage and support families to make the primary decisions about services that their children need, and they encourage families to advocate to obtain needed services.
7.x	U	Program staff use a variety of techniques to negotiate difficulties that arise in their interactions with family members. Program staff make arrangements to use these techniques in a language the family can understand.
7.x	U	Program staff provide families with information about programs and services from other organizations. Staff support and encourage families' efforts to negotiate health, mental health, assessment, and educational services for their children.
7.x	U	Program staff use established linkages with other early education programs and local elementary schools to help families prepare for and manage their children's transitions between programs, including special education programs. Staff provide information to families that can assist them in communicating with other programs.
7.x	U	To help families with their transitions to other programs or schools, staff provide basic general information on enrollment procedures and practices, visiting opportunities, and/or program options.
7.x	U	Prior to sharing information with other relevant providers, agencies, or other programs, staff obtain written consent from the family.
8.x	U	Program staff maintain a current list of child and family support services available in the community based on the pattern of needs they observe among families and based on what families request (e.g., health, mental health, oral health, nutrition, child welfare, parenting programs, early intervention/special education screening and assessment services, and basic needs, such as housing and child care subsidies). They share the list with families and assist them in locating, contacting, and using community resources that support children's and families' well-being and development.
8.x	U	Program staff develop partnerships and professional relationships with agencies, consultants, and organizations in the community that further the program's capacity to meet the needs and interests of the children and families that they serve.
8.x	U	Program staff are familiar with family support services and specialized consultants who are able to provide culturally and linguistically appropriate services. They use this knowledge to suggest and guide families to these services as appropriate.
8.x	U	Program staff encourage continuity of services for children by communicating with other agencies and programs to achieve mutually desired outcomes for children and guide collaborative work.
8.x	U	Program staff identify and establish relationships with specialized consultants who can assist all children's and families' full participation in the program. This includes support for children with disabilities, behavioral challenges, or other special needs.
8.x	U	Program staff advocate for the program and its families by creating awareness of the program's needs among community councils, service agencies, and local governmental entities.
8.x	U	Program staff include information gathered from stakeholders in planning for continuous improvement, building stakeholder involvement in the program, and broadening community support for the program.
8.x	U	Program staff use their knowledge of the community and the families they serve as an integral part of the curriculum and children's learning experiences.
8.x	U	Program staff connect with and use their community's urban, suburban, rural, and/or tribal cultural resources.
8.x	U	Program staff inform families about community events sponsored by local organizations, such as museum exhibits, concerts, storytelling, and theater geared to children.
8.x	U	Program staff invite members of the performing and visual arts community, such as musical performers, traveling museum exhibits, local artists, and community residents, to share their interests and talents with the children.
8.x	U	The program engages with other community organizations and groups to cosponsor or participate in cultural events to enrich the experience of children and families in the program.
8.x	U	Program staff are encouraged to participate in local, state, or national early childhood education organizations by joining and attending meetings and conferences. Program staff are also encouraged to participate regularly in local, state, or regional public-awareness activities related to early care and education.
8.x	U	The program encourages staff to participate in joint and collaborative training activities or events with neighboring early childhood programs and other community service agencies.
8.x	U	The program encourages staff and families to work together to support and participate in community improvement or advocacy projects.
8.x	U	Program leadership builds mutual relationships and communicates regularly with close neighbors, informing them about the program, seeking out their perspectives, involving them in the program as appropriate, and cooperating with them on neighborhood interests and needs.
8.x	U	Program staff are encouraged and given the opportunity to participate in community or statewide interagency councils or service integration efforts.
8.x	U	Program leadership is knowledgeable about how policy changes at local, state, tribal, or national levels affect the services and resources available for children and their families.
9.x	U	Staff select and use materials, equipment, and furnishings to support the curriculum, meet program goals, and foster the achievement of desired outcomes for children.
9.x	U	Program staff arrange the environment to be welcoming and accessible. A welcoming and accessible environment contains elements such as multicultural materials that promote appreciation for diversity while being respectful of the cultural traditions, values, and beliefs of families being served; clearly defined places where families can gather information regarding the daily schedule and upcoming events; clearly defined places where families sign-in and sign-out and gather information about their child's day; places for displaying children's work; features that moderate visual and auditory stimulation.
9.x	U	A variety of age- and developmentally appropriate materials and equipment are available for children throughout the day indoors and outdoors. This includes dramatic play equipment and sensory materials such as sand, water, playdough, paint, blocks. Equipment is available for, for example, pulling up; walking; climbing in, on, and over; moving through, around, and under; pushing; pulling; and riding.
9.x	U	Non-disposable materials are durable and in good repair. Equipment, materials, and furnishings are available that provide access for children with disabilities to the program's curriculum and activities.
9.x	U	Materials and equipment are available in sufficient quantities to occupy every child in activities that meet his or her interests and facilitate focused individual play or play with peers. Duplicate materials are available as needed.
9.x	U	Staff organize and group materials on low, open shelves to encourage children to use them independently. Staff rotate and adapt materials to promote learning and extend children's play opportunities.
9.x	U	Individual space is provided for each child's belongings.
9.x	U	The following furnishings are available: equipment and furnishings for diaper changing and changing soiled underwear or other clothing located away from food preparation areas with handwashing sinks within arm's length of diaper changing tables; for each child over the age of 1 a chair with a back and a seating height that allows the child to sit with his or her feet on the floor or ground; tables at a height that allows a child to sit comfortably with the table between underarm and waist; at least one cot, crib, mat, sleeping bag, or pad for each child who spends more than 4 hours a day in the program. At least 3-foot spacing or a solid barrier separates sleeping children. No child is allowed to sleep on the floor without using rest equipment. at least one cot/mat with a blanket for an ill child; adaptations that allow children with disabilities and other special needs to fully participate in the program's activities.
9.x	U	Indoor space is designed and arranged to accommodate children individually, in small groups, and in a large group. Space is divided into areas that are supplied with materials organized in a manner to support children's play and learning. Semiprivate areas where children can play or work alone or with a friend are available indoors. Adaptations have been made to provide full access for children with disabilities to the curriculum and activities in the indoor space.
9.x	U	When climbers, climbing gyms, slides, and other play units are part of the indoor environment, the program provides safety surfacing that is rated and installed in the fall zone as recommended by the manufacturer for the fall height of the play equipment. Furnishings, such as lofts, are constructed to prevent falls (e.g., with appropriate barriers) or safety surfacing is installed in the fall zone.
9.x	U	Program staff arrange the physical space in the classroom so that staff can supervise children by sight and sound at all times without reliance on artificial monitoring devices. In semiprivate areas, it is always possible for both children and adults to be observed by an adult from outside the area.
9.x	U	Clear pathways are available for children to move from one area to another without disturbing other children's work and play.
9.x	U	The indoor environment includes washable, soft elements that allow groups of children and/or adults and children to sit in close proximity for conversations or comforting.
9.x	U	Outdoor play areas are designed with a variety of natural and manufactured surfaces, age- and developmentally appropriate equipment to accommodate motor experiences, such as running, climbing, balancing, riding, jumping, or swinging, and activities such as dramatic play, block building, manipulative play, art activities, crawling, scooting, and exploring the natural environment. Drinking water is available during outdoor play, and toilets are easily accessible. Program staff clearly define areas for these outdoor activities to indicate their intended use. Semi-private areas where children can play alone or with a friend are available. Areas with natural materials, such as nonpoisonous plants, shrubs, and trees, are available. The program makes adaptations so children with disabilities can fully participate in the outdoor curriculum and activities.
9.x	U	Program staff provide an outdoor play area that is protected by fences or by natural barriers from access to streets and other dangers, such as pits, water hazards, or wells.
9.x	U	The outdoor play area is arranged so that staff can supervise children by sight and sound.
9.x	U	The program provides at least 75 square feet of outside play space for each child playing outside at one time. The program provides a minimum of 75 square feet times one-third the program's total enrollment.
9.x	U	Sandboxes are constructed to allow for drainage. Staff cover them when not in use and clean them of foreign matter on a regular basis. Staff replace sand as often as necessary to keep the sand clean.
9.x	U	The outdoor play area includes protection from excessive wind and direct sunlight. The shaded portions accommodate multiple children at play.
9.x	U	The outdoor play area protects children from: injury from falls [Resilient surfacing (at a depth of a minimum of 6 inches for loose fill materials) should extend 6 feet beyond the limits of stationary equipment.] catch points, sharp points, and protruding hardware. entrapment (openings should measure less than 3.5 inches or more than 9 inches). tripping hazards. excessive wind and direct sunlight.
9.x	U	There is a minimum of 35 square feet of usable space per child in each of the primary indoor activity areas. The primary activity area does not include diaper stations, cribs, large structures that cannot be removed or moved aside easily, toilets, sick-child area, staff rooms, corridors, hallways, stairways, closets, lockers/cubbies, laundry rooms, custodian's rooms, furnace rooms, storage areas, and built-in shelving. Specialty areas such as computer rooms, reading rooms, and lunchrooms, where children are expected to remain seated for short periods of time, may be excluded from the minimum space requirement.
9.x	U	The work environment for staff, including classrooms and staff rooms, is comfortable, clean, and in good repair. The work environment includes a place for adults to take a break or work away from children, an adult-sized bathroom, a secure place for staff to store their personal belongings, and an administrative area for planning or preparing materials that is separated from the children's areas.
9.x	U	Facilities meet Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) accessibility requirements. Accessibility includes access to buildings, toilets, sinks, drinking fountains, outdoor play space, and all classroom and therapy areas.
9.x	U	The program provides children who attend for more than 2 hours at a time natural light in at least some of the indoor areas occupied during the course of the day.
9.x	U	Toilets, drinking water, and hand-washing facilities are within 40 feet of the indoor areas that children use. The hand washing sinks are accessible to staff and children and those used by children have step stools if needed for children to reach them.
9.x	U	The routine frequency of cleaning and sanitation in the facility is carried out as indicated in the Cleaning and Sanitation Frequency Table. Staff clean and sanitize toilet seats, toilet handles, toilet bowls, doorknobs, or stall handles and floors daily, or immediately if visibly soiled. Staff clean and sanitize potty chairs, if in use, after each child's use.
9.x	U	The program staff maintain the overall building. Walls, floors, furnishings, the outdoor play area, and equipment are kept in good repair and are safe with no sharp edges, splinters, protruding or rusty nails, or missing parts. All areas are free from glass, trash, sharp or hazardous items, and visible soil, and are in a clean condition. Staff observe all areas of the facility and correct unsafe conditions.
9.x	U	Program staff protect children and adults from hazards, including electrical shock, burns or scalding, slipping, tripping, or falling. Floor coverings are secured to keep staff and children from tripping or slipping. The program excludes baby walkers.
9.x	U	Program staff make sure that stairwells and corridors are well lighted. There is emergency lighting with unobstructed and visible paths for entering and exiting, and clearly marked regular and emergency exits.
9.x	U	Fully equipped first-aid kits are readily available and maintained for each group of children. Staff take at least one kit to the outdoor play area, as well as on field trips and outings away from the site.
9.x	U	Programs provide fully working fire extinguishers and fire alarms that are accessible to each classroom and are tagged and serviced annually. Programs install working smoke detectors and carbon monoxide detectors in each classroom. Program staff test smoke detectors, carbon monoxide detectors, and fire alarms monthly, and maintain a written log of testing dates and battery changes.
9.x	U	Any body of water, including swimming pools, built-in wading pools, ponds, and irrigation ditches, is enclosed by a fence at least 4 feet in height with any gates childproofed to prevent entry by unattended children. To prevent drowning accidents, staff supervise all children by sight and sound in all areas with access to water in tubs, pails, and water tables.
9.x	U	Program staff ventilate areas that have been recently painted, carpeted, tiled, or otherwise similarly renovated before they are used by children.
9.x	U	Staff inspect outdoor areas daily to identify broken or hazardous equipment and remove any hazardous material or trash.
9.x	U	To safeguard children, vehicles that programs use are held to school bus standards or are multifunction school activity buses. These vehicles are labeled with the program's name and phone number. Program vehicle maintenance is performed according to manufacturer's recommended maintenance schedule. Documentation of maintenance is available on site for each vehicle, showing date of regular and at least quarterly inspections and preventative maintenance. Staff carry out daily pre-trip inspections of vehicles and correct any unsafe conditions, including air pressure in tires.
9.x	U	Staff use vehicles and approved child and adult safety-restraint devices in accordance with the manufacturer's instructions, and use the restraints at all times when transporting children.
9.x	U	Documentary evidence, available on site, indicates that the building has been assessed for lead, radon, radiation, asbestos, fiberglass, or any other hazard from friable material. Evidence exists that the program has taken remedial or containment action to prevent exposure to children and adults if warranted by the assessment.
9.x	U	When the water supply source is a well or other private source (i.e., not served by a public supply), on-site documentary evidence verifies that the local regulatory health authority has determined the water to be safe for human consumption.
9.x	U	Program staff protect children and adults from exposure to high levels of air pollution from smog or heavy traffic by limits on outdoor and/or physical activity as a precaution during smog or other air pollution alerts.
9.x	U	The program has taken measures in all rooms occupied by children to control noise levels so that normal conversation can be heard without raising one's voice.
9.x	U	All rooms that children use are heated, cooled, and ventilated to maintain room temperature and humidity level. The maintenance contractor certifies that facility systems are maintained in compliance with national standards for facility use by children.
9.x	U	The facility and outdoor play areas are entirely smoke free. No smoking is permitted in the presence of children.
9.x	U	The program maintains areas used by staff or children who have allergies to dust mites or components of furnishings or supplies according to the recommendations of health professionals.
9.x	U	The program maintains facilities so that they are free from harmful animals, insect pests, and poisonous plants. Pesticides and herbicides, if used, are applied when children are not at the facility according to the manufacturer's instructions and in a manner that prevents skin contact, inhalation, and other exposure to children. The program uses the technique known as Integrated Pest Management (IPM) so the least hazardous means are used to control pests and unwanted vegetation.
9.x	U	Toxic substances (used only as directed by the manufacturer) are stored in original labeled container and kept in a locked room or cabinet, inaccessible to children, and away from medications and foods; matches and lighters shall not be accessible, and gasoline and other flammable materials should be stored in a separate building.
10.x	U	The program has a well-articulated mission and philosophy of program excellence that guides its operation. The goals and objectives relate to the mission, philosophy, and all program operations and include child and family desired outcomes.
10.x	U	The program administrator has the educational qualifications and personal commitment required to serve as the program's operational and pedagogical leader. The administrator has at least a baccalaureate degree has at least 9 credit-bearing hours of specialized college-level course work in administration, leadership, and/or management. The 9 semester hours can be in school administration, business management, communication, technology, and/or early childhood management/administration). has at least 24 credit-bearing hours of specialized college-level course work in early childhood education, child development, elementary education, or early childhood special education, all of which encompass child development and learning of children birth through kindergarten; family and community relationships; observing, documenting, and assessing young children; teaching and learning; and professional practices and development. Degrees and college course work are from regionally accredited institutions of higher education and may be earned in a variety of ways, including through distance learning, online coursework and/or degree completion programs that offer credit as part of a formal assessment of prior learning. [Programs have five years to meet this requirement; see Timeline for Meeting Program Administrator Qualifications. For further description, see Program Administrator Definition & Core Competencies.]
10.x	U	The program administrator demonstrates commitment to a high level of continuing professional competence and an ability to promote teamwork.
10.x	U	All early childhood programs, regardless of size or funding auspices, have a designated program administrator with the educational qualifications detailed in 10.x. (Program Administrator Qualifications above) When there is a total enrollment of fewer than 60 full-time equivalent (FTE) children and/or less than 8 FTE staff: A program may have a part-time administrator or an administrator who fulfills a dual role (e.g., teacher/administrator). In multisite programs, the sites may share an off-site administrator.When there is a total enrollment of 60 or more FTE children and/or 8 or more FTE staff: A program has a full-time administrator. At multisite programs, individual facilities have on-site a full-time administrator or full-time manager under the direct supervision of an individual who meets the qualifications outlined for the program administrator.
10.x	U	The program administrator provides leadership to staff to implement the program mission.
10.x	U	The program administrator responds proactively to changing conditions to enhance program quality.
10.x	U	The program administrator and other program leaders systematically support an organizational climate that fosters trust, collaboration, and inclusion.
10.x	U	The program has policies and procedures such as job descriptions, planning time, training, and resources, that result in families and professionals across disciplines working as teams and building community partnerships.
10.x	U	All components of program operation are guided by written policies and are carried out through articulated plans, systems, and procedures that enable the program to run smoothly and effectively and guide the program toward achieving its goals.
10.x	U	Technology-based information management systems are in place. Procedures guide staff in collecting and analyzing data that are used to monitor the operation of the program and to inform program improvement.
10.x	U	The program and facility are licensed to operate or are regulated by the applicable state and local regulatory systems. The program maintains documentation that it meets the standards of and is in compliance with all local, state, and federal requirements.The program maintains documentation that it is in good standing with all regulatory requirements and can document certifications and corrections of violations and deficiencies.
10.x	U	Accident and liability insurance coverage is maintained for children and adults. A certificate of insurance is available for review.
10.x	U	If a program is led or governed by a board of directors, advisory group, council, or other similar group, written policies define their roles and responsibilities along with those of the program staff who work directly with them.
10.x	U	The program has a strategic planning process that outlines actions the program will take to implement the program's vision and mission. achieve outcomes desired for children. maintain high-quality services to children and families. provide long-term resources to sustain the operation of the program.
10.x	U	The program has written policies and procedures that demonstrate how the program prepares for, orients, and welcomes children and families. These policies and procedures are shared in writing, as well as verbally, with families of enrolled children and are available in languages that families use and understand. Policies include program philosophy and curriculum; guidance and discipline of children in the program; a variety of strategies for ongoing communication with families in their preferred language or through translation; how the program welcomes children with disabilities and other special needs, including how Individual Family Service Plans (IFSPs), Individual Education Programs (IEPs), and other individualized plans, will be addressed; how the program welcomes children regardless of language, class, culture, race, or family structure; health and safety precautions and requirements that affect families and their children including building security and access, medications, and emergency plans; the variety of techniques for negotiating difficulties and differences that arise in interactions between families and program staff; payment, meals and snacks, and sleeping arrangements; how the program insures confidentiality of child and family information; how and when children are scheduled for field trips; safety precautions that will be used to safeguard the children on trips, including having a communication device to call for help at any time help is needed while on the trip, having first aid supplies on the trip, and alternate transportation arrangements if there is a problem with the transportation vehicles during the trip.
10.x	U	The program has plans, policies, and procedures to reduce staff turnover and attract and maintain a consistently qualified, well-trained staff.
10.x	U	Policies guide the appropriate use of specialized consultants to support staff's efforts to meet the needs of children and families to participate fully in the program, including children with disabilities, behavior challenges, or other special needs. Policies address consultant skills, payment, access, availability, and working relationships with staff. Policies also address arrangements with other agencies to utilize their consultants for children who are eligible for their services.
10.x	U	Policies and procedures prescribe that teachers with primary responsibility for working with children are available to provide ongoing personal contact, meaningful learning activities, and supervision in addition to offering immediate care as needed to protect children's well-being.
10.x	U	Written policies and procedures maintain developmentally appropriate group size and teacher-child ratios to facilitate adult-child interaction and constructive activity among children. Teacher-child ratios within group size are maintained during all hours of operation, including indoor and outdoor play, and during transportation and field trips with adults assigned to specific areas, and near equipment where injury could occur. When transporting children, the teacher-child ratio is used to guide the adult-child ratio. Groups of children may be age determined or multiage. (A group or classroom refers to the number of children assigned for most of the day to a teacher or a team of teaching staff who occupy an individual classroom or well-defined space that prevents intermingling of children from different groups within a larger room or area.) [For further information about both teacher-child ratios and group size, please refer to Teacher-Child Ratios within Group Size.]
10.x	U	The program is organized and staffed to minimize the number of group, teacher, and classroom transitions experienced by an individual child during the day. Every attempt is made to maintain continuity of relationships between teachers and children and among groups of children during the program day and year.
10.x	U	Policies and procedures include transition planning by administrators, teachers, and families to facilitate children's transition from one teacher to another, from one group to another, from one classroom to another, and from one program to another.
10.x	U	Financial policies and the procedures to implement them provide evidence of sound fiscal accountability and are consistent with the program's vision, philosophy, mission, goals, and expected child outcomes. Operating budgets are prepared annually, and there is at least quarterly reconciliation of expenses to budget. A system exists to review or adjust the budget if circumstances change and includes a yearly audit. Budgets are reviewed and amended as needed. Fiscal records are kept as evidence of sound financial management, such as revenue and expenditure statements, balance sheets, banking reconciliation, etc.
10.x	U	Fiscal management conforms to standard accounting practices.
10.x	U	The person directly responsible for program implementation (administrator, site manager, program manager, or supervising teacher) is included in long-range fiscal planning and operating budget preparation, reconciliation, and review.
10.x	U	The program has resources to support the program's vision, philosophy, mission, goals, operation, and expected child outcomes. Program administrators and other program leaders actively work to generate and manage the resources needed to support a program of excellence.
10.x	U	The program has written policies and procedures to promote wellness and safeguard the health and safety of children and adults. These policies include: reducing occupational hazards such as infectious diseases (e.g., exposure of pregnant staff to CMV [cytomegalovirus], chicken pox), injuries (e.g., back strain, falls), environmental exposure (e.g., indoor air pollution, noise, stress); management plans and reporting requirements for staff and children with illness, including medication administration, and inclusion/exclusion criteria; provision of space, supervision, and comfort for a child waiting for pick up because of illness; nutrition for children and adults; sleeping and napping arrangements, including sleep positioning for infants; sanitation and hygiene, including food handling and feeding; maintenance of the facility and equipment; prohibition of smoking, firearms, and other significant hazards that pose risks to children and adults; provision of referrals to resources that support staff in wellness, prevention and treatment of depression, and stress management.
10.x	U	The program has written policies and procedures to protect children and adults from environmental hazards, such as air pollution, lead, and asbestos, according to public health requirements.
10.x	U	The program has a written child abuse and neglect reporting policy and procedures in place that comply with applicable federal, state, and local laws. It includes requirements for staff to report all suspected incidents of child abuse and/or neglect by families, staff, volunteers, or others to the appropriate local agencies. Staff who report suspicions of child abuse or neglect where they work are immune from discharge, retaliation, or other disciplinary action for that reason alone unless it is proven that the report is malicious.
10.x	U	The program has written policies and procedures to be followed if a staff member is accused of abuse or neglect of a child in the program that protect the rights of the accused staff person and protect the children in the program.
10.x	U	The program has written policies and procedures that outline the health and safety information to be collected from families and to be maintained on file for each child in one central location within the facility. The files are kept current by updating as needed, but at least quarterly. The content of the file is confidential, but immediately available to administrators and/or teaching staff who have consent from a parent or legal guardian for access to records, to the child's parents or legal guardian, and to regulatory authorities upon request.
10.x	U	Written policies and procedures address all aspects of the arrival, departure, and transportation of children. They facilitate family-staff interaction. ensure all children transported during the program day are accounted for before, during, and after transport. ensure the safety of all children as pedestrians and as passengers. address specific procedures for children with disabilities. address special circumstances in picking up children at the end of the day.
10.x	U	Transportation services are managed and program vehicles are licensed and insured in accordance with applicable federal and state laws. Certification of licensing and insurance is available on site.
10.x	U	The program has written and posted disaster preparedness and emergency evacuation policies and procedures. Procedures designate an appropriate person to assume authority and take action in an emergency when the administrator is not on site.The procedures include: plans that designate how and when to shelter in place or evacuate and specify a location for the evacuation; plans for handling lost or missing children, security threats, utility failure, and natural disasters; arrangements for emergency transport and escort from the program; monthly practice of evacuation procedures with at least yearly practice of other emergency procedures.
10.x	U	The program has written, up-to-date, comprehensive policies and procedures to prepare for and respond to medical and dental emergencies for children and adult staff. The procedures include identifying a hospital or other source of medical care as the primary site for emergency care. Program staff have informed the facility of their intent to use their services in an emergency; immediate access to written familial-consent forms for emergency medical treatment and transportation arrangements including relevant health insurance information; arrangements for emergency transport and escort from the program of individuals who require immediate medical attention; presence of an adult with current pediatric first-aid training certification on site at all times (training includes providing rescue breathing and management of a blocked airway, and any special procedures that physicians of enrolled children have documented that the children require); individual emergency care plans for children with known medical or developmental problems or other conditions that might require special care in an emergency (allergy, asthma, seizures, orthopedic or sensory problems, and other chronic conditions; children who regularly take medication or who are technology dependent).
10.x	U	Teachers who administer care to children requiring special medical procedures are competent in the procedure and guided in writing by the prescribing health care provider.
10.x	U	Medications are labeled with child's first and last name, name of clinician, expiration date, manufacturer's instructions or original prescription label that details the name and strength of the medication and directions for administering and storing. Medication is administered only with written permission of the parent or legal guardian and as prescribed or recommended in writing or by another form of direct communication with a licensed health care provider for a specific child. A standing order from a licensed health care provider may guide the use of over the counter medications with children in the program when the order details the specific circumstances for their use and provides specific instructions for individual dosing of the medications.
10.x	U	The program has written personnel policies that define the roles and responsibilities, qualifications, and specialized training required of staff and volunteer positions. They outline nondiscriminatory hiring procedures and policies for staff evaluation. Policies include job descriptions for each position, including reporting relationships; salary scales with increments based on professional qualification, length of employment, and performance evaluation; benefits; resignation and termination; and grievance procedures. Personnel policies provide for incentives based on participation in professional development opportunities. The policies are provided to each employee upon hiring.
10.x	U	Staff are provided space and time away from children during the day. When staff work directly with children for more than 4 hours, staff are provided breaks of at least 15 minutes in each 4-hour period. In addition, staff may request temporary relief when they are unable to perform their duties.
10.x	U	All employees in the program who come into contact with children in the program or who have responsibility for children (including bus drivers, bus monitors, custodians, cooks, clerical and other support staff) have passed a criminal-record check. are free from any history of substantiated child abuse or neglect. are at least 18 years old (except vehicle drivers, who must be at least 21) and have completed high school or the equivalent. possess the physical and mental health to perform the tasks required to carry out the responsibilities of their position. They demonstrate the ability to work with children without using physical punishment or any form of psychological abuse. communicate with children and their families. encourage children and provide them with a variety of opportunities for learning and social experiences. recognize health and safety hazards and act to protect children from harm.
10.x	U	Policies and procedures outline an implementation plan for program-wide professional development, including orientations for new staff. Credit-bearing course work is included in the professional development plan whenever possible. The plan improves staff credentials and competencies. It is updated at least annually or as needed based on the evaluation process, the need to keep staff's knowledge current, or other identified needs.
10.x	U	The professional development plan is based on needs identified through staff evaluation and from other information from program evaluation processes. is written and shared with staff. includes mentoring, coaching, and other professional development opportunities for all staff. includes discussions on ethical issues. includes training in the policies and procedures of the program. includes training in building positive relationships, all aspects of the curriculum, teaching practices, partnering with families and communities, and skills for collaborating and participating as a member of a team.
10.x	U	Efforts are made and documented to hire and maintain staff with the cultural and racial characteristics of the families served. Policies are in place for obtaining staff and/or volunteers who speak the language of the children served, and these individuals regularly interact with the children and families.
10.x	U	Prospective staff members are screened prior to employment to protect children from disease or other risks of harm. New staff members serve an introductory period of employment during which the administrator or other qualified person makes a professional judgment as to their physical and psychological competence for working with children.
10.x	U	Hiring procedures include: routine state and federal criminal background checks, including child abuse registries checks where available; personal references checks; documentation of health assessment.
10.x	U	Programs offer benefits packages for full-time staff who have satisfactorily completed their introductory period of employment. Written policies detail employee benefits and include: health insurance; employee leave, including sick, vacation, holiday, and personal leave; education benefits; retirement. The written policies are shared with each employee. Benefits for part-time employees are available on a prorated basis. If some or all of these benefits are not available, a written plan for improving benefits is developed and implemented.
10.x	U	Confidential personnel files are kept in a secure location, including applications with record of experience, transcripts of education, health-assessment records, documentation of ongoing professional development, and results of performance evaluations.
10.x	U	All staff are evaluated at least annually by an appropriate supervisor or in the case of the Administrator, by the governing body.
10.x	U	An individual professional development plan is generated from the staff-evaluation process and is updated at least annually and ongoing as needed.
10.x	U	At least annually, administrators, families, staff, and other routinely participating adults are involved in a comprehensive program evaluation that measures progress towards the programs' goals and objectives. Valid and reliable processes are used to gather data and evidence.
10.x	U	The annual evaluation processes include gathering evidence on all areas of program functioning including policies and procedures; program quality; children's progress and learning, family involvement and satisfaction, and community awareness and satisfaction. A report of the annual evaluation findings is shared with families, staff, and appropriate advisory and/or governance boards, and the results are used as a basis for continuing successful activities and for redesigning and changing those that need improvement.
10.x	U	The program establishes goals for continuous improvement and innovation using information from the annual program evaluation. The program uses this information to plan professional development and program quality-improvement activities and to improve operations and policies.
10.x	U	The program offers staff and families opportunities to assist in making decisions to improve the program. Collaborative and shared decision making is used with all participants to build trust and enthusiasm for program changes. Staff and families meet at least annually to consult on program planning and ongoing program operations.
10.x	U	The program has an ongoing monitoring system to ensure that all program goals and requirements are met. The program has a data system that is used to collect evidence that goals and objectives are met; this evidence is incorporated in the annual program evaluation.
1.x	T-P-K	Teachers talk frequently with children. They listen to children with attention and respect. respond to children's questions and requests. use strategies to communicate effectively and build relationships with every child. engage regularly in meaningful and extended conversations with each child.
1.x	T-P-K	Teachers support children's development of friendships and provide opportunities for children to play with and learn from each other.
1.x	T-P-K	Teachers help children practice social skills and build friendships by helping them enter into, sustain, and enhance play.
1.x	T-P-K	Teachers intervene quickly when children are physically aggressive with one another and help them develop more positive strategies for resolving conflict.
1.x	T-P-K	Teachers help children resolve conflicts by helping them identify feelings, describe problems, and try alternative solutions.
1.x	T-P-K	Teachers help children who bully, isolate, or hurt other children to learn and follow the rules of the classroom.
1.x	T-P-K	Teachers facilitate positive peer interaction for children who are victims of bullying or isolation, as well as for those who are socially reserved and/or withdrawn.
1.x	T-P-K	Teachers provide children opportunities to develop the classroom community through participation in decision making about classroom rules, plans, and activities.
1.x	T-P-K	Teachers anticipate and take steps to prevent potential behavior problems.
1.x	T-P-K	Teachers help children talk about their own and others' emotions. They provide opportunities for children to explore a wide range of feelings and the different ways that they can be expressed.
1.x	T-P-K	Teachers promote pro-social behavior by interacting in a respectful manner with all staff and children. modeling turn taking, sharing, and caring behaviors. helping children negotiate their interactions with one another, and with shared materials. engaging children in the care of their classroom. ensuring that each child has an opportunity to contribute to the group. encouraging children to listen to one another. encouraging and helping children to provide comfort when others are sad or distressed. using narration and description of ongoing interactions to identify pro-social behaviors.
1.x	T-P-K	Teachers counter potential bias and discrimination by treating all children with respect and consideration. initiating activities and discussions that build positive self-identity and teach the valuing of differences. intervening when children tease or reject others. countering stereotypical limitations by providing models and visual images of differing adult roles, abilities, and ethnic/cultural backgrounds. avoiding stereotypes in language usage.
1.x	T-P-K	For children with persistent, serious, challenging behavior, teachers, families, and other professionals work as a team to develop and implement an individualized plan that supports the child's inclusion and success.
1.x	T-P-K	Teachers observe children who have challenging behavior. They identify events, activities, interactions, and other contextual factors that predict challenging behavior and may contribute to the child's use of challenging behavior.
1.x	T-P-K	Teachers identify the purpose of the child's behavior and how the child's needs are met through their use of challenging behavior. They then teach social, communication, and emotional regulation skills the child can use in place of challenging behaviors.
1.x	T-P-K	Teachers focus on teaching the child new skills and providing supports for the child's appropriate behaviors rather than focusing solely on reducing the challenging behavior.
1.x	T-P-K	Teachers use environmental modifications, activity modifications, adult or peer support, and other teaching strategies to support the child's appropriate behavior and prevent the child's use of challenging behavior.
1.x	T-P-K	Teachers respond to a child's challenging behavior in a manner that provides for the safety of the child and the safety of others in the classroom. is calm and respectful to the child. provides the child with information on acceptable behavior.
1.x	T-P-K	Teachers actively teach children social, communication, and emotional regulation skills.
1.x	T-P-K	Teachers help children manage their behavior by guiding and supporting children to persist when frustrated. play cooperatively with other children. use language to communicate needs. learn turn taking. gain control of physical impulses. express negative emotions in ways that do not harm others or themselves. use problem-solving techniques. learn about self and others.
2.x	T-P-K	Curriculum guides teachers to incorporate content, concepts, and activities that foster aesthetic, cognitive, emotional, language, physical, and/or social development and that integrate multiple disciplines.
2.x	P-K	Curriculum guides teachers to plan for children's engagement in play (including dramatic play and blocks) so it is linked to classroom topics of study.
2.x	T-P-K	The curriculum guides teachers to provide children learning opportunities, experiences, and/or projects that extend over the course of several days.
2.x	T-P-K	Active media that children can control, such as cameras, video cameras, audio recorders, and developmentally appropriate software may be used in the classroom as active learning materials. The use of passive media such as television, film, videotapes, and audiotapes is limited to developmentally appropriate programming.
2.x	T-P-K	Children have varied opportunities to develop skills for entering into social groups, developing friendships, learning to help, and other prosocial behaviors.
2.x	T-P-K	Children have varied opportunities to learn how to interact with others positively, respectfully, and cooperatively; how to learn from and with one another; and how to resolve conflicts in constructive ways.
2.x	T-P-K	Children have varied opportunities to learn to understand, empathize with, and take into account other people's perspectives.
2.x	P-K	Goals and objectives for children's acquisition of language align with the program philosophy and consider family and community perspectives.
2.x	T-P-K	Curriculum guides teachers to support alternative communication strategies for children who are nonverbal.
2.x	P-K	Children have varied opportunities and materials that encourage them to have discussions to solve problems that are both interpersonal and related to the physical world.
2.x	P-K	Children have varied opportunities and are provided materials that encourage them to engage in discussions with one another.
2.x	P-K	Children have varied opportunities to be read books in an engaging manner at least twice daily in full-day programs and at least once daily in half-day programs in group or individualized settings. be read to in individualized ways including one to one or in small groups of two to six children regularly. explore books on their own and have places that are conducive to the quiet enjoyment of books. have access to various types of books including storybooks, factual books, books with rhymes, alphabet books, and wordless books. be read the same book on repeated occasions. retell or reenact events in storybooks. engage in conversations that help them understand the content of a book. be assisted in linking books to other aspects of the curriculum. identify the parts of books and differentiate print from pictures.
2.x	T-P-K	Children have activities that allow them to become familiar with print: Teachers help children recognize print and connect it to spoken words. Children have opportunities to make sense of environmental print in their classroom. Some materials are labeled, and print is used to describe some rules and routines. Items belonging to a child are labeled with his or her name. Children are actively involved in making sense of print. Children have opportunities to become familiar with, recognize, and use print that is accessible throughout the classroom.
2.x	P-K	Children have multiple and varied opportunities to write: Writing is embedded into art, dramatic play, and various center activities, and writing materials are readily available for use in these areas. Children have daily opportunities to write or dictate their ideas. Various types of writing are supported, including scribbling, letter-like marks, and developmental spelling. Children are given the support they need to write on their own including access to the alphabet (e.g., displayed at eye level or on laminated cards) and printed words about topics of current interest. Children are provided needed assistance in writing the words and messages they are trying to communicate. Children see teachers model functional use of writing and are helped to discuss the many ways writing is used in daily life.
2.x	P-K	Children are regularly provided multiple and varied opportunities to develop phonological awareness: They are encouraged to play with the sounds of language including syllables, word families, and phonemes using rhymes, poems, songs, and finger plays. They are helped to identify letters and the sounds they represent. They are helped to recognize and produce words that have the same beginning or ending sounds. They are supported in their self-initiated efforts to write letters that represent the sounds of words are supported.
2.x	P-K	Children are given opportunities to recognize and write letters.
2.x	P-K	Books are displayed and writing is encouraged in one or more areas of the classroom.
2.x	T-P-K	Children are provided opportunities and materials to build understanding of numbers, number names, and their relationship to object quantities and to symbols.
2.x	T-P-K	Children are provided opportunities and materials to categorize by one or two attributes, such as shape, size, and color.
2.x	P-K	Children are provided opportunities and materials to understand basic concepts of geometry by, for example, naming and recognizing two- and three-dimensional shapes and recognizing how figures are composed of different shapes.
2.x	P	Children are provided opportunities and materials that help them understand the concept of measurement by using standard and nonstandard units of measurement.
2.x	P-K	Children are provided opportunities to build an understanding of time in the context of their lives, schedules, and routines.
2.x	P-K	Children are provided opportunities and materials that help them recognize and name repeating patterns.
2.x	T-P-K	Children are provided opportunities and materials that encourage them to integrate mathematical terms into everyday conversation.
2.x	P-K	Curriculum addresses key concepts and principles of science such as: Organisms including: living and non-living (eg., plants versus rocks) life cycles (e.g., plants, butterflies, humans). Earth and sky (e.g., seasons, weather, geologic features, light and shadow, sun, moon, and stars). Structure and property of matter, including: characteristics that include concepts like hard and soft, floating and sinking; behavior of materials (e.g., transformation of liquids and solids by dissolving or melting).
2.x	P-K