Big Standards for Little Kids
Standards for early childhood education are nothing new. More than twenty-five states have standards regarding pre-kindergarten “schooling” and learning expectations. The federal Head Start program has developed a Child Outcomes Framework, and other national organizations have their own content standards.
According to a joint position statement from the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) and The National Association of Early Childhood Specialists in State Departments of Education (NAECS/SDE):
“The first years of life are critical for later outcomes. Young children have an innate desire to learn. That desire can be supported or undermined by early experiences. High-quality early childhood education can promote intellectual, language, physical, social, and emotional development, creating school readiness and building a foundation for later academic and social competence.”