CEC-DEC EIECSE Teacher Standards (2023)
1973-2023
The Council for Exceptional Children (CEC)working with the Council for Accreditation of Educator Preparation(CAEPI) has adopted standards for the Preparation of special education teachers. The Division of Early Childhood has recently adapted and developed teaching standards for children at risk for learning problems and development ages birth (B) to CA’s 5 and 8.I have followed and participated in the DEC’s development activities for a number of years. I communicated my enthusiasm for the Division’s work and accomplishment with DEC leaders like Stayton (personal communication, 2016) and Horn (personal communication, 2021) during the development phase about Wisconsin’s experience with the development and implementation of ECSE teaching standards. It appears to me that we were on target, with differences being related to emphasis placeed on the importance of ethics and family focused practice that honors and respects important differences that are influenced by culture and trauma associated with proverty.
Readers are encouraged to compared the Wisconsin Early Childhood Special Education teacher competencies as well as the process used to identify and validate Wisconsin’s10 standards. Of interestof course is how they were employed to promote preservice and inservice (professional development) by Wisconsin’s Department of Public Instruction, WI CEC-DEC, public and private teacher education programs and policiy initiatives like Early Intervention (EI) birth to 3.
The State’s history also include headwinds associated with new practice and traditional approaches to State Certification, University history of support for teacher education, as well as habits associated with the preparation of teachers them selves (e.g., eight semester student teaching requirement). These elements will in all likely hood be obstacle for EIECSE teacher educators in the long term future. These challenges will require State Leadership and strong support from State DEC and CEC Division affjiliates. This will not be easy. Financial resources will be required.
Standards Related Correspondence:
June 4, 2016
Dr. Vicki Stayton, Professor
1906 College Dr., Heights Blvd.
Bowling Green, Kentucky
Dear Dr. Stayton,
Teachers and teacher education are currently under attack. I’m interested in promoting conversations that foster thinking about best practices in ECSE Teacher Education. I would greatly appreciate your input regarding the content, format and dissemination of material I am preparing to make available on a website.
I have been building this website for the purpose of sharing my experiences in early childhood special education teacher preparation with teacher educators and staff development personnel. This website is in a formative state. All the content is being resurrected from old files. My efforts can be viewed at www.davidjfranks.com .
I have recently organized documents that trace the development of ECSE in Wisconsin. These documents are in the WI Historical Society Archives located in Madison.
I am aware of your long standing commitment to ECSE teacher education and interdisciplinary practices. We share common interests. We met many years ago in Denver. At the time, I was an Associate Professor in Special Education and Coordinator of the ECSE Teacher Education Programs at the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire. Since that time I have retired but continue my interest in teacher education, transdisciplinary practice and curriculum and intervention/instruction practices for children birth to eight years of age.
An expanded website project could make a valuable contribution to faculty involved in addressing concerns about teacher education and those building or modifying teacher education practices.
Again, I would greatly appreciate if you would be able to review and comment, even so briefly, on my project.
Sincerely,
David J. Franks, Ph.D.
Professor Emeritus in Special Education
University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire
Eva Horn, PhD
University of Kansas
School of Education and Human Services
Professor & Coordinator of Early Childhood Unified Program
Department of Special Education
Subject: Re: YEC Special Issue on EI/ECSE Professional Preparation Standards
David, Thank you so much for you very thoughtful email. While I am saddened that you will not be submitting, you explanation of why not makes perfect sense. I did check out your website and found both inspiration and appreciation for your contributions to DEC and our understanding of the importance of continually working to highly-effective professional development work. Also thank you for celebrating the release of the EI/ECSE standards and the kind words about the work. Eva and Megan
Eva Horn, PhD
University of Kansas
School of Education and Human Services
Professor & Coordinator of Early Childhood Unified Program
Department of Special Education
Field and Clinical Experience Standard
Early Interventionist/Early Childhood Special Education candidates progress through a series of planned and developmentally sequenced field experiences for the early childhood age ranges (birth to age 3, 3 through 5 years, 5 through 8 years), range of abilities, and in the variety of collaborative and inclusive early childhood settings that are appropriate to their license and roles. Clinical experiences should take place in the same age ranges covered by the license. If the license covers all three age ranges, the program must provide clinical experiences in at least two of the three age ranges and a field experience in the third age range. These field and clinical experiences are supervised by qualified professionals.
Standard 1: Child Development and Early Learning
Candidates understand the impact of different theories and philosophies of early learning and development on assessment, curriculum, instruction, and intervention decisions. Candidates apply knowledge of normative developmental sequences and variations, individual differences within and across the range of abilities, including developmental delays and disabilities, and other direct and indirect contextual features that support or constrain children’s development and learning. These contextual factors as well as social, cultural, and linguistic diversity are considered when facilitating meaningful learning experiences and individualizing intervention and instruction across contexts. Component 1.1: Candidates demonstrate an understanding of the impact that different theories and philosophies of early learning and development have on assessment, curriculum, intervention, and instruction decisions.
Component 1.2: Candidates apply knowledge of normative sequences of early development, individual differences, and families’ social, cultural, and linguistic diversity to support each child’s development and learning across contexts.
Component 1.3: Candidates apply knowledge of biological and environmental factors that may support or constrain children’s early development and learning as they plan and implement early intervention and instruction.
Component 1.4: Candidates demonstrate an understanding of characteristics, etiologies, and individual differences within and across the range of abilities, including developmental delays and disabilities, their potential impact on children’s early development and learning, and implications for assessment, curriculum, instruction, and intervention.
Standard 2: Partnering with Families
Candidates use their knowledge of family-centered practices and family systems theory to develop and maintain reciprocal partnerships with families. They apply family capacity-building practices as they support families to make informed decisions and advocate for their young children. They engage families in opportunities that build on their existing strengths, reflect current goals, and foster family competence and confidence to support their children’s development and learning.
Component 2.1: Candidates apply their knowledge of family-centered practices, family systems theory, and the changing needs and priorities in families’ lives to develop trusting, respectful, affirming, and culturally responsive partnerships with all families that allow for the mutual exchange of knowledge and information.
Component 2.2: Candidates communicate clear, comprehensive, and objective information about resources and supports that help families to make informed decisions and advocate for access, participation, and equity in natural and inclusive environments.
Component 2.3: Candidates engage families in identifying their strengths, priorities, and concerns; support families to achieve the goals they have for their family and their young child’s development and learning; and promote families’ competence and confidence during assessment, individualized planning, intervention, instruction, and transition processes.
Standard 3: Collaboration and Teaming
Candidates apply models, skills, and processes of teaming when collaborating and communicating with families and professionals, using culturally and linguistically responsive and affirming practices. In partnership with families and other professionals, candidates develop and implement individualized plans and successful transitions that occur across the age span. Candidates use a variety of collaborative strategies while working with and supporting other adults.
Component 3.1: Candidates apply teaming models, skills, and processes, including appropriate uses of technology, when collaborating and communicating with families; professionals representing multiple disciplines, skills, expertise, and roles; and community partners and agencies.
Component 3.2: Candidates use a variety of collaborative strategies when working with other adults that are evidence-based, appropriate to the task, culturally and linguistically responsive, and take into consideration the environment and service delivery approach.
Component 3.3: Candidates partner with families and other professionals to develop individualized plans and support the various transitions that occur for the young child and their family throughout the birth through 8 age span.
Standard 4: Assessment Processes
Candidates know and understand the purposes of assessment in relation to ethical and legal considerations. Candidates choose developmentally, linguistically, and culturally appropriate tools and methods that are responsive to the characteristics of the young child, family, and program. Using evidence-based practices, candidates develop or select as well as administer informal measures, and select and administer formal measures in partnership with families and other professionals. They analyze, interpret, document, and share assessment information using a strengths-based approach with families and other professionals for eligibility determination, outcome/goal development, planning instruction and intervention, monitoring progress, and reporting.
Component 4.1: Candidates understand the purposes of formal and informal assessment, including ethical and legal considerations, and use this information to choose developmentally, culturally and linguistically appropriate, valid, reliable tools and methods that are responsive to the characteristics of the young child, family, and program.
Component 4.2: Candidates develop and administer informal assessments and/or select and use valid, reliable formal assessments using evidence-based practices, including technology, in partnership with families and other professionals.
Component 4.3: Candidates analyze, interpret, document, and share assessment information using a strengths-based approach with families and other professionals.
Component 4.4: Candidates, in collaboration with families and other team members, use assessment data to determine eligibility, develop child and family-based outcomes/goals, plan for interventions and instruction, and monitor progress to determine efficacy of programming.
Standard 5: Application of Curriculum Frameworks in the Planning of Meaningful Learning Experience
Candidates collaborate with families and professionals to use an evidence-based, developmentally appropriate, and culturally responsive early childhood curriculum addressing developmental and content domains. Candidates use curriculum frameworks to create and support universally designed, high quality learning experiences in natural and inclusive environments that provide each child and family with equitable access and opportunities for learning and growth.
Component 5.1: Candidates collaborate with families and other professionals in identifying an evidencebased curriculum addressing developmental and content domains to design and facilitate meaningful and culturally responsive learning experiences that support the unique abilities and needs of all children and families.
Component 5.2: Candidates use their knowledge of early childhood curriculum frameworks, developmental and academic content knowledge, and related pedagogy to plan and ensure equitable access to universally designed, developmentally appropriate, and challenging learning experiences in natural and inclusive environments.
Standard 6: Using Responsive and Reciprocal Interactions, Interventions, and Instruction Candidates plan and implement intentional, systematic, evidence-based, responsive interactions, interventions, and instruction to support all children’s learning and development across all developmental and content domains in partnership with families and other professionals. Candidates facilitate equitable access and participation for all children and families within natural and inclusive environments through culturally responsive and affirming practices and relationships. Candidates use data-based decision-making to plan for, adapt, and improve interactions, interventions, and instruction to ensure fidelity of implementation.
Component 6.1: Candidates, in partnership with families, identify systematic, responsive, and intentional evidence-based practices and use such practices with fidelity to support young children’s learning and development across all developmental and academic content domains.
Component 6.2: Candidates engage in reciprocal partnerships with families and other professionals to facilitate responsive adult-child interactions, interventions, and instruction in support of child learning and development.
Component 6.3: Candidates engage in ongoing planning and use flexible and embedded instructional and environmental arrangements and appropriate materials to support the use of interactions, interventions, and instruction addressing developmental and academic content domains, which are adapted to meet the needs of each and every child and their family.
Component 6.4: Candidates promote young children’s social and emotional competence and communication, and proactively plan and implement function-based interventions to prevent and address challenging behaviors.
Component 6.5: Candidates identify and create multiple opportunities for young children to develop and learn play skills and engage in meaningful play experiences independently and with others across contexts.
Component 6.6: Candidates use responsive interactions, interventions, and instruction with sufficient intensity and types of support across activities, routines, and environments to promote child learning and development and facilitate access, participation, and engagement in natural environments and inclusive settings.
Component 6.7: Candidates plan for, adapt, and improve approaches to interactions, interventions, and instruction based on multiple sources of data across a range of natural environments and inclusive settings.
Standard 7: Professionalism and Ethical Practice
Candidates identify and engage with the profession of early intervention and early childhood special education (EI/ECSE) by exhibiting skills in reflective practice, advocacy, and leadership while adhering to ethical and legal guidelines. Evidence-based and recommended practices are promoted and used by candidates.
Component 7.1: Candidates engage with the profession of EI/ECSE by participating in local, regional, national, and/or international activities and professional organizations.
Component 7.2: Candidates engage in ongoing reflective practice and access evidence-based information to improve their own practices.
Component 7.3: Candidates exhibit leadership skills in advocating for improved outcomes for young children, families, and the profession, including the promotion of and use of evidence-based practices and decision-making.
Component 7.4: Candidates practice within ethical and legal policies and procedures.
(NAEYC, 2021, p. 1).
The NAEYC’s (2021) proposed teacher qualifications framework “includes three distinct and meaningful designations:
· Early Childhood Educator (ECE) I,
· Early Childhood Educator (ECE) II, and
· Early Childhood Educator (ECE) III.
Each of the three levels of professionals
will be prepared to work together in various configurations as part of a teaching team, (yet) each designation has an associated scope of practice, expected level of professional preparation, and expected level of mastery of the Professional Standards and Competencies for Early Childhood Educators. (p. 1)
In their framework, NAEYC (2021) identified ECE II educators as responsible for the lead educator role in large community-based childcare settings and ECE III educators as responsible for the lead educator role in state and school district funded pre-kindergarten programs. Early Childhood Education I educators are designated to be in support roles to ECE Is and ECE IIs in the delivery of the education program. All three designations of ECE I, II, and III are required to have knowledge in the following standards:
· Promoting child development and learning;
· Building family and community relationships;
· Observing, documenting, and assessing to support young children and families;
· Using developmentally effective approaches to connect with children and families;
· Using content knowledge to build meaningful curriculum;
· Identifying and involving oneself with the early childhood field.
Aligned with the three levels (ECE I, II and III), NAEYC (2021a) designated required levels of acquisition of the depth and breadth of each standard based on competencies attained under each of the standards listed above. They referred to this as leveling the competencies associated with the standards.
Manning, M., Wong, G. T. W., Fleming, C. M., & Garvis, S. (2019). Is teacher qualification associated with the quality of the early childhood education and care environment? A meta-analytic review. Review of Educational Research, 89(3), 370–415. https://doi.org/10.3102/0034654319837540