Core competencies

In 2009, the Legislature asked DEL and the Professional Development Consortium (PDC) to create a set of core competencies for early care and education professionals. At the same time,
School’s Out Washington worked to develop companion school-age core competencies. The early care version addresses caregivers and teachers working with children birth through age eight; and the child and youth version addresses professionals working with children ages five to 18.

DEL and the PDC have worked with School’s Out Washington to ensure that the school-age core and early care and education core competencies are aligned.

Click to view the Core Competencies for Early Care and Education Professionals in:
English
Spanish

Click to view the Core Competencies for Child and Youth Development Professionals in:
English
Spanish

Together, these guidelines:

  1. Define what professionals need to know and be able to do to provide quality education and care
  2. Serve as the foundation for decisions and practices carried out by professionals in all settings and programs
  3. Establish a set of standards for care and education the support professionalism in the field

There are no new requirements around core competencies. They are a resource tool that can be used by many people for many purposes:

  • Providers, Practitioners and Teachers: to assess knowledge and identify areas for future professional development.
  • Directors/Administrators: to define training and education requirements for job descriptions, help employees with goal setting and establish a salary scale based on educational achievement.
  • Trainers/Training Organizations: to plan and organize training opportunities.
  • Higher Education: to coordinate and design courses and organize the framework for credentials, certificates and degrees.

In creating these guidelines, DEL and the PDC reviewed existing standards and systems including Early Childhood Education and Assistance Program (ECEAP) and Head Start standards, child care licensing rules, the Washington State Early Learning and Development Benchmarks, other states’ guidelines, and national standards from the National Association for the Education of Young Children and the National Association for Family Child Care.

More information is also available in this Core Competency PowerPoint presentation.

The core competencies include standards around eight areas with five levels a professional can achieve.

  1. Child Growth and Development
  2. Curriculum and Learning Environment
  3. Ongoing Measurement of Child Progress
  4. Family and Community Partnerships
  5. Health, Safety and Nutrition
  6. Interactions
  7. Program Planning and Development
  8. Professional Development and Leadership

The school-age core competencies include similar areas, as well as two additional ones: "Cultural Competency and Responsiveness" and "Youth Empowerment." To learn more about the school-age competencies, visit School's Out Washington's web page.