THE CAREER DEVELOPMENT INITIATIVE OF NEW YORK STATE 130 Ontario Street, Albany, NY 12206 T: (518) 463-8663 F: (518) 427-6603
The New York State Early Childhood Core Body of Knowledge Framework: Essential Areas of Knowledge Needed for Working Effectively with Young Children, Birth Through Age 8

Funded by: The Aaron Diamond Foundation and The Rockefeller Brothers Fund

The purpose of the Core Body of Knowledge is:

• To identify the knowledge and behavioral expectations for all adults providing care and education for young children.
  
  
• To assist public and private sector agencies, institutions, and associations in developing guidelines for staff qualifications and ongoing professional development.
  
  
• To facilitate articulation agreements between and among agencies and institutions that provide professional development.
  
  
• To serve as the foundation for decisions and practices carried out by those engaged in early childhood and school-age child care in all settings and programs.
  
  
• To define terms that can be used, clearly and consistently, by all agencies and institutions when developing, establishing, maintaining, and communicating about early childhood and school-age child care programs and professional development activities.

The Core Body of Knowledge encompasses six knowledge base areas. There are three ascending levels of competency associated with each knowledge base areas. The knowledge bases are:

• Child Growth and Development
  
  
• Environment and Curriculum
  
  
• Families in Society
  
  
• Child Assessment
  
  
• Communications
  
  
• Professionalism and Learning

Each knowledge base area consists of three levels of competency. These are described as a continuum from the preliminary skills necessary for entry into the field, to characteristics of those who work with children on a daily basis (Levels I and II), to an advanced level of academic preparation and varied experience (Level lII). Each higher level of competency encompasses the skills and knowledge of all previous levels.

The Core Body of Knowledge can be used to:

• Plan staff development activities
  
  
• Structure a program for students
  
  
• Guide independent study for adults pursuing increased knowledge and skills

The following is an abbreviated example of the format.

Knowledge Base IV: Child Assessment

Knowledge Base
Assessments of young children are based on information gathered through a variety of procedures, conducted over a period of time, and appropriate to the developmental age and stage of the young child.

1. Observations of the child in a variety of situations and use of a variety of techniques , such as:

• Running records
  
  
• Anecdotal records
  
  
• Time sampling
  
  
• Event sampling
  
  
• Observational checklists
  

2. Review of samples of the childs work and play created and collected over a period of time, such as:

• Drawings, paintings, constructions or other art work
  
  
• Journals, stories or other samples of writing
  
  
• Examples of projects related to the childs interests or play
  
  
• Examples of projects related to content area

Competency Levels
The adult providing early care and education will demonstrate the ability to...

At Level I

• Know the procedure and purposes of child assessment
  
  
• Report development and learning in a bias-free manner
  
  
• Use formal and informal assessment information to plan strategies for individualizing curriculum and teaching practices

At Level II

• All of Level I
  
  
• Use information from child assessment in working with children and families
  
  
• Participate and assist other professionals in conducting family-centered assessments
  
  
• Participate in the development and implementation of Individual Education Plans (IEPs) and Individual Family Service Plans (IFSPs) for children with special needs

At Level III

• All of Level II
  
  
• Integrate informal child assessment data with formal assessment information
  
  
• Understand the purposes and appropriateness of various assessment procedures and instruments
  
  
• Design methods for improving assessment procedures based on analysis and review of collected information

For additional information,

Copies of the Core Body of Knowledge are available for $5 per copy (includes postage and handling). There are bulk rate prices. To order, mail shipping instructions and a check payable to NYSCCCC, 130 Ontario Street, Albany, NY 12206.