Ohio Early Childhood Core Knowledge and Competencies

Core knowledge and competencies define what all adults who work with young children need to know, understand and be able to do in order to ensure that children have the best possible environments, experiences and relationships in which to grow and learn.

The EC-CKC is based on all we currently know about young children’s development, learning, and school readiness from research as well as the combined wisdom of leaders in our field.
 

Having clearly defined core knowledge and competencies has many benefits:

  • Work with young children gains importance as a profession when everyone understands that it requires specialized knowledge, skills and dispositions gained through education and ongoing professional development.
  • The EC-CKC represents the scope of professional practice and provides a comprehensive framework for the preparation of newcomers to the field and the continued professional growth of those already working with young children and their families.
  • Lastly, a document that covers a range of competencies from entry level to mastery level is a helpful tool as individuals assess their own knowledge and skill level and chart a course for professional development. 

The EC-CKC is a valuable resource for many different audiences:
  • Professionals - use as a self-assessment tool to identify current knowledge and competencies and assist in creating a professional development plan
  • Administrators – use to clarify knowledge and skills required of staff, identify training and staff development needs and identify gaps and target areas of higher competency when recruiting new staff
  • Parents and Families – use to assess potential or current caregivers and teachers
  • Professional Development Providers – use to organize and identify in-service professional development using EC-CKC areas and levels and to assess current availability of professional development opportunities across all content areas and all levels of competency 

If you are interested in learning more about becoming an approved Professional Development Provider, please visit Ohio Approved Professional Development for training and resources. 

 

Last Modified: 9/8/2023 2:46:20 PM