Pennsylvania Professional Standards and Competencies for Early Childhood Educators

TRANSITION from the Core Knowledge Competencies (CKCs) to the Pennsylvania Professional Standards and Competencies for Early Childhood Educators (PA PSCECE)

In response to the recent National context, Pennsylvania is adopting a new set of PA PSCECE. This set of standards and competencies will replace the PA Core Knowledge Competencies (CKCs) and have been adopted from the national Standards and Competencies for Early Childhood Educators. The PA Professional Standards and Competencies for Early Childhood Educators are the general knowledge and skills that educators need to know and be able to demonstrate. They are not the standards and competencies needed for specific professions and occupations within the early childhood field (see Introduction for more info).

The PA PSCECE will replace the CKC’s in the Spring of 2022, once the PD Registry is updated to reflect the new Professional Standards and Competencies. During this transition time, OCDEL recommends all early childhood educators view the asynchronous course on the new Professional Standards and Competencies and become familiar them. PQAS instructors will continue to code courses in the PD Registry with the current CKCs. PD Registry training targeted to PQAS instructors on the new PA PSCECE will be available in the Spring 2022. This training will provide updated information on coding courses using the new Standards and Competencies.

Viewing options for the PA PSCECEs are included below.

There are a number of ways to view the PA PSCECE.

Competencies for Administrators

When the transition to the PA PSCECE is complete, it is important to note they do not include Program Organization and Administration Standards and Competencies. For those, the field will  continue to use K8 of the Core Knowledge Competences (K8 begins on page 44). Revised competencies for administrators will soon be under development.

Available Training and Additional Resources for Implementation

An asynchronous course on the Pennsylvania Standards and Competencies for Early Childhood Educators can be viewed in the PD Registry.

Faculty and Instructors at Institutes of Higher Education (IHE), Career and Technology Education (CTE) and post-secondary education programs interested in connecting work to the Office of Child Development and Early Learning (OCDEL) or the Pennsylvania Key please visit the Higher Education page on the Pennsylvania Key website.

PENNSYLVANIA CORE KNOWLEDGE COMPETENCIES FOR EARLY CHILDHOOD AND SCHOOL-AGE PROFESSIONALS

The Pennsylvania Core Knowledge Competencies for Early Childhood and School-Age Professionals (formerly known as the Core Body of Knowledge) is an essential component of Pennsylvania’s professional development system. It identifies a set of content areas that help define the knowledge expectations for professionals in settings within the early childhood and school-age field. It supports students’ preparation for entry into the field of early childhood and school-age care as well as professionals’ commitment to lifelong learning through ongoing professional growth. This revision is designed to be more inclusive of all group settings and updated to reflect revised learning standards and current research on best practice.

Cover for Pennsylvania Big Ideas Framework and Individual Professional Development Plan

PENNSYLVANIA BIG IDEAS FRAMEWORK & INDIVIDUAL PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT PLAN FOR EARLY CHILDHOOD AND SCHOOL-AGE PROFESSIONALS

The Pennsylvania Big Ideas Framework and Individual Professional Development Plan for Early Childhood and School-Age Professionals (formerly known as the PDR) is a companion document to the CKCs. It is a summary of the core competencies presented as Big Ideas and Essential Questions and will be the primary tool for consideration of long and short term professional development goals and the creation of professional development plans for individual early childhood and school-age educators.

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