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Standards & Guidelines

Ethical Code of Conduct

Education Requirements for Early Childhood & School Age Professionals by Learning Environment

The provision of early care and education and school age services are provided in a variety of settings in North Carolina for both typically and atypically developing children ages birth to twelve. Professional development requirements for staff vary based on where you work and the funding stream that supports your position.

Facilities Regulated by the NC Division of Child Development

The NC Division of Child Development seeks to implement quality standards, increase access for families, and collaborate to promote enhanced service delivery of care and education across the state.14 As of June 2009, 8,767 regulated programs served 267,157 children (shift 1 care only). A total of 87,649 children were supported by subsidy dollars.15 A total of 76,908 children ages 5 to twelve are included in the total number of children served in 3,068 licensed programs that provide regulated afterschool and out-of-school services It is also reported that 12% (179,874) of North Carolina’s K-12 children participate in afterschool programs, including 24,56416 children in federally and state supported programs. Education standards for personnel working in regulated programs in North Carolina can be found at: http://ncchildcare.dhhs.state.nc.us/providers/pv_sn2_hpae.asp#Education Standards.

Head Start Programs

Figures from the 2008 PIR Profile of Head Start in North Carolina show that over 23,000 children were served by 1,433 teachers in programs operated by 19 grantees. A total of 56,425 teachers work in Head Start across the nation. Education requirements can be found in the resource notebook. A catalog of distance learning resources is available for Head Start staff through the US Administration of Children & Families’ Early Childhood Learning & Knowledge Center (http://eclkc.ohs.acf.hhs.gov/hslc/, click on Professional Development.

More at Four Pre-K Programs

The NC Office of Early Learning oversees the implementation of the state’s public preK program. Staff working in More at Four classrooms must meet certain education criteria, based on the setting in which they are employed and the role they fulfill in the program. See section 6 of this website for details: http://www.osr.nc.gov/MoreFour/pdf/MAFRequirements2009-10.pdf.

Smart Start PBIS

Local partnership performance is measured in part through the Performance-Based Incentive System (PBIS). PBIS is an annual performance evaluation system designed to ensure an objective evaluation of Smart Start outcomes and to enable the NCPC to report statewide results. Requirements in the area of staff education and training are available in the resource notebook by topic area and results can be viewed at http://www.smartstartnc.org/about/teacherresults.htm, in their 2009 annual report and in county sheets which will be released on a date to be determined in 2010.