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This position is one of five foundational documents developed in partnership with the early childhood profession. With a specific focus on promoting equity in early childhood education, this statement complements and supports the other foundational documents that (1) define developmentally appropriate practice, (2) establish professional standards and competencies for early childhood educators, (3) define the code the profession. ethics and (4) describes standards for early learning programs.

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These foundational statements are based on its core values, which emphasize diversity and inclusion and respect the dignity and worth of every person. The statements are based on a growing body of research and professional knowledge that highlights the complex and critical ways in which early childhood educators promote early learning through their relationships—with children, families, and colleagues—embedded in a broader social context of inequalities. in which implicit and explicit bias is pervasive.

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Advancing equity in early childhood education requires understanding this larger social context, these biases, and the ways in which historical and current inequities have shaped the profession, as they have shaped our nation. The biases we refer to here are based on race, class, culture, gender, sexual orientation, ability and disability, language, national origin, Aboriginal heritage, religion and other identities. They are rooted in the social, political, economic and educational structures of our nation. Precisely because these biases are both individual and institutional, addressing structural inequities requires attention to both interpersonal dynamics—the everyday relationships and interactions at the core of early education practice—and systemic influences—the unequal distribution of inherent power and privileges. in public and private systems at the national level, including early childhood education.

No one person, leader or organization has all the answers related to equality. presents this statement after considerable reflection and with humility and awareness of our history and limitations, in line with our core belief of continuous quality improvement. In this statement, we share our commitment to becoming a more diverse, high-performing and inclusive organization serving a more diverse, high-performing and inclusive profession. Our goal is to foster a more diverse and inclusive generation of young children who thrive in their experiences of equitable learning opportunities in early learning programs. We are committed – both individually and collectively – to continuous learning based on personal reflection on how our beliefs and actions have been shaped by our experiences of the systems of privilege and oppression in which we operate and based on listening respectfully to the views of others. Although this statement may be useful to an international audience, we caution that it is based on the context of early childhood education in the United States. In the spirit of learning, we have included a list of definitions of terms, many of which are mentioned in the document, as well as others that are often used in discussions about equality.

The paper begins with the position statement on the importance of equity in early childhood education. It then provides recommendations for promoting equality, beginning with recommendations for self-reflection that apply to everyone. Specific recommendations for early childhood educators are also provided. administrators of schools, centers, family child care homes, and other early childhood education settings; Facilitators of teacher preparation and professional development in higher education and other fields; and public policy makers. The recommendations are followed by a synthesis of current research on early childhood education through the lenses of equity and core values. This discussion of evidence identifies principles of children’s development and learning and how these are influenced by sociocultural contexts.

Topics: Other Issues, Equity, Anti-Bias, Cultural Competence, Diversity, Dual Language Learners, Gender, Race and Ethnicity, Social and Economic Status The National Association for the Education of Young Children () is a professional membership organization working to promote – quality early learning for all young children, from birth to age 8, by linking early childhood practice, policy and research. We promote a diverse, dynamic early childhood profession and support all those who care for, educate and work on behalf of young children. The association is made up of nearly 60,000 individual members of the early childhood community and 52 Partners, all dedicated to delivering on the promise of high-quality early learning. Together, we work to achieve a collective vision: that all young children thrive and learn in a society dedicated to ensuring they reach their full potential.

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