In 2019, the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) published a position statement entitled Advancing Equity is Early Childhood Education. The goal of this position statement is to provide guidance to early childhood professionals as they work to create equitable learning opportunities for all children.

This work includes the recognition of conscious and unconscious bias that individuals hold and the purposeful elimination of those biases.  NAEYC concludes that it is only after doing so that early childhood educators will be able to ensure fair and equitable treatment of all children and families, regardless of their abilities, cultural backgrounds, or personal identities.

In addition to individual biases, NAEYC also acknowledges systems of discrimination and oppression that have been woven into the fabric of our society. It is important to reflect upon and take action to undo these systems that stand in the way of equity in early learning environments.

The position statement is supported by years of research and a wealth of supplemental resources.  It has been endorsed by over 100 organizations, all of which are dedicated to equity in early childhood education.

NAEYC’s Position Statement on Advancing Equity on Early Childhood Education provides significant guidance on equitable learning opportunities for young children. The full position statement plus additional guidance can be found at https://www.naeyc.org/resources/position-statements/equity.

Let’s highlight some of the recommended practices from the position statement.

For the article Recommendations for Everyone, CLICK HERE

For the article Recommendations for Early Childhood Educators; When Building a Community of Learners, CLICK HERE

For the article Recommendations for Early Childhood Educators; Working with Families and Engaging in Advocacy, CLICK HERE

For the article Recommendations for Administrators, CLICK HERE