These standards describe what early childhood professionals are expected to know and do with children from birth through age eight, defining essential learning outcomes in professional preparation and presenting a shared vision of excellence. Each standard includes a key element requiring application of knowledge and skills through field or clinical experiences. There are six standards: 1. Promoting child development and learning; 2. Building family and community relationships; 3. Observing, documenting, and assessing; 4. Using developmentally effective approaches to connect with children and families; 5. Using content knowledge to build meaningful curriculum; and 6. Becoming a professional. (author abstract)