Position Statements
Position statements are an important tool that both NAEYC and HiAEYC use to build understanding and support for significant, often controversial issues related to early childhood education. The Hawaii Association for the Education of Young Children promotes national, state and local public policies that support a system of well-financed, high quality early childhood education programs in a range of settings, including child care centers, family child care homes, and schools.
HiAEYC Position Statement on:
Early Program Quailty
HiAEYC’s mission is to promote, support and expand quality and professionalism in early childhood programs and service for Hawai’i’s children (Birth-8) and their families.
Vision: HAEYC is the leading voice for high quality early learning opportunities for all children in the state of Hawai’i.
HiAEYC supports for all children and families:
- Access to adequate nutrition, shelter, and health care
- Access to child development information and family support
Substantial research indicates that high quality early childhood programs are what make a lasting difference in children, especially children at risk. Quality: Excellence, superiority (Webster’s dictionary)
Indicators of quality in early childhood programs:
Children:
- Have positive experiences in the setting they’re in (center-based, family child care, family-child interaction learning)
- Have opportunity for PLAY indoors and out
- Have positive relationships with the adults in the program
Teachers:
- Build warm, responsive relationships with children and families
- Know child development information that they apply to their work
- Have administrative and specialist’s support when facing challenging behaviors with children or adults
- Know the community resources available and refer families as appropriate
- Have access to ongoing professional development
- Are equitably compensated for their education, experience, and effectiveness
Families:
- Have access to child development information to strengthen their role as the primary influence in their child’s life.
- Are kept informed, updated, and included on their child’s progress
- Have access to community resources that can provide support in their specific situation
- Are acknowledged and supported as the primary influence in their child’s life
Program administrators:
- Have access to financial and community resources that leverage and maximize impact on children and families.
- Have access to ongoing professional development grounded in best practices
- Understand and support the importance of the administrator’s role in implementing high quality programs.
NAEYC Position Statements:
Professional Standards and Competencies for Early Childhood Educators
Advancing Equity in Early Childhood