State and National Standards for Birth to Three

The  parameters of The Caring Communities: Birth to Three (CC:B-3) initiative are consistent with the latest best practice information about quality standards for comprehensive programs serving infants and toddlers.  Guidance from the following accrediting groups, training centers and agencies were evaluated and included as appropriate:

State Guidelines, Organizations and Programs:

• The Infant/Toddler Environment Rating Scale, revised edition, (ITERS-R, 2006), a nationally used comprehensive, reliable, and valid instrument that assesses program quality and quantifies what is observed to be happening in a classroom.  Each CC:B-3 classroom is evaluated at least annually throughout the duration of the project.
• Ohio's Infant & Toddler Guidelines (2006), developed by a cross-sector team of early childhood professionals, including those from the Ohio Child Care Resource & Referral Association (OCCRRA), the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services, BUILD-Ohio, Ohio Department of Health, and the Ohio Department of Education.
• Standards of Care & Teaching for Ohio's Infants and Toddlers (2008), developed by a cross-sector team of early childhood professionals (see Guidelines above).
• Ohio's Early Childhood Core Knowledge & Competencies (2008), Ohio Professional Development Network (OPDN). 
• Step Up to Quality - a quality rating system for child care centers in Ohio.
• Columbus Montessori Teacher Education Program (TEP), affiliated with the American Montessori Society (AMS) and accredited by the National Montessori Accreditation Council for Teacher Education.

National  Guidelines, Organizations, and Programs:

• The Center on the Developing Child at Harvard University and the National Council on the Developing Child. The council is the Center's flagship initative on translating science into policy, and consists of a unique, multidisciplinay and multi-university group of scientists and scholars.
• The Center for Law and Social Policy (CLASP) that advocates for investments in programs that help children, youth and families thrive.
• National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC), the largest national accrediting organization that including all types of early childhood programs and schools
• Program for Infant/Toddler Caregivers (PITC), developed by WestEd: Center for Child and Family Studies, a nationally recognized training program based in Calififornia
• Zero to Three, a national, nonprofit organization that provides parents, professionals and policymakers the knowledge and know-how to nuture early development.