UMC Library: Early Childhood Education Resources: Early Childhood Education Organizations

Statewide and Regional Organizations

Child Care Aware of North Dakota Child Care Aware is a training and information hub for child care providers and offers parents customized referrals to licensed child care options. We work to build the capacity of child care in North Dakota and insure that children have the opportunity to play and learn in a safe and healthy environment.
Early Childhood Iowa Through Early Childhood Iowa (ECI), every community in Iowa will develop the capacity and commitment for using local, informed decision making to achieve the following set of desired results for quality of life in this state for young children and their families: healthy children, children ready to succeed in school, safe and supportive communities, secure and nurturing families, and secure and nurturing early learning environments.
EC Workforce MN A task force that was created based on a report done by the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine, entitled Transforming the Workforce for Children Birth Through Age 8. This is the Minnesota chapter that is devoted to helping Minnesota meet its needs for qualified, diverse, supported and fairly compensated early childhood educators.
Iowa Department of Education - Early Childhood Provides links to other helpful websites related to early childhood education in Iowa.
Learn Together MN Since 2012, four LearnTogetherMN grants partners received $92 million in federal funds to support a range of initiatives aimed at finding effective approaches that improve educational outcomes for children in Minnesota. The four areas of focus are child-parent center, early learning challenge, northside achievement zone, and social innovation fund. This website is a partnership between The McKnight Foundation and the Greater Twin Cities United Way as a way to keep the state of Minnesota connected with what is happening around the federal education grants and to help capture essential lessons for the Minnesota region and the nation.
Minnesota Center for Professional Development At Achieve – The MN Center for Professional Development, we proudly support you – a valuable member of the MN Childhood Care and Education Workforce. We provide quality customer service, support, and resources to Childhood Care and Education practitioners and trainers.
Minnesota Child Care Association The Minnesota Child Care Association (MCCA) is a statewide organization representing licensed child care centers throughout Minnesota. MCCA works to educate policy makers and elected officials on the important role licensed child care centers play in providing quality early learning opportunities for families. MCCA works to educate state legislators on the impact rules and regulations have on centers and their ability to provide quality early learning programs for Minnesota’s youngest learners.
MN Department of Early Childhood Family Education Contains information on various early childhood programs that are offered through the state of Minnesota.
MN Division for Early Childhood The Minnesota Division for Early Childhood (MN DEC) is a statewide membership organization for those who work with or on behalf of young children with disabilities and other special needs. MN DEC promotes policies and advances evidence-based practices that support families and enhance the optimal development of young children who have or are at risk for developmental delays and disabilities.
North Dakota Department of Public Instruction - Early Childhood
North Dakota Early Childhood Advocates North Dakota Early Childhood Advocates (NDECA) is made up of early childhood professionals working in North Dakota. Our mission is to advocate for a quality early childhood. They support members to improve teaching and learning, promote leadership and professional development in their field, support excellence in early childhood education programs, and build public awareness through advocacy and outreach.
Northwest Minnesota Foundation - Early Childhood Initiative The Northwest Minnesota Foundation, along with the other five Minnesota Initiative Foundations, and generous support from the McKnight Foundation, has made an ambitious commitment to the Minnesota Early Childhood Initiative. Our purpose is to promote high-quality early care and education for children from birth to age five throughout the state, while supporting parents in their important work. Local early childhood coalitions design strategic action plans to improve outcomes for their youngest children. Eighty-six community coalitions are now meeting and working statewide.
PACER PACER is the Minnesota Parent Training and Information Center, funded by the U.S. Department of Education's Office of Special Education Programs.
South Dakota Association for the Education of Young Children An affiliate of the National Associaton for the Education of Young Children. SDAEYC promotes high-quality care and early learning for all children, birth through age 8, by connecting practice, policy, and research. We advance a diverse, dynamic early childhood profession and support all who care for, educate, and work on behalf of young children and families.
South Dakota Department of Education - Early Childhood Provides information on early childhood education in South Dakota.
Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction - Early Childhood Education Provides information on early childhood care in Wisconsin.
Wisconsin Early Childhood Association Quality early care and education is fundamental to creating a better world. WECA works to advance positive change for children by focusing on the professionals who provide child care for well over 70% of Wisconsin's children. This association strengthens the capacities of child care professionals in Wisconsin through: professional development, advocacy, communications, and research.

National Associations

Association for Childhood Education International Association for Childhood Education International (ACEI) has a mission to promote innovative solutions to education challenges and inspire action that creates positive, sustainable futures for children and youth worldwide. They propose to work on expanding diplomatic interactions to advance education, promoting skills children need for a 21st century life, and transforming today’s education into education for tomorrow. ACEI is dedicated to improving early childhood and development and they are committed to that. ACEI is working on being an educator’s primary resource for exploring ground breaking and pioneering initiatives and ideas in education. They do this through their website and publications.
Association for Early Learning Leaders The Association for Early Learning Leaders is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization committed to excellence by promoting leadership development and enhancing program quality through the National Accreditation Commission’s (National Accreditation Commission for Early Care and Education Programs) standards. The association’s goal is to strengthen the knowledge, skills and abilities of early care directors, owners, emerging leaders and other early learning professionals to ensure quality child care programs for young children. Their primary purpose is to network and collaborate, train and educate, promote quality and accreditation in early care and education programs and to provide resource access.
Division for Early Childhood - National The Division for Early Childhood (DEC) promotes policies and advances evidence-based practices that support families and enhance the optimal development of young children (0-8) who have or are at risk for developmental delays and disabilities. DEC is an international membership organization for those who work with or on behalf of young children (0-8) with disabilities and other special needs and their families.
High Scope HighScope Educational Research Foundation is an independent nonprofit research, development, training, and public outreach organization with headquarters in Ypsilanti, Michigan. Our focus is on early childhood education and the professional development of those that are in the field.
National Association for Family Child Care National Association for Family Child Care (NAFCC) is a nationwide network of providers and partners in expanding and promoting the power of family child care (child care provided in a professional caregiver’s home). NAFCC is working on prioritizing family child care and promote access, affordability and quality of early care and education.
National Association for Regulatory Administration National Association for Regulatory Administration (NARA) is an international non-profit professional association representing all human care licensing, including adult residential and assisted living, adult day care, child care, child welfare and program licensing for services related to mental illness, developmental disabilities and abuse of drugs or alcohol. They promote the health and safety of children and adults in regulated settings.
National Associaton for the Education of Young Children The National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) is a professional membership organization that works to promote high-quality early learning for all young children, birth through age 8, by connecting early childhood practice, policy, and research. We advance a diverse, dynamic early childhood profession and support all who care for, educate, and work on behalf of young children.
National Black Child Development Institute National Black Child Development Institute (NBCDI) has been at the forefront of engaging leaders, policymakers, professionals, and parents around critical and timely issues that directly Black children and their families. They are a partner in delivering culturally relevant resources that respond to the unique strengths and needs of Black children around issues including early childhood education, health, child welfare, literacy, and family engagement.
National Coalition of Campus Children's Centers The National Coalition for Campus Children's Centers (N4C) is a nonprofit educational membership organization supporting excellence in programs for young children in communities of higher learning by providing opportunities for leadership, professional development, research, networking, and advocacy.
National Indian Child Care Association The National Indian Child Care Association’s mission is to promote high quality culturally relevant child care and development and to unify tribes and tribal organizations by providing leadership, support and advocacy on behalf of American Indians, Alaska Natives, and Native Hawaiians.
National Resource Center for Health and Safety In Child Care and Early Education The National Resource Center for Health and Safety in Child Care and Early Education (NRC) has maintained and continues to develop national health and safety standards for early care and education settings, as compiled in Caring for Our Children: National Health and Safety Standards; Guidelines for Early Care and Education Programs (CFOC), now in its third edition.
National Workforce Registry Alliance The National Workforce Registry Alliance is a private, non-profit, voluntary organization of state early childhood and afterschool workforce registry and professional development leaders. They work to provide registries across the country with resources on data related support on the workforce, standards of quality for workforce data systems, and a strong national voice driving relevant policies and initiatives. The goal of the National Registry Alliance is to be the central hub of data collection and dissemination used to inform and strengthen the early Care and Education Early Childhood and Afterschool Workforce through collaboration with state workforce registry systems and national partners.