Nevada Pre-Kindergarten Standards

Professional Development System
The Nevada Registry serves as a clearinghouse of information for the early childhood workforce in Nevada and is an integral part of the pathway
helping to establish a professional development system in Nevada for the field of Early Care and Education (ECE). Serving as the sole approval
entity for all informal, not-for-college-credit training offered in the state of Nevada, The Nevada Registry strives to raise the status of the ECE
profession through support of professional growth and recognition, a standardized training approval system and the collection of valuable data
on the ECE workforce.
The Nevada Registry has developed Core Knowledge Areas (CKA) and Competencies for ECE professionals as part of the growing professional
development system in Nevada. The CKA and Competency levels support the framework of the Nevada Early Care and Education Professional
Career Ladder and provide the foundation for the professional development system. They provide a roadmap for individual professional growth
that becomes increasingly more specialized as higher levels of formal education are achieved. Completion of formal education in ECE results in
advancement along the Career Ladder.
The CKA are also an important part of Nevada’s training approval system and are reflected in all training that is approved by The Nevada Registry;
this also includes Pre-K Standards trainings. Knowledge of the Pre-K Content Standards is also embedded within the Core Competencies. While
the Pre-K Standards act as a guide for child outcomes, the Core Competencies focus on the preferred outcomes for the adults who care for young
children. Research has long-established that early childhood teachers who have more formal education will provide more high quality learning
environments (Whitebook, 2003). Early childhood classrooms that support best practices will provide experiences for young children that will
help them meet the goals set forth in the Nevada Pre-K Standards.
15