CEC Professional Standards

For more information, please visit: https://exceptionalchildren.org/standards

---CEC Professional Standards---

Below are the CEC Professionals Standards that apply to all 28 evidence-based
practices.

The CEC Standards that apply to a specific evidence-based practice can be found
on our website at https://afirm.fpg.unc.edu/ .

Initial Practice-Based Standards for Early

Interventionists/Early Childhood (0-5 years; CEC, 2020)
Standard Description
Standard 1: Child Development and Early Learning
Demonstrate an understanding of the impact that different theories and philosophies of early
1.1 learning and development have on assessment, curriculum, intervention, and instruction
decisions.
Apply knowledge of normative sequences of early development, individual differences, and
1.2 families’ social, cultural, and linguistic diversity to support each child’s development and learning
across contexts.
Apply knowledge of biological and environmental factors that may support or constrain
1.3 children’s early development and learning when planning and implementing early intervention
and instruction.
Demonstrate an understanding of characteristics, etiologies, and individual differences within
and across the range of abilities, including developmental delays and disabilities, their potential
1.4
impact on children’s early development and learning, and implications for assessment,
curriculum, instruction, and intervention.
Standard 2: Partnering with Families
Communicate clear, comprehensive, and objective information about resources and supports
2.2 that help families to make informed decisions and advocate for access, participation, and equity
in natural and inclusive environments.
Standard 3: Collaboration and Teaming
Use a variety of collaborative strategies when working with other adults that are evidence-based,
3.2 appropriate to the task, culturally and linguistically responsive, and take into consideration the
environment and service delivery approach.
Standard 4: Assessment Processes
Develop and administer informal assessments and/or select and use valid, reliable formal
4.2 assessments using evidence-based practices, including technology, in partnership with families
and other professionals.
Analyze, interpret, document, and share assessment information using a strengths-based
4.3
approach with families and other professionals.

CEC Standards
AFIRM Team, 2020-R
Page 1 of 5
 CEC Professional Standards
For more information, please visit: https://exceptionalchildren.org/standards

In collaboration with families and other team members, use assessment data to determine
4.4 eligibility, develop child and family-based outcomes/goals, plan for interventions and instruction,
and monitor progress to determine efficacy of programming.
Standard 5: Application of Curriculum Frameworks in the Planning of Meaningful Learning Experience
Collaborate with families and other professionals in identifying an evidence-based curriculum
addressing developmental and content domains to design and facilitate meaningful and
5.1
culturally responsive learning experiences that support the unique abilities and needs of all
children and families.
Use knowledge of early childhood curriculum frameworks, developmental and academic content
knowledge, and related pedagogy to plan and ensure equitable access to universally designed,
5.2
developmentally appropriate, and challenging learning experiences in natural and inclusive
environments.
Standard 6: Using Responsive and Reciprocal Interactions, Interventions, and Instruction
In partnership with families, identify systematic, responsive, and intentional evidence-based
6.1 practices and use such practices with fidelity to support young children’s learning and
development across all developmental and academic content domains.
Engage in reciprocal partnerships with families and other professionals to facilitate responsive
6.2 adult-child interactions, interventions, and instruction in support of child learning and
development.
Engage in ongoing planning and use flexible and embedded instructional and environmental
arrangements and appropriate materials to support the use of interactions, interventions, and
6.3
instruction addressing developmental and academic content domains, which are adapted to
meet the needs of each and every child and their family.
Promote young children’s social and emotional competence and communication, and proactively
6.4
plan and implement function-based interventions to prevent and address challenging behaviors.
Use responsive interactions, interventions, and instruction with sufficient intensity and types of
support across activities, routines, and environments to promote child learning and
6.6
development and facilitate access, participation, and engagement in natural environments and
inclusive settings.
Plan for, adapt, and improve approaches to interactions, interventions, and instruction based on
6.7
multiple sources of data across a range of natural environments and inclusive settings.
Standard 7: Professionalism and Ethical Practice
7.2 Engage in ongoing reflective practice and access evidence-based information to improve own
practices.
7.3 Exhibit leadership skills in advocating for improved outcomes for young children, families, and
the profession, including the promotion of and use of evidence-based practices and decision-
making.

CEC Standards
AFIRM Team, 2020-R
Page 2 of 5
 CEC Professional Standards
For more information, please visit: https://exceptionalchildren.org/standards

Initial Practice-Based Standards for (grades K-12; CEC,

2020)
Standard Description
Standard 1: Engaging in Professional Learning and Practice within Ethical Guidelines
Design and implement professional learning activities based on ongoing analysis of student
1.3
learning; self-reflection; and professional standards, research, and contemporary practices.
Standard 2: Understanding and Addressing Each Individual’s Developmental and Learning Needs
2.1 Apply understanding of human growth and development to create developmentally appropriate
and meaningful learning experiences that address individualized strengths and needs of
students with exceptionalities.
2.2 Use knowledge and understanding of diverse factors that influence development and learning,
including differences related to families, languages, cultures, and communities, and individual
differences, including exceptionalities, to plan and implement learning experiences and
environments.
Standard 3: Demonstrating Subject Matter Content and Specialized Curricular Knowledge
3.1 Apply understanding of academic subject matter content of the general curriculum to inform
programmatic and instructional decisions for individuals with exceptionalities.
3.2 Augment the general education curriculum to address skills and strategies that students with
disabilities need to access the core curriculum and function successfully within a variety of
contexts as well as the continuum of placement options to assure specially designed instruction
is developed and implemented to achieve mastery of curricular standards and individualized
goals and objectives.
Standard 4: Using Assessment to Understand the Learner and the Learning Environment for Data-Based
Decision Making
4.1 Collaboratively develop, select, administer, analyze, and interpret multiple measures of student
learning, behavior, and the classroom environment to evaluate and support classroom and
school-based systems of intervention for students with and without exceptionalities.
4.3 Assess, collaboratively analyze, interpret, and communicate students’ progress toward
measurable outcomes using technology as appropriate, to inform both short- and long-term
planning, and make ongoing adjustments to instruction.
Standard 5: Supporting Learning Using Effective Instruction
5.1 Use findings from multiple assessments, including student self-assessment, that are responsive
to cultural and linguistic diversity and specialized as needed, to identify what students know and
are able to do. They then interpret the assessment data to appropriately plan and guide
instruction to meet rigorous academic and non-academic content and goals for each individual.
5.2 Use effective strategies to promote active student engagement, increase student motivation,
increase opportunities to respond, and enhance self‐regulation of student learning.
5.3 Use explicit, systematic instruction to teach content, strategies, and skills to make clear what a
learner needs to do or think about while learning.
5.6 Plan and deliver specialized, individualized instruction that is used to meet the learning needs of
each individual.

CEC Standards
AFIRM Team, 2020-R
Page 3 of 5
 CEC Professional Standards
For more information, please visit: https://exceptionalchildren.org/standards

Standard 6: Supporting Social, Emotional, and Behavioral Growth

6.2 Use a range of preventive and responsive practices documented as effective to support
individuals’ social, emotional, and educational well-being.
Standard 7: Collaborating with Team Members
7.2 Collaborate, communicate, and coordinate with families, paraprofessionals, and other
professionals within the educational setting to assess, plan, and implement effective programs
and services that promote progress toward measurable outcomes for individuals with and
without exceptionalities and their families.

CEC Standards
AFIRM Team, 2020-R
Page 4 of 5
 CEC Professional Standards
For more information, please visit: https://exceptionalchildren.org/standards

Advanced Practice-Based Standards (CEC, 2012)

Standard Description
Standard 1: Assessment
1.2 Design and implement assessments to evaluate the effectiveness of practices and programs.
Standard 2: Curricular Content Knowledge
Align educational standards to provide access to challenging curriculum to meet the needs of
2.1
individuals with exceptionalities.
Continuously broaden and deepen professional knowledge and expand expertise with
2.2 instructional technologies, curriculum standards, effective teaching strategies, and assistive
technologies to support access to and learning of challenging content.
Standard 3: Programs, Services, and Outcomes
3.1 Design and implement evaluation activities to improve programs, supports, and services for
individuals with exceptionalities.
3.2 Use understanding of cultural, social, and economic diversity and individual learner differences
to inform the development and improvement of programs, supports, and services for individuals
with exceptionalities.
3.3 Apply knowledge of theories, evidence-based practices, and relevant laws to advocate for
programs, supports, and services for individuals with exceptionalities.
Standard 4: Research and Inquiry
4.1 Evaluate research and inquiry to identify effective practices.
4.2 Use knowledge of the professional literature to improve practices with individuals with
exceptionalities and their families.
4.3 Foster an environment that is supportive of continuous instructional improvement and engage in
the design and implementation of research and inquiry.
Standard 5: Leadership and Policy
5.4 Advocate for policies and practices that improve programs, services, and outcomes for
individuals with exceptionalities.
5.5 Advocate for the allocation of appropriate resources for the preparation and professional
development of all personnel who serve individuals with exceptionalities.
Standard 6: Professional and Ethical Practice
Actively participate in professional development and professional learning communities to
6.4
increase professional knowledge and expertise.
Standard 7: Collaboration
7.2 Use collaborative skills to improve programs, services, and outcomes for individuals with
exceptionalities.

CEC Standards
AFIRM Team, 2020-R
Page 5 of 5