BUILDING BRIDGES WITH YOUR STATE’S NATIONAL ASSOCIATION FOR THE EDUCATION
OF YOUNG CHILDREN AFFILIATE
National Association for the Education of Young Children
(NAEYC)
The National Association for the Education of Young Children’s (NAEYC) mission is to serve and
act on behalf of the needs, rights and well-being of all young children. Its primary focus is on
the provision of educational and developmental services and resources.
NAEYC expresses its mission in terms of three broad goals:
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Improving professional practice and working conditions in early childhood education
Supporting early childhood programs by working to achieve a high-quality system of
early childhood education
Building a high-performing, inclusive organization of groups and individuals who are
committed to promoting excellence in early childhood education for all young children
NAEYC achieves its goals in a number of ways, including but not limited to the following:
 Providing professional development opportunities and resources for those who work
for and with young children
 Convening individuals and groups with diverse perspectives to generate new knowledge
and understanding on issues affecting the education and development of young
children and their families
 Setting and publicizing standards that promote excellence in early childhood education
and professional preparation
 Implementing systems to recognize early childhood education programs and early
childhood professional preparation programs that meet NAEYC standards and
guidelines
 Building public understanding and support for activities and services that promote
healthy development and learning of all young children and their families
 Advocating for public policies and funding to support a comprehensive system of highquality early childhood education for all young children and their families
 Fostering the development of a network of high-performing, inclusive organizations
that share the goal of promoting excellence in early childhood education for all young
children
RELATIONSHIP BUILDER: For information on how to contact your state’s NAEYC affiliate see the
link below:
http://www.naeyc.org/affiliates/offices
Please note: Not all affiliates have offices. If you need contact information for an affiliate not
listed on the Web site above contact NAEYC at affiliate@naeyc.org.
BUILDING BRIDGES WITH YOUR STATE’S NATIONAL ASSOCIATION FOR THE EDUCATION
OF YOUNG CHILDREN AFFILIATE
POTENTIAL IDEAS FOR STATE LEADERSHIP TEAMS:
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Present at NAEYC state conferences
Work with your state’s NAEYC affiliate to identify strategies that support professional
development in EBCD
Offer NAEYC opportunities to present at grand rounds or other Continuing Medical
Education (CME) venues
TOOLS:
1. Sample email to your state’s NAEYC affiliate
2. Foundational PowerPoint
Sample email to your state’s NAEYC affiliate
Email Subject Heading: An Opportunity to Collaborate with Your AAP Chapter
Dear [insert name],
It is a pleasure to reach out to you as the Building Bridges State Early Brain and Child
Development (EBCD) Team Leaders (consisting of a member of our American Academy of
Pediatrics (AAP) Chapter and Early Childhood Systems Representative). As you may know, the
AAP has made EBCD a strategic priority. This is an incredible opportunity to ensure that children
are supported early with nurturing environments and relationships that promote health and
success.
We are interested in exploring how we can work together to incorporate EBCD efforts into the
work of our state’s NAEYC affiliate. In this regard, we would like to plan a meeting or a call to
identify collaborative efforts and opportunities.
Below are the days and times we are available during the next 2 weeks for your consideration.
[insert dates and times]
If you have any questions, please let us know. We are looking forward to speaking with you and
exploring ways that we can work together.
Sincerely,
Names
Contact Information