Early Childhood Acronyms ~ Compiled by April Zajko, M.Ed.

An acronym is a word formed from the initial letters or groups of letters of words in a set phrase or series of words and pronounced as a separate word.  Acronyms are known to cause confusion or overwhelming feelings to people new to the early childhood field. I created this list for students in my community college courses. Some of the acronyms are Vermont specific, but many would be applicable to a larger audience.

NOTE: There is ample room on the second page to add additional acronyms since this list will never be complete. ~

AHS – Agency of Human Services
AOE – Agency of Education
ASQ – Ages and Stages Questionnaire
ASQ-SE – Ages and Stages Questionnaire – Social and Emotional
BBF – Building Bright Futures
BBF SAC – Building Bright Futures State Advisory Council
BFIS – Bright Futures Information System

BSC- Basic Specialized Care

CDA – Child Development Associate

CDD – Child Development Division (within CDD)
CIS – Children’s Integrated Services (within CDD)
CLASS – Classroom Assessment Scoring System

CSEFEL – Center for Social Emotional Foundations of Early Learning
DAP- Developmentally Appropriate Practice

DEC – Division of Early Childhood

DCF – Department for Children and Families (within AHS)
EC – Early Childhood

ECE – Early Childhood Education

ECSE – Early Childhood Special Education

eMTSS – Early Multi-Tiered System of Support

ERS – Environmental Rating Scales (Related terms: ITERS = Infant and Toddlers Environmental Rating Scale; ECERS = Early Childhood Environmental Rating Scale; FCERS = Family Care Environmental Rating Scale; SACERS = School Age Care Environmental Rating Scale)

FTS – Farm To School

GOLD – Teaching Strategies Gold

IPDP – Individual Professional Development Plan

M.A.T.C.H. – Mentoring, Advising, Teaching, Coaching, Consulting, and Helping
NAEYC – National Association for the Education of Young Children
T.E.A.C.H. – Teacher Education And Compensation Helps
TS Gold – Teaching Strategies Gold

TSG – Teaching Strategies Gold
VtAEYC – Vermont Association for the Education of Young Children
VCCICC – Vermont Child Care Industry and Careers Council

VDH – Vermont Department of Health (within AHS)
VELS – Vermont Early Learning Standards