CHILDSPAN is Rhode Island's Child Development and Education training system. It provides a variety of low-cost workshops as well as specialty conferences and the Keys to Quality Conference each Fall. Trainings are scheduled at times which are sensitive to those needing to attend training outside of regular working hours. Some are even available in the summer. Year-round, you can access their lending library of books and other professional development resources plus instructional materials you can use in your classroom. Many of the workshops and materials in their library have specific early childhood orientation but CHILDSPAN has recently expanded their library and training resources to include school-age programs and professionals and students of all ages. They also sponsor a variety of special projects including, but not limited to, those promoting the accreditation of programs that serve young children. To learn more, contact CHILDSPAN, 500 Prospect Street, Pawtucket, RI 02860. Phone: (401) 729-0765 or email: CHILDSPAN@CHILDSPAN.net

Division of Early Childhood (DEC), Council for Exceptional Children. The DEC is a non-profit membership organization designed for individuals who work with or on behalf of children with special needs, birth through eight years and their families. Founded in 1973, DEC is dedicated to promoting policies and practices that support families and enhance the development of children. Children with special needs include those who have disabilities, developmental delays, are gifted/talented, and are at-risk of future developmental problems. DEC sponsors a variety of training including and various resource materials; advocated related to national, state, and local public policy; and provides a variety of documents on effective practice related to young children with special needs including DEC Recommended Practices in Early Intervention/Early Childhood Special Education.

National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC): The NAEYC is the nation's largest early childhood professional membership association for early childhood educators. NAEYC sponsors a variety of training including an annual conference; published the journal "Young Children",  and various resource materials; advocated related to national, state, and local public policy; provides a variety of documents on effective practice related to young children; and operates an accreditation system designed to improve the quality of care and education provided for young children in group programs. For information on the RI project promoting NAEYC accreditation, click here.

National Early Childhood Technical Assistance System (NECTAS) provides technical assistance related to the implementation of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) for early intervention services for infants and toddlers with disabilities, birth through age two, under Part C of IDEA and special education and related services for students with disabilities three through twenty-one years, under Part B of IDEA. Technical assistance is provided to state agencies; to early childhood demonstration and outreach projects funded through the US Department of Education, Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP); to the Federal Interagency Coordinating Council (ICC) and state ICCs; and to others. Their website contains information on a variety of projects, publications, and other resources including links to other websites.

Head Start: The Head Start Information and Publication Center provides a wealth of information on the following topics: Publications (e.g., catalogues, publications, training guides), Information Center (e.g., electronic forms, AskUs, resource guides, linkages to websites, program tool kits), Conferences, Partnerships and Collaborations (e.g., information memorandums, Head Start's Training and Technical Assistance Network, Head Start State Collaboration Offices [RI has one]); Recruitment and Awareness (e.g., child development brochure, publication on preschool to kindergarten transition); as well as What's New and Contact Us information. You can also link to two New England training and technical assistance centers which provide services to Rhode Island. These are the New England Resource Center and the Resource Access Project (RAP) for Disabilities at the Education Development Center.