At this time in our nation's history, the establishment of a solid foundation upon which to build a student's educational framework and basic skills is imperative. Teachers, parents, administrators and policy makers are all focusing on test scores, standardised measurement of growth, annual yearly progress and "value added" issues. While education begins in the home, it is the early educational environment in which children are exposed to licensed certified professionals whose charge is to provide students with exposure to the basics and to identify those with developmental needs, and assist in the intervention process. This book provides an overview of the field of early childhood education as well as ancillary issues that permeate the field.