California Association for the Education of Young Children Conference and Expo

Attendees, exhibitors & solutions

Who this event is for

Industry trends

Key trends shaping this market and its wider industry.

Arrival airports

Choose from the following airports, with convenient access to the event and venue.

Hotel tiers

A range of accommodation options near the venue and across key areas.

Local transport

Get around the city with these convenient transport options.

Frequently asked

Glossary

1

Developmentally Appropriate Practice (DAP)

NAEYC's framework for teaching young children in ways that match their age, individual development and social and cultural context. Sessions and exhibits at the CAAEYC conference routinely map curriculum and assessment products back to DAP.

2

QRIS (Quality Rating and Improvement System)

A state-run system that rates early learning programs against quality standards such as teacher qualifications, learning environment and family engagement. California's system is administered through local consortia, and QRIS-aligned training and materials are a recurring exhibit category.

3

Title 22 licensing

California's community care licensing regulations covering child care center and family child care operations, including staff ratios, health and safety, and physical environment. Providers at the show often compare furniture and safety products against Title 22 requirements.

4

Title 5 contract

California Department of Education funding for state-subsidized child development programs, which carries its own program standards. Administrators from Title 5 funded centers attend to compare curriculum and assessment tools that satisfy those standards.

5

Transitional Kindergarten (TK)

California's publicly funded early year for four-year-olds, delivered through school districts and expanding under state policy. TK coordinators visit the conference looking for curricula, assessments and materials suited to mixed-age early classrooms.

6

Family Child Care Home (FCCH)

A licensed child care program run from a provider's own home, typically serving a small mixed-age group. FCCH providers are a distinct buying segment at the show, focused on space-efficient furniture, multi-age materials and licensing compliance.

7

DRDP (Desired Results Developmental Profile)

California's formative assessment instrument used to observe and document children's development across domains. Publishers at the conference frequently show how their observation and portfolio tools work alongside DRDP recording.

8

CLASS (Classroom Assessment Scoring System)

An observation tool that scores the quality of teacher-child interactions in emotional support, classroom organization and instructional support. Programs using CLASS for coaching often look for video, feedback and professional development resources in the exhibit hall.

9

ECERS and ITERS

Environment rating scales for early childhood and infant-toddler settings, covering space, materials, routines and interactions. Suppliers of classroom furniture, learning centers and outdoor play equipment often reference these scales when describing their products.

10

Inclusion

Practice that places children with disabilities and other special needs in general early learning settings with the support they need. Inclusion-focused sessions and adaptive-material exhibitors are a core part of the CAAEYC program.

11

Practice-based coaching

A cyclical coaching model in which an educator sets goals, is observed and receives structured feedback. Coaching leads attend the conference to find observation tools, training curricula and trainer certification pathways.

12

Mixed delivery system

The combination of public school, community-based center, Head Start and home-based providers that together deliver early care and education. Conference content and exhibits typically address all four settings rather than one sector alone.