The Model Work Standards are divided into 23 categories, ranging from Wages and Benefits to Professional Development, Diversity and the Physical Setting. Some standards—those identified by a check mark in the right-hand column—we consider essential for a child care center to meet in order to be recognized as providing a good adult work environment. These are standards which either: a) directly impact the quality of care that children receive, as documented by current research, or b) were repeatedly emphasized by the many teachers, directors and others who helped us in developing the standards. Further background information on these “essential” standards can be found in the Appendices. (author abstract)