Florida’s Early Learning and Developmental Standards: The official early learning framework
Florida’s early learning standards are organized under the Florida Early Learning and Developmental Standards (FELDS), Birth to Kindergarten. Adopted in Florida Administrative Code Rule 6M-4.700 (December 2017) and administered by the Florida Department of Education (FLDOE) Division of Early Learning, FELDS applies to all licensed childcare and development programs serving children from birth through kindergarten entry, including programs funded through the School Readiness (SR) program and Voluntary Prekindergarten (VPK) Education Program.
Florida SR and VPK providers are required to use a curriculum aligned to FELDS and demonstrate alignment during contract monitoring and quality reviews. Programs can view current guidance at the FLDOE Early Learning Standards page.
Florida uses two related quality systems. The Gold Seal Quality Care Program, administered by the Florida Department of Children and Families, recognizes programs with national accreditation and may increase School Readiness reimbursement rates. Separately, all SR-funded programs must pass a CLASS-based School Readiness Program Assessment — receiving a composite score of at least 4.0 across infant, toddler, and preschool classrooms — to maintain their SR contract. Programs scoring 4.5 or above receive quality reimbursement differentials. Using a research-based curriculum formally aligned to Florida’s FELDS supports both Gold Seal accreditation documentation and strong CLASS performance in the learning environment.
Explore by developmental domain
Florida’s early learning standards domains and Experience Curriculum alignment
Select a developmental domain below to see how Florida’s early learning standards define that domain, key milestones by age group, and how Experience Curriculum activities and skills map to each indicator.
Social-Emotional Development
Self-regulation, peer relationships, identity, empathy, and emotional expression
Explore Florida Social-Emotional Development standards →Language & Literacy
Receptive and expressive language, phonological awareness, early reading and writing
Explore Florida Language & Literacy standards →Mathematics & Reasoning
Number sense, patterns, measurement, spatial reasoning, and early problem-solving
Explore Florida Mathematics & Reasoning standards →Physical Development
Gross and fine motor skills, body awareness, health, and self-care
Explore Florida Physical Development standards →Science
Observation, inquiry, cause-and-effect, and exploration of the natural world
Explore Florida Science standards →Social Studies
Community, family, cultural identity, roles, and civic understanding
Explore Florida Social Studies standards →Creative Arts
Visual arts, music, movement, dramatic play, and creative expression
Explore Florida Creative Arts standards →Approaches to Learning
Curiosity, persistence, initiative, flexibility, and attention
Explore Florida Approaches to Learning standards →Curriculum alignment
How Experience Curriculum aligns to Florida’s Early Learning and Developmental Standards
Experience Curriculum is formally aligned to Florida’s Early Learning and Developmental Standards across all three age bands — Baby (birth to 18 months), Toddler (18 to 36 months), and Preschool (3 to 5 years) — and all 8 developmental domains. The Florida Alignment PDF documents how every Experience Curriculum activity and skill maps to a specific Florida standard and developmental indicator.
For Florida programs using brightwheel, developmental observations can be logged directly in the app during or after activities, automatically building each child’s portfolio and supporting documentation requirements for School Readiness and Gold Seal Quality Care reviews.
The Florida Alignment PDF is a free resource that maps every Experience Curriculum activity to Florida’s Early Learning and Developmental Standards. It provides ready documentation for School Readiness contract monitoring, licensing visits, and Gold Seal Quality Care accreditation submissions.
Frequently asked questions