North Dakota’s ND Early Learning Standards: The official early learning standards framework
North Dakota’s early learning standards are organized under the North Dakota Early Learning Standards Birth to Kindergarten (2018), jointly administered by the North Dakota Department of Public Instruction (NDDPI) and North Dakota HHS. The 2018 standards replaced all prior separate age-group documents and apply to licensed childcare programs, Head Start programs, and state-funded preschool programs serving children from birth through kindergarten entry.
North Dakota’s Early Learning Standards define developmental expectations across all 8 domains and guide curriculum planning, developmental assessment, and program quality statewide. Note: The ND Early Learning Standards are currently under revision per NDDPI. Programs should check nd.gov/dpi for updates.
North Dakota’s QRIS is called Bright and Early North Dakota. Programs using a research-based curriculum aligned to North Dakota’s Early Learning Standards support Bright and Early quality improvement goals. Note: North Dakota’s ND Early Learning Standards are currently under revision — programs should monitor nd.gov/dpi for updates.
Explore by developmental domain
North Dakota’s ND Early Learning Standards domains and Experience Curriculum alignment
Select a developmental domain below to see how North Dakota’s ND Early Learning Standards defines that domain, the key milestones by age group, and exactly how Experience Curriculum activities and skills map to each ND Early Learning Standards indicator.
Social-Emotional Development
Self-regulation, peer relationships, identity, empathy, and emotional expression
Explore North Dakota Social-Emotional Development standards →Language & Literacy
Receptive and expressive language, phonological awareness, early reading and writing
Explore North Dakota Language & Literacy standards →Mathematics & Reasoning
Number sense, patterns, measurement, spatial reasoning, and early problem-solving
Explore North Dakota Mathematics & Reasoning standards →Science
Observation, inquiry, cause-and-effect, and exploration of the natural world
Explore North Dakota Science standards →Social Studies
Community, family, cultural identity, roles, and civic understanding
Explore North Dakota Social Studies standards →Creative Arts
Visual arts, music, movement, dramatic play, and creative expression
Explore North Dakota Creative Arts standards →Physical Development
Gross and fine motor skills, body awareness, health, and self-care
Explore North Dakota Physical Development standards →Approaches to Learning
Curiosity, persistence, initiative, flexibility, and attention
Explore North Dakota Approaches to Learning standards →Curriculum alignment
How Experience Curriculum aligns to North Dakota’s ND Early Learning Standards
Experience Curriculum is formally aligned to North Dakota’s ND Early Learning 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 North Dakota Early Learning Standards Alignment PDF documents how every Experience Curriculum activity and skill maps to a specific ND Early Learning Standards indicator.
For North Dakota programs using brightwheel, developmental observations can be logged directly in the app during or after activities, automatically building each child’s portfolio and supporting Bright and Early North Dakota curriculum documentation requirements.
The North Dakota Early Learning Standards Alignment PDF is a free resource documenting how every Experience Curriculum activity maps to North Dakota’s ND Early Learning Standards indicators — suitable for QRIS review submissions and licensing documentation.
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