Wisconsin’s WMELS: The official early learning standards framework
Wisconsin’s early learning standards are organized under the Wisconsin Model Early Learning Standards (WMELS), 5th Edition, jointly administered by the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction (DPI) and the Wisconsin Department of Children and Families (DCF). WMELS applies to licensed childcare centers, family childcare homes, Wisconsin’s 4-year-old kindergarten (4K) programs, and Head Start programs serving children from birth through first grade entry.
WMELS defines developmental expectations across all 8 domains and guides curriculum planning, developmental assessment, and program quality statewide. Note: WMELS is currently under revision through a DCF/DPI joint process, with a new timeline being developed as of September 2025. Programs should monitor dpi.wi.gov for updates.
Wisconsin’s QRIS is called YoungStar, administered by the Wisconsin Department of Children and Families (DCF). Providers accepting Wisconsin Shares childcare subsidy payments are required to participate. YoungStar rates programs on educational quality and training, learning environment and curriculum, professional and business practices, and child health and well-being. Using a research-based curriculum aligned to Wisconsin’s WMELS supports higher YoungStar ratings. Note: WMELS is currently under revision.
Explore by developmental domain
Wisconsin’s WMELS domains and Experience Curriculum alignment
Select a developmental domain below to see how Wisconsin’s WMELS defines that domain, the key milestones by age group, and exactly how Experience Curriculum activities and skills map to each WMELS indicator.
Social-Emotional Development
Self-regulation, peer relationships, identity, empathy, and emotional expression
Explore Wisconsin Social-Emotional Development standards →Language & Literacy
Receptive and expressive language, phonological awareness, early reading and writing
Explore Wisconsin Language & Literacy standards →Mathematics & Reasoning
Number sense, patterns, measurement, spatial reasoning, and early problem-solving
Explore Wisconsin Mathematics & Reasoning standards →Science
Observation, inquiry, cause-and-effect, and exploration of the natural world
Explore Wisconsin Science standards →Social Studies
Community, family, cultural identity, roles, and civic understanding
Explore Wisconsin Social Studies standards →Creative Arts
Visual arts, music, movement, dramatic play, and creative expression
Explore Wisconsin Creative Arts standards →Physical Development
Gross and fine motor skills, body awareness, health, and self-care
Explore Wisconsin Physical Development standards →Approaches to Learning
Curiosity, persistence, initiative, flexibility, and attention
Explore Wisconsin Approaches to Learning standards →Curriculum alignment
How Experience Curriculum aligns to Wisconsin’s WMELS
Experience Curriculum is formally aligned to Wisconsin’s WMELS 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 Wisconsin WMELS Alignment PDF documents how every Experience Curriculum activity and skill maps to a specific WMELS indicator.
For Wisconsin programs using brightwheel, developmental observations can be logged directly in the app during or after activities, automatically building each child’s portfolio and supporting YoungStar curriculum documentation requirements.
The Wisconsin WMELS Alignment PDF is a free resource documenting how every Experience Curriculum activity maps to Wisconsin’s WMELS indicators — suitable for QRIS review submissions and licensing documentation.
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