Early Learning Standards by State | Guide for Teachers

Over the last decade, there has been significant progress on strengthening early childhood education and supporting greater accountability for child outcomes. Developing early learning standards for individual states has been the backbone of these initiatives. These standards build consensus about crucial educational outcomes and approaches, outline expectations, and help focus curriculum development. As a result, teachers and families can provide the necessary support for children’s growth and development. 

However, early learning standards and guidelines vary by state, so we’ve put together this guide to cover all US states' early learning standards.

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What are early learning standards?

According to the Office of Early Childhood Development, early learning standards are frameworks for defining children’s developmental goals at specific milestones. These standards are based on research pertaining to what children should understand and do—their abilities and skills—in different areas of learning and development. They describe the desired results, outcomes, and learning expectations of children, from birth to pre-kindergarten age. The purpose of using early learning standards is to support the learning, development, and well-being of children in early childhood education programs.

Early learning standards vary from state to state, meaning that each state is responsible for defining them. It is often a collaborative effort of state agencies. For example, the Ohio Early Learning and Development Standards were created by a series of departments serving young children: the Ohio Department of Education, Ohio Department of Job and Family Services, Ohio Department of Health, Ohio Department of Mental Health, Ohio Department of Developmental Disabilities, and the Governor’s Office of Health Transformation.

While the state is responsible for setting the standards, educators, childcare staff, and families need to work together to ensure that children meet their goals. A child’s learning takes place in and outside the classroom, making it necessary for childcare workers and families to create environments and interactions that support learning and development.

Why early learning standards are important

Promotes high quality early childhood education

Early learning standards promote holistic growth in children. These standards focus on curriculum development to help teachers and caregivers provide a holistic, developmentally appropriate education for children. A diverse early childhood development curriculum covers the areas of physical, language, cognitive and social-emotional development. 

Establishes consensus on educational outcomes and approaches

All children are unique and require a defined early education approach. Early learning standards provide the framework for establishing consensus so educators and families are aligned on each child’s educational outcomes.

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Early learning standards by state

Each state is responsible for its own early childhood education program and for setting its early learning standards. A comprehensive tool like brightwheel's lesson plan feature comes pre-loaded with the learning standards of each state, making it easier for you to plan lessons. You can easily customize your learning standards to meet the requirements of your state and the needs of your children.

Experience Early Learning in brightwheel offers lesson plans and curriculum system that also align to the learning standards of all 50 states and the District of Columbia, as well as those of NAEYC, Head Start and Common Core.

Developmental domains and skills

For details as to how the curriculum is aligned to each state's learning standards, read the alignment document referenced below.

Alabama early learning standards

The state of Alabama uses the Alabama Developmental Standards for Preschool Children. These standards offer guidelines for:

• Family and community engagement
• Social-emotional development
• Approaches to play and learning
• Science exploration and knowledge
• Mathematical thinking
• Language and literacy
• Creative arts
• Physical development and health
  
  

Alaska early learning standards

Alaska uses the Alaska Early Learning Guidelines, Birth to Five early learning standards. The standards offer guidelines for teaching English language arts, mathematics, science, and social studies.

See Alignment of the Experience Early Learning Skills with Alaska Early Learning Guidelines Infants through Preschoolers.

Arizona early learning standards

Arizona has two early learning standards—Arizona's Infant and Toddler Developmental Guidelines and Arizona Department of Education Early Learning Standards.

• Arizona's Infant and Toddler Developmental Guidelines define expectations about what children should know across developmental domains and how parents and caregivers can offer optimal support.
• Arizona Department of Education Early Learning Standards establishes a framework for planning quality learning experiences for children between three and five years of age.
  
  

See Alignment of the Experience Early Learning Skills with Arizona Early Learning Standards.

Arkansas early learning standards

Arkansas uses the Arkansas Child Development and Early Learning Standards: Birth through 60 Months. These standards offer a framework for understanding what children know, understand, and can do at different ages.

See Alignment of the Experience Early Learning Skills with Arkansas Child Development and Early Learning Standards: Birth through 60 Months. 

California early learning standards

The state of California has three early childhood education standards:

• Desired Results is the system educators use to document children and families' progress in achieving desired results.
• California Infant/Toddler Learning and Development Foundations describes expectations for how infants and toddlers make progress in the primary development domains.
• California Preschool Learning Foundations details crucial knowledge and skills most children can achieve when offered the right learning resources and environment.
  
  

See Alignment of the Experience Early Learning Skills with the California DRDP - A Developmental Continuum from Early Infancy to Kindergarten Entry.

Colorado early learning standards

Colorado has several resources:

• Colorado Early Learning and Development Guidelines (Birth through 8) outlines children's learning and development trajectory from birth to age eight. 
• Preschool Math Academic Standards in High Quality Early Childhood Care and Education Settings define the goals and objectives of early childhood teaching.
• Reading, Writing and Communicating, Preschool and Kindergarten outlines reading, writing, and communicating standards.
  
  

See Alignment of the Experience Early Learning Skills with Colorado Early Learning Development Guidelines for infant/toddlers and ages 3-5.

Connecticut early learning standards

Connecticut’s Early Learning and Development Standards, Birth through Age 5 outlines what teachers and caregivers should teach children from birth to age five. The standards foster teamwork among schools, families, and communities. Early Childhood Special Education ensures disabled children are provided free and appropriate public education according to individual needs.

See Alignment of the Experience Early Learning Skills with Connecticut Early Learning Standards for Infant and Toddler and 3-5 year-olds.

Delaware early learning standards

Delaware’s early learning resources include the Delaware Early Learning Foundations (Infant/Toddler) and Delaware Early Learning Foundations (Ages 3-5).

• Delaware Early Learning Foundations (Infant/Toddler) describes what happens to children through infancy and toddler years. It is also a guide for parents to available appropriate resources to support children’s growth and development.
• Delaware Early Learning Foundations (Ages 3-5) is a curriculum framework that guides daily, weekly, and monthly early childhood education planning. In addition, it outlines the types of learning opportunities children need before joining kindergarten.
  
  

District of Columbia early learning standards

The District of Columbia uses the DC Common Core Aligned Early Learning Standards. The standards focus on several domains and inform families and teachers about what children should know and be able to do. Also, they describe how children should develop at various ages and stages.

See Alignment of the Experience Early Learning Skills with D.C. Infant - PreK Early Learning Standards.

Florida early learning standards

The Florida Early Learning Developmental Standards Birth to Five outlines knowledge and skills a child should know and do at the end of a developmental milestone.

It covers the following domains: physical development, approaches to learning, social and emotional development, language and literacy, mathematical thinking, scientific inquiry, social studies, and creative expression through arts.

See Alignment of the Experience Early Learning Skills with Florida Early Learning and Developmental Standards Birth to Kindergarten.

Georgia early learning standards

The Georgia Early Learning and Development Standards (GELDS) advocates for quality learning experiences for children and addresses what children, from birth to five, should know and be able to do. The standards are flexible and support children’s individual growth.

See Alignment of the Experience Early Learning Skills with Georgia Early Learning & Development Standards.

Hawaii early learning standards

The Hawaii Early Learning and Development Standards (HELDS) outlines how children should behave and what they should know at different developmental milestones.

It covers the following domains: physical wellbeing, health, and motor development; social and emotional development;, approaches to learning; cognition and general knowledge; and English language arts and literacy.

See Alignment of the Experience Early Learning Skills with Hawaii Early Learning Standards from Birth to End of Kindergarten.

Idaho early learning standards

Idaho's Early Learning Guidelines define what children should know and do at specific developmental stages. 

It covers the following domains: approaches to learning and cognitive development; physical wellbeing, health, and motor development;  social and emotional development; general knowledge; communication, language, and literacy.

See Alignment of the Experience Early Learning Skills with the Idaho Early Learning Guidelines.

Illinois early learning standards

Illinois has two early learning standards—Illinois Early Learning Guidelines for Children Age Birth to Age Three and Illinois Early Learning and Development Standards. 

The Illinois Early Learning Guidelines provide teachers, caregivers, and policymakers with a framework for understanding what children should know and do as they grow and develop. The guide also offers ideas on creating beneficial early learning experiences for children.

On the other hand, the Illinois Early Learning and Development Standards outline expectations for children’s growth, development, and learning in the early years.

See Alignment of the Experience Early Learning Skills with Illinois Early Childhood Indicators of Child Progress.

Indiana early learning standards

Indiana's Early Learning Foundations provide a framework to support teachers, caregivers, and policymakers to develop appropriate experiences for children. 

It covers the following developmental domains:

• English/language arts
• Mathematics
• Social-emotional skills
• Approaches to play and learning
• Science, social studies, creative arts
• Physical health and growth
  
  

See Alignment of the Experience Early Learning Skills with Indiana Early Learning Development Framework (0-5 Yrs.).

Iowa early learning standards

The Iowa Early Learning Standards cover five competency levels: self-awareness, self-management, social awareness, relationship skills, and responsible decision-making.

See Alignment of the Experience Early Learning Skills with Iowa Early Learning Standards for Infant and Toddler and Pre-Kindergarten.

Kansas early learning standards

The Kansas Early Learning Standards provide a framework teachers can use to plan activities and engage in conversations with children and their families about early learning.

The standards cover the following eight domains:

• Approaches to learning
• Physical development
• Social and emotional development
• Communication and literacy
• Mathematics
• Science
• Social studies
• Creative arts
  
  

See Alignment of the Experience Early Learning Skills with Kansas Early Learning Standards.

Kentucky early learning standards

Kentucky's Early Childhood Standards: Birth Through Five provide a framework to help parents and education professionals understand what children should know and do from birth to five years old.

The standards cover the following developmental areas:

• Approaches to learning
• Health and physical wellbeing
• Language and communication development
• Social and emotional development
• Cognitive and general knowledge
  
  

See Alignment of the Experience Early Learning Skills with the Kentucky Early Childhood Standards (Three Years to Four Years).

Louisiana early learning standards

Louisiana's Birth to Five Early Learning and Development Standards outline key developmental milestones for children from birth to age five.

The standards cover the following domains: 

• Approaches to learning
• Cognitive development and general knowledge
• Language and literacy development
• Physical wellbeing and motor development
• Social-emotional development
  
  

See Alignment of the Experience Early Learning Skills with Louisiana Early Learning Standards.

Maine early learning standards

Maine has two early learning standards—Supporting Maine’s Infants and Toddlers: Guidelines for Learning and Development and Maine’s Early Learning and Development Standards (MELDS). 

Supporting Maine’s Infants and Toddlers: Guidelines for Learning and Development provides parents, teachers, and policymakers with development and early learning guidelines. It covers the following domains: 

• Strong and healthy bodies
• Social-emotional development
• Communication skills
• Cognition

Maine’s Early Learning and Development Standards (MELDS) also provide a framework for early childhood learning and teaching. It covers the following domains:

• Social and emotional development
• Approaches to learning
• Creative arts
• Early language and literacy
• Reading standards for literature
• Physical development and health
• Math, science, and social studies
  
  

Maryland early learning standards

Maryland’s early learning standards come from two different sources:

• Maryland Healthy Beginnings provides knowledge and support around childcare and child development from birth through three years of age.
• The Maryland College and Career-Ready Standards prepare children for life outside the classroom. The standards cover critical thinking, reading, and comprehension skills.
  
  

See Alignment of the Experience Early Learning Skills with Maryland Early Learning Standards Birth-Kindergarten.

Massachusetts early learning standards

Massachusetts has five early learning standards: 

• Massachusetts Early Learning Guidelines for Infants and Toddlers provide a framework for social-emotional development in infants, language and communication development, cognitive development, physical health and wellbeing development, and approaches to learning.
• Early Childhood Program Standards for Three and Four Year Olds
• Preschool and Kindergarten Social and Emotional Learning (SEL) and Approaches to Play and Learning Standards
• Guidelines for Preschool Learning Experience
• Massachusetts Curriculum Framework
  
  

Michigan early learning standards

Michigan State has three early learning standards:

• Early Childhood Standards of Quality for Prekindergarten enables teachers to attend to diverse children and families and helps them provide high quality classroom teachings. It covers domains like approaches to learning, creative arts, language and early literacy development, dual language learning, social-emotional and physical health, and development.
• Michigan Academic Standards outline learning expectations for children and guide local curriculum development.
• Early Childhood Standards of Quality for Infant and Toddler Programs
  
  

Minnesota early learning standards

Minnesota's Early Childhood Indicators of Progress outlines the framework for equitable access to educational programs for all children. It covers physical and movement development, language, literacy, communications, mathematics, science, social systems, approaches to learning, arts, and social-emotional development.

See Alignment of the Experience Early Learning Skills with Early Childhood Indicators of Child Progress: Minnesota’s Early Learning Standards (Ages 0-5).

Mississippi early learning standards

Mississippi has two early learning standards—Mississippi Early Learning Guidelines for Classrooms Serving Three and Four Year Old Children and Mississippi Kindergarten Guidelines.

The learning standards outline guidelines for curriculum development, educational materials, assessment, learning program organization, teachers' certification requirements, family engagement, transportation, and physical activity.

See Alignment of the Experience Early Learning Skills with Mississippi Early Learning Standards.

Missouri early learning standards

The Missouri Early Learning Goals outlines the framework for the following domains from birth to kindergarten entry:

• Approaches to learning
• Social and emotional development
• Physical development, health, and safety
• Language and literacy
• Mathematics
• Science
• Understanding the world
• Expressive arts
  
  

Montana early learning standards

Montana's Early Learning Standards, Birth to Age Five guide teachers and families to ensure children from birth to age five have skills and knowledge for learning and development success. 

It covers the following core domains:

• Emotional and social
• Physical
• Communication
• Cognition
  
  

Nebraska early learning standards

Nebraska’s Early Learning Guidelines (ELGs) help teachers and families support children from birth to five years old to acquire knowledge for holistic development. The standards cover the following domains:

• Approaches to learning
• Creative arts
• Health and physical development
• Language and literacy development
• Mathematics
• Science
• Social and emotional development
  
  

Nevada early learning standards

Nevada has two early learning standards—Nevada Infant and Toddler Early Learning Guidelines and Nevada Pre K Standards and Early Learning Guidelines. 

Both outline developmental guidelines families and teachers can refer to. They cover the following domains:

• Cognition and general knowledge
• Language and communication development
• Personal and social-emotional development
• Approaches to learning
• Physical development and health
  
  

New Hampshire early learning standards

The New Hampshire Learning Standards: Birth through Five outlines supporting and enhancing children’s development from birth to five years. It covers the following domains:

• Social and emotional development
• Language development and emergent literacy
• Cognitive development, including early numeracy, science and social studies, and approaches to learning
• Physical development and health
• Creative expression and aesthetic appreciation
  
  

New Jersey early learning standards

New Jersey has two early learning standards—New Jersey Birth to Three Early Learning Standards and Preschool Teaching and Learning Standards.

Both guidelines provide the framework for early childhood learning, covering the below. The New Jersey Birth to Three Early Learning Standards covers these five domains:

• Social and emotional development
• Approaches to learning
• Language development and communication
• Cognitive development
• Physical and motor development

On the other hand, Preschool Teaching and Learning Expectations and Standards of Quality cover these domains:

• Early childhood assessment process
• Social-emotional development
• Visual and performing arts
• Health, safety, and physical education
• English language arts
• Approaches to learning
• Mathematics
• Science
• Social studies, family, and life skills
• World languages
• Technology
  
  

New Mexico early learning standards

The New Mexico Early Learning Guidelines, Birth Through Kindergarten outline outcomes from preschool to kindergarten and expectations for families and teachers.

It covers the following domains:

• Physical development, health, and wellbeing
• Literacy
• Mathematics
• Aesthetic creativity
• Scientific conceptual understanding
• Self, family, and community
• Approaches to learning
  
  

New York early learning standards

The New York State Early Learning Guidelines is an integrated, coordinated, multi sector workforce framework for teachers, families, and other education policymakers. These guidelines serve as a resource about children’s developmental milestones between birth and age eight and provide strategies that early childhood professionals can implement to their practices. 

In addition the New York State Prekindergarten Learning Standards: A Resource for School Success consolidates all learning standards for four year olds in one document.

See Alignment of the Experience Early Learning Skills with New York Pre-Kindergarten Standards.

North Carolina early learning standards

The North Carolina Foundations for Early Learning and Development provide the framework for curriculum formulation and implementation, improving children's knowledge, formulating goals for child development, and informing parents about best practices.

It covers the following domains:

• Approaches to play and learning
• Emotional and social development
• Health and physical development
• Language development and communication
• Cognitive development
  
  

North Dakota early learning standards

North Dakota Early Learning Standards Birth to Kindergarten provide guidelines for holistic child development from birth to five years. They cover the following domains:

• Social and emotional development
• Language development and communication
• Cognitive development
• Physical and motor development
  
  

Ohio early learning standards

Ohio's Early Learning and Development Standards provide the framework for guiding children’s early education learning from birth to five years. 

The standards cover the following domains: 

• Language and literacy development
• Physical wellbeing and motor development
• Social and emotional development
• Cognition and general knowledge
  
  

Oklahoma early learning standards

Oklahoma has three early learning standards—Oklahoma Early Learning Guidelines for Infants, Toddlers, and Twos, Oklahoma Early Learning Guidelines for Children Ages Three Through Five, and Oklahoma PASS Standards for Pre Kindergarten.

The guidelines cover the following domains: 

• Approaches to learning
• Creative skills
• Communication skills and early literacy
• Mathematics
• Physical development
• Health and safety
• Science
• Social and personal skills
• Self and social awareness
  
  

Oregon early learning standards

Oregon's Early Learning and Kindergarten Guidelines align and expand on learning and development standards in five domains: 

• Approaches to learning
• Social-emotional development
• Language and communication
• Literacy
• Mathematics
  
  

Pennsylvania early learning standards

Pennsylvania's Learning Standards for Early Childhood provide the framework for curriculum development, children's assessment methods, and learning instructions.

See Alignment of the Experience Early Learning Skills with Pennsylvania Learning Standards for Early Childhood.

Rhode Island early learning standards

The Rhode Island Early Learning and Development Standards outline the framework for what children should know and do. They also define the metrics for measuring progress toward achieving specific learning outcomes.

See Alignment of the Experience Early Learning Skills with Rhode Island Pre-Kindergarten Standards.

South Carolina early learning standards

South Carolina’s early learning standards are:

• South Carolina’s Infant and Toddler Guidelines
• Good Start Grow Smart: South Carolina Early Learning Standards for 3, 4, & 5 Year Old Children

South Carolina's early learning standards cover six developmental domains: physical health, emotional development, social development, motor development, language, and communication development, and cognitive development.

See Alignment of the Experience Early Learning Skills with South Carolina Early Learning: Infants through 5-years.

South Dakota early learning standards

The South Dakota Early Learning Guidelines outline developmental milestones for children at specific stages. It covers domains like approaches to learning, social and emotional development, communication, language and literacy, cognitive development, and health and physical development.

See Alignment of the Experience Early Learning Skills with South Dakota Early Learning Standards.

Tennessee early learning standards

Tennessee's Early Learning Developmental Standards outline developmental milestones for children in specific age groups from birth through five years. 

See Alignment of the Experience Early Learning Skills with Tennessee Early Learning Developmental Standards.

Texas early learning standards

Texas early learning standards are Texas Infant, Toddler, and Three Year Old Early Learning Guidelines and Texas Prekindergarten Guidelines. Both standards provide teachers and families with the information and tips to prepare children for success in early childhood learning.

See Alignment of the Experience Early Learning Skills with Texas Infant, Toddler & Three’s Early Learning Standards and Texas Prekindergarten Standards.

Utah early learning standards

Utah’s early learning standards are Utah’s Early Learning Guidelines for Birth to Age Three and Utah’s Early Childhood Core Standards (Preschool). These standards assist public preschools in making informed decisions concerning curriculum development to prepare children for kindergarten.

See Alignment of the Experience Early Learning Skills with Utah Early Learning Guidelines Birth to Age Three and Utah Core Standards Early Learning (Ages 3-5). 

Vermont early learning standards

The Vermont Early Learning Standards outline what children should know and do. They also outline what teachers and families should do to help children learn fast.

See Alignment of the Experience Early Learning Skills with Vermont Early Learning Standards.

Virginia early learning standards

Virginia’s Early Learning and Development Standards (ELDS), Birth-Five Learning Guidelines outline the skills and knowledge young children need to demonstrate by the end of preschool in order to succeed in kindergarten. 

These standards cover the following domains:

• Social-emotional development
• Approaches to play and learning
• Communication, language and literacy
• Cognition and general knowledge including science, social science, mathematics, and fine arts
• Physical development and health
  
  

Washington early learning standards

The Washington State Early Learning and Development Guidelines, Birth through 3rd Grade define what children should know and do at different stages of development and how early learning professionals and families can help support children’s healthy development.

See Alignment of the Experience Early Learning Skills with Washington Early Learning Birth-PreK Standards.

West Virginia early learning standards

West Virginia has two early learning standards—West Virginia Early Learning Standards Framework: Infant/Toddler and Early Learning Standards Framework for West Virginia Pre-K. These standards cover developmental domains such as:

• Cognitive development
• Language and literacy development
• Motor development
• Creative expression development
• Social-emotional development
• Approaches to learning
  
  

Wisconsin early learning standards

The Wisconsin Model Early Learning Standards outline a framework families and educators should follow to facilitate holistic child development. The following domains are covered in the framework:

• Health and physical 
• Social-emotional 
• Language and communication
• Approaches to learning
• Cognition
  
  

Wyoming early learning standards

Wyoming uses the following early learning standards—Wyoming Early Learning Guidelines For Children Ages 0-3 and Wyoming Early Learning Foundations For Children Ages 3-5. They cover the following domains: 

• Communication
• Sense of self and relationships
• Curious minds
• Strong and healthy bodies
  
  

See Alignment of the Experience Early Learning Skills with Wyoming Early Childhood Readiness Standards.

Wrapping up

Early learning standards are crucial for holistic child development since they provide the framework for curriculum development. They also define how educators and families can support their child’s growth. Each state’s guidelines and standards vary, so be sure to check with your specific state resources for detailed information.