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Early Learning Standards by State

Official early learning frameworks, developmental domains, and how Experience Curriculum aligns to each state’s standards — for all 50 states and DC. Select your state below.

All 50 states and DC8 developmental domainsNAEYC & Head Start aligned
What are early learning standards? Every state maintains an official framework that defines what children should know and be able to do from birth through kindergarten entry. These standards guide curriculum planning, program quality ratings, and developmental assessment in licensed childcare programs. Experience Curriculum is formally aligned to all 50 state frameworks.
Find your state

Select a state to see its early learning standards and Experience Curriculum alignment

Select your state to explore its official early learning standards framework, the 8 developmental domains covered, and how Experience Curriculum maps to each domain. You can also download the state-specific alignment PDF directly from each state page.

ALAlabama AKAlaska AZArizona ARArkansas CACalifornia COColorado CTConnecticut DEDelaware DCWashington DC FLFlorida GAGeorgia HIHawaii IDIdaho ILIllinois INIndiana IAIowa KSKansas KYKentucky LALouisiana MEMaine MDMaryland MAMassachusetts MIMichigan MNMinnesota MSMississippi MOMissouri MTMontana NENebraska NVNevada NHNew Hampshire NJNew Jersey NMNew Mexico NYNew York NCNorth Carolina NDNorth Dakota OHOhio OKOklahoma OROregon PAPennsylvania RIRhode Island SCSouth Carolina SDSouth Dakota TNTennessee TXTexas UTUtah VTVermont VAVirginia WAWashington WVWest Virginia WIWisconsin WYWyoming
About early learning standards

What are early learning standards?

Early learning standards are official frameworks established by each state that describe the knowledge, skills, and developmental milestones children are expected to reach from birth through kindergarten entry. Every U.S. state and the District of Columbia maintains its own framework — each with a unique name, structure, and set of indicators.

These standards serve three primary purposes in early childcare programs: guiding curriculum planning, informing developmental assessment and observation, and supporting program quality improvement. In most states, licensed childcare programs are required to use a standards-aligned curriculum and document children’s developmental progress against the state framework.

Why it matters for your program

Many state Quality Rating and Improvement Systems (QRIS) require programs to demonstrate curriculum alignment to state early learning standards as a condition of achieving higher ratings. Using a formally aligned curriculum like Experience Curriculum simplifies this process and provides ready documentation for QRIS reviews, licensing visits, and family conferences.

The 8 developmental domains

The 8 developmental domains covered by Experience Curriculum

While every state uses different terminology and framework names, early learning standards typically cover 7 to 8 developmental domains. Experience Curriculum is aligned across all 8 of the following domains in every state framework.

01 — Social-Emotional Development

Self-regulation, peer relationships, identity, empathy, and emotional expression

02 — Language & Literacy

Receptive and expressive language, phonological awareness, early reading and writing

03 — Mathematics & Reasoning

Number sense, patterns, measurement, spatial reasoning, and early problem-solving

04 — Physical Development

Gross and fine motor skills, body awareness, health, and self-care

05 — Science

Observation, inquiry, cause-and-effect, and exploration of the natural world

06 — Social Studies

Community, family, cultural identity, roles, and civic understanding

07 — Creative Arts

Visual arts, music, movement, dramatic play, and creative expression

08 — Approaches to Learning

Curiosity, persistence, initiative, flexibility, and attention — the foundations of lifelong learning

Curriculum alignment

How Experience Curriculum aligns to state early learning standards

Experience Curriculum is formally aligned to the early learning standards of all 50 states and DC. For each state, a dedicated alignment PDF documents how every activity, skill, and assessment indicator in Experience Curriculum maps to the specific state framework measure and developmental level it targets.

This alignment work covers all three Experience Curriculum age bands — Baby (birth to 18 months), Toddler (18 to 36 months), and Preschool (3 to 5 years) — and all 8 developmental domains. The alignment PDFs are available as free downloads from each state page.

About the alignment methodology

Experience Curriculum’s state alignments were developed by early childhood content experts through a systematic review of each state’s official standards document. Each alignment maps Experience Curriculum’s 35 research-based skills and 73 assessment indicators to the corresponding state framework measures. Alignments are reviewed and updated when states revise their frameworks.

Frequently asked questions

Common questions about early learning standards and curriculum alignment

What are early learning standards and why do they matter?
Early learning standards are state-established frameworks that define what children should know and be able to do from birth through kindergarten entry. They matter for childcare programs because they guide curriculum planning, inform developmental assessments, and are often required by state licensing agencies and Quality Rating and Improvement Systems (QRIS). Programs that use a formally aligned curriculum can demonstrate compliance more easily and spend less time on documentation.
Does every state have its own early learning standards?
Yes. All 50 states and the District of Columbia maintain their own early learning standards frameworks. Each state uses a different official name — for example, California uses the Desired Results Developmental Profile (DRDP), Texas uses the TEKS, and Indiana uses the Indiana Early Learning Foundations. Select your state above to see its specific framework name and alignment details.
Is Experience Curriculum aligned to my state’s early learning standards?
Yes. Experience Curriculum is formally aligned to all 50 state early learning standards frameworks and DC. Select your state above to download the alignment PDF and see how Experience Curriculum maps to your state’s specific framework, including all 8 developmental domains and all three age bands — Baby, Toddler, and Preschool.
How can curriculum alignment help my program’s QRIS rating?
Most state Quality Rating and Improvement Systems assess curriculum quality as part of their rating rubric. Programs that use a research-based, standards-aligned curriculum with embedded assessment tools and family engagement materials typically score higher in the Curriculum and Learning Environment domain. Experience Curriculum’s formal state alignment documentation can be submitted directly as evidence during QRIS reviews.
How often are the state alignment PDFs updated?
Alignment PDFs are reviewed and updated when states revise their official early learning standards frameworks. Select your state page to see the current alignment version and any notes about recent state framework revisions.

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