Alabama’s ASELD: The official early learning standards framework
Alabama’s early learning standards are organized under Alabama’s Standards for Early Learning and Development (ASELD), revised in 2023 and administered by the Alabama Department of Early Childhood Education (ADECE). ASELD applies to licensed childcare centers, family childcare homes, Head Start programs, and First Class Pre-K programs serving children from birth through kindergarten entry.
ASELD defines developmental expectations across all 8 domains and guides curriculum planning, developmental observation, and program quality improvement statewide. Programs can view current guidance at the ADECE ASELD page.
Alabama’s QRIS is called Alabama Quality STARS, administered by ADECE. Programs using a research-based curriculum aligned to ASELD support higher Quality STARS ratings in the Curriculum and Learning Environment category. All licensed childcare programs in good standing are automatically enrolled at STAR 1.
Explore by developmental domain
Alabama’s ASELD domains and Experience Curriculum alignment
Select a developmental domain below to see how Alabama’s ASELD defines that domain, the key milestones by age group, and exactly how Experience Curriculum activities and skills map to each ASELD indicator.
Social-Emotional Development
Self-regulation, peer relationships, identity, empathy, and emotional expression
Explore Alabama Social-Emotional Development standards →Language & Literacy
Receptive and expressive language, phonological awareness, early reading and writing
Explore Alabama Language & Literacy standards →Mathematics & Reasoning
Number sense, patterns, measurement, spatial reasoning, and early problem-solving
Explore Alabama Mathematics & Reasoning standards →Science
Observation, inquiry, cause-and-effect, and exploration of the natural world
Explore Alabama Science standards →Social Studies
Community, family, cultural identity, roles, and civic understanding
Explore Alabama Social Studies standards →Creative Arts
Visual arts, music, movement, dramatic play, and creative expression
Explore Alabama Creative Arts standards →Physical Development
Gross and fine motor skills, body awareness, health, and self-care
Explore Alabama Physical Development standards →Approaches to Learning
Curiosity, persistence, initiative, flexibility, and attention
Explore Alabama Approaches to Learning standards →Curriculum alignment
How Experience Curriculum aligns to Alabama’s ASELD
Experience Curriculum is formally aligned to Alabama’s ASELD 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 Alabama Alignment PDF documents how every Experience Curriculum activity and skill maps to a specific ASELD indicator.
For Alabama programs using brightwheel, developmental observations can be logged directly in the app during or after activities, automatically building each child’s portfolio and supporting Alabama Quality STARS curriculum documentation.
The Alabama ASELD Alignment PDF is a free resource documenting how every Experience Curriculum activity maps to Alabama’s ASELD indicators — suitable for QRIS review submissions and licensing documentation.
Frequently asked questions