Georgia’s GELDS: The official early learning standards framework
Georgia’s early learning standards are organized under the Georgia Early Learning and Development Standards (GELDS), administered by the Georgia Department of Early Care and Learning (DECAL), also known as Bright from the Start. Introduced in 2013, GELDS applies to licensed childcare centers, family childcare homes, Georgia’s Pre-K program, and Head Start programs serving children from birth through age 5.
GELDS defines developmental expectations across all 8 domains and guides curriculum planning, developmental assessment, and program quality statewide. Programs can access GELDS resources through the DECAL GELDS page and the interactive GELDS online database.
Georgia’s QRIS is called Quality Rated, administered by DECAL / Bright from the Start. Quality Rated is a three-star system evaluating programs across five structural quality categories and classroom observation using the Environment Rating Scales (ERS). Using a research-based curriculum aligned to Georgia’s GELDS supports higher Quality Rated star ratings.
Explore by developmental domain
Georgia’s GELDS domains and Experience Curriculum alignment
Select a developmental domain below to see how Georgia’s GELDS defines that domain, the key milestones by age group, and exactly how Experience Curriculum activities and skills map to each GELDS indicator.
Social-Emotional Development
Self-regulation, peer relationships, identity, empathy, and emotional expression
Explore Georgia Social-Emotional Development standards →Language & Literacy
Receptive and expressive language, phonological awareness, early reading and writing
Explore Georgia Language & Literacy standards →Mathematics & Reasoning
Number sense, patterns, measurement, spatial reasoning, and early problem-solving
Explore Georgia Mathematics & Reasoning standards →Science
Observation, inquiry, cause-and-effect, and exploration of the natural world
Explore Georgia Science standards →Social Studies
Community, family, cultural identity, roles, and civic understanding
Explore Georgia Social Studies standards →Creative Arts
Visual arts, music, movement, dramatic play, and creative expression
Explore Georgia Creative Arts standards →Physical Development
Gross and fine motor skills, body awareness, health, and self-care
Explore Georgia Physical Development standards →Approaches to Learning
Curiosity, persistence, initiative, flexibility, and attention
Explore Georgia Approaches to Learning standards →Curriculum alignment
How Experience Curriculum aligns to Georgia’s GELDS
Experience Curriculum is formally aligned to Georgia’s GELDS 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 Georgia GELDS Alignment PDF documents how every Experience Curriculum activity and skill maps to a specific GELDS indicator.
For Georgia programs using brightwheel, developmental observations can be logged directly in the app during or after activities, automatically building each child’s portfolio and supporting Quality Rated curriculum documentation requirements.
The Georgia GELDS Alignment PDF is a free resource documenting how every Experience Curriculum activity maps to Georgia’s GELDS indicators — suitable for QRIS review submissions and licensing documentation.
Frequently asked questions