Massachusetts’s Massachusetts Early Learning Guidelines: The official early learning standards framework
Massachusetts’ early learning standards are organized under two documents: the Massachusetts Early Learning Guidelines for Infants and Toddlers (2010/2011) and the Guidelines for Preschool Learning Experiences (updated November 2019), both administered by the Massachusetts Department of Early Education and Care (EEC). Together they apply to licensed childcare centers, family childcare homes, and state-funded preschool programs serving children from birth through kindergarten entry.
Massachusetts’ Guidelines define developmental expectations across all 8 domains and guide curriculum planning, developmental assessment, and program quality. Programs can view current guidance at the EEC Learning Standards page.
Massachusetts’ formal QRIS (MA CQIS) is currently paused while EEC develops an updated continuous quality improvement system. EEC Program Quality Specialists continue to be available to support programs’ continuous quality improvement efforts. Using a research-based curriculum aligned to Massachusetts’ Early Learning Guidelines supports ongoing quality improvement and licensing compliance.
Explore by developmental domain
Massachusetts’s Massachusetts Early Learning Guidelines domains and Experience Curriculum alignment
Select a developmental domain below to see how Massachusetts’s Massachusetts Early Learning Guidelines defines that domain, the key milestones by age group, and exactly how Experience Curriculum activities and skills map to each Massachusetts Early Learning Guidelines indicator.
Social-Emotional Development
Self-regulation, peer relationships, identity, empathy, and emotional expression
Explore Massachusetts Social-Emotional Development standards →Language & Literacy
Receptive and expressive language, phonological awareness, early reading and writing
Explore Massachusetts Language & Literacy standards →Mathematics & Reasoning
Number sense, patterns, measurement, spatial reasoning, and early problem-solving
Explore Massachusetts Mathematics & Reasoning standards →Science
Observation, inquiry, cause-and-effect, and exploration of the natural world
Explore Massachusetts Science standards →Social Studies
Community, family, cultural identity, roles, and civic understanding
Explore Massachusetts Social Studies standards →Creative Arts
Visual arts, music, movement, dramatic play, and creative expression
Explore Massachusetts Creative Arts standards →Physical Development
Gross and fine motor skills, body awareness, health, and self-care
Explore Massachusetts Physical Development standards →Approaches to Learning
Curiosity, persistence, initiative, flexibility, and attention
Explore Massachusetts Approaches to Learning standards →Curriculum alignment
How Experience Curriculum aligns to Massachusetts’s Massachusetts Early Learning Guidelines
Experience Curriculum is formally aligned to Massachusetts’s Massachusetts Early Learning Guidelines 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 Massachusetts Early Learning Guidelines Alignment PDF documents how every Experience Curriculum activity and skill maps to a specific Massachusetts Early Learning Guidelines indicator.
For Massachusetts 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 Improvement curriculum documentation requirements.
The Massachusetts Early Learning Guidelines Alignment PDF is a free resource documenting how every Experience Curriculum activity maps to Massachusetts’s Massachusetts Early Learning Guidelines indicators — suitable for QRIS review submissions and licensing documentation.
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