Rhode Island’s RIELDS: The official early learning standards framework
Rhode Island’s early learning standards are organized under the Rhode Island Early Learning and Development Standards (RIELDS), 2023 revision, administered by the Rhode Island Department of Education (RIDE). Originally adopted in 2013 and revised in 2023 — with play now embedded throughout rather than as a separate standard — RIELDS applies to licensed childcare centers, family childcare homes, and state-funded preschool programs serving children from birth through kindergarten entry.
RIELDS defines developmental expectations across all 8 domains and guides curriculum planning, developmental assessment, and program quality statewide. Programs can view current guidance at the RIDE RIELDS page.
Rhode Island’s QRIS is called BrightStars, Rhode Island’s Tiered Quality Rating and Improvement System. Programs serving children in the Child Care Assistance Program (CCAP) and all State Pre-K programs are required to have a BrightStars rating. Programs earn one to five stars based on research-based quality practices. Using a research-based curriculum aligned to Rhode Island’s RIELDS supports higher BrightStars ratings.
Explore by developmental domain
Rhode Island’s RIELDS domains and Experience Curriculum alignment
Select a developmental domain below to see how Rhode Island’s RIELDS defines that domain, the key milestones by age group, and exactly how Experience Curriculum activities and skills map to each RIELDS indicator.
Social-Emotional Development
Self-regulation, peer relationships, identity, empathy, and emotional expression
Explore Rhode Island Social-Emotional Development standards →Language & Literacy
Receptive and expressive language, phonological awareness, early reading and writing
Explore Rhode Island Language & Literacy standards →Mathematics & Reasoning
Number sense, patterns, measurement, spatial reasoning, and early problem-solving
Explore Rhode Island Mathematics & Reasoning standards →Science
Observation, inquiry, cause-and-effect, and exploration of the natural world
Explore Rhode Island Science standards →Social Studies
Community, family, cultural identity, roles, and civic understanding
Explore Rhode Island Social Studies standards →Creative Arts
Visual arts, music, movement, dramatic play, and creative expression
Explore Rhode Island Creative Arts standards →Physical Development
Gross and fine motor skills, body awareness, health, and self-care
Explore Rhode Island Physical Development standards →Approaches to Learning
Curiosity, persistence, initiative, flexibility, and attention
Explore Rhode Island Approaches to Learning standards →Curriculum alignment
How Experience Curriculum aligns to Rhode Island’s RIELDS
Experience Curriculum is formally aligned to Rhode Island’s RIELDS 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 Rhode Island RIELDS Alignment PDF documents how every Experience Curriculum activity and skill maps to a specific RIELDS indicator.
For Rhode Island programs using brightwheel, developmental observations can be logged directly in the app during or after activities, automatically building each child’s portfolio and supporting BrightStars curriculum documentation requirements.
The Rhode Island RIELDS Alignment PDF is a free resource documenting how every Experience Curriculum activity maps to Rhode Island’s RIELDS indicators — suitable for QRIS review submissions and licensing documentation.
Frequently asked questions