The Rhode Island Early Learning Standards provide guidance to families, teachers and administrators on what children should know and be able to do as they enter kindergarten. They are intended to be inclusive of all children — English language learners, children with special health care needs, children with disabilities and children who are typically developing — recognizing that children may meet the Early Learning Standards at different times and in different ways.




The Early Learning Standards should be used to:

• inform educators in the development of curriculum
• inform families about the development of four-year-old children who are about to enter kindergarten
• focus a conversation among families, community members and legislators about the education of young children
• provide a framework for administrators to oversee curricula practices and advocate for resources
• guide the selection of assessment tools that are appropriate for learners from a variety of backgrounds with differing abilities.

The Early Learning Standards are not intended to be used to:

• assess the competence of young children
• mandate specific teaching practices or materials
• determine rewards or penalties for educational personnel
• prohibit children from entering kindergarten or
• exclude groups of children because of disabilities or home language.

The Rhode Island Early Learning Standards are divided into eight domains:

• Approaches to Learning
• Social and Emotional Development
• Language Development and Communication
• Literacy
• Mathematics
• Science
• Creativity
• Physical Health and Development

They are organized in a three-tier structure:

• Domains are general areas of learning.
• Learning Goals and Definitions are categories of knowledge and skills within each domain.
• Expectations are examples of typical four-year-old behavior that demonstrate competence in relation to each Learning Goal.
  

Play appears as the first Learning Goal in each of the eight domains. The Early Learning Standards reflect Rhode Island’s strong belief in the important role of play in how children learn. Through play, children enhance the learning of skills, knowledge and dispositions that guarantees success in later schooling.