Rhode Island Curriculum Project - Kindergarten and First Grade

The innovative curricula supports children in reaching Common Core State Standards (CCSS) by taking advantage of how young children learn best.

Beginning in the Fall of 2016, the Rhode Island Department of Education has sponsored the Kindergarten Curriculum Project. Currently, we have 70 classrooms implementing the interdisciplinary kindergarten curriculum, developed by the Boston Public Schools (BPS). Boston Public School's Focus on First will be piloted during the 2019-2020 school year in select districts.

About the Curriculum

Focus on K2 and Focus on First curricula are informed by research showing that high-quality, developmentally appropriate early learning produces the best results for all children. Focus on Early Learning is designed to engage children and empower them to develop language, math, critical thinking, and social/emotional skills that prepare them for long-term academic and life success. 

Teachers strive to frame cultural, linguistic, and developmental diversity as assets, rather than barriers, to quality experiences. Children gain the confident disposition of critical thinkers and flexibly use creative skills to meet the challenges and opportunities of 21st century citizenry. The Focus on Early Learning curricula articulate the implicit messages of the Guiding Principals through the following explicit instructional practices:

• discourse, facilitation, and feedback;
• experiential learning across disciplines;
• address variance of development, processes, and perspectives;
• active agency and autonomy; and
• documentation of teaching and learning.

Access the Curriculum

For further information regarding this open-source curriculum, visit Boston Public Schools Department of Early Childhood website.

• Focus on K2 (kindergarten)
• Focus on First - revised curriculum will be available in Summer 2019.