FLORIDA EARLY LEARNING AND DEVELOPMENTAL STANDARDS INTRODUCTION INTRODUCTION INTRODUCTION INTRODUCTION INTRODUCTION INTRODUCTION The first five years of life is a period of rapid development for young children. The first five years of life is a period of rapid development for young children. Recent research supports that every child is born with well-developed senses and reflexes. Recent research supports that every child is born with well-developed senses Beginning at birth, young infants are able to form relationships with adults, develop trust, and reflexes. Beginning at birth, young infants are able to form relationships with and explore the world. With adequate nutrition, an appropriate environment, and nurturing adults, develop trust, and explore the world. With adequate nutrition, an appropriate by responsive adults, young children become actively engaged in exploration and in learning environment, and nurturing by responsive adults, young children become actively about their environments. Each child’s special temperament and family context ensure that, engagedwhile development in exploration will follow and a somewhatin learning predictable about their sequence, environments. the child’s Each development child’s specialwill be unique. temperament and family context ensure that, while development will follow a somewhat predictable sequence, the child’s development will be unique. Florida’s Early Learning and Developmental Standards is a comprehensive document containingFlorida’s age-appropriate Early Learning information and Developmental and reflections Standardsabout how youngis a comprehensive children explore, documentcreate, and containingthink. The age-appropriateStandards are grounded information in Florida’s and reflections conviction aboutthat children’s how young early childrenexperiences explore, are directly create, relatedand think. to laterThe Standardssuccess in are school, grounded in the in workforce, Florida’s conviction and in life. thatThe informationchildren’s earlyin this experiences document isare offered directly to parents,related tocaregivers, later success and teachers in school, so thatin thetheir workforce, interactions and with in young life. childrenThe information in the home, in this and documentin School Readiness, is offered Voluntaryto parents, Pre- caregivers,Kindergarten and (VPK), teachers and other so earlythat theircare andinteractions education with programs young canchildren build uponin the children’s home, andemerging in School talents Readiness, and strengths Voluntary in appropriate Pre-Kindergarten and enriching (VPK), ways. and other early care and education programs can build upon children’s emerging talents and strengths in This document is the latest in a series of steps that Florida has taken to support appropriate and enriching ways. early learning programs in collaboration with public and private partners. The School Readiness Act, Section 411.01 of the Florida Statutes, created the Partnership for School In 2007, the Florida Office of Early Learning created a Steering Committee Readiness (now called the Agency for Workforce Innovation’s Office of Early Learning, or to provide guidance for a comprehensive set of Standards that would provide OEL). The Act also called for the creation of standards for school readiness programs. aIn developmentally2000, the Partnership appropriate approved educational standards forpath five-year-olds, for Florida’s which children were from augmented birth throughin 2001 byage standards four. This for three-document and four-year-olds. addresses five In 2004,developmental the Office ofdomains. Early Learning For eachadopted developmental the Florida Birth domain to Three the Learning Office hasand Developmentalidentified Standards Standards, which and reflect in 2005, the the expectationsFlorida Department regarding of Education’s a child’s age Office appropriate of Early Learning progress. established the Voluntary Pre- Kindergarten Standards, which were revised in 2008. In 2011, the Florida Office of Early Learning (OEL) and the Department of Education’s Since Officethese variousof Early StandardsLearning (DOE)were published,worked collaboratively caregivers and to developteachers, one parents, set ofand standards experts have for Florida’s provided four-year-olds suggestions for participating improvement. in eitherIn 2007, the the School Agency Readiness created a orSteering Voluntary Committee Prekindergarten to provide guidance(VPK) Education for a comprehensive Program. The set ofrevised Standards four-year-old that would standards,provide a developmentally adopted by the appropriate State Board educational of Education path andfor Florida’spromulgated children into from rule birthby OELthrough will age continue four. A to list provide of Committee guidance members for early can learning be found programs. in Appendix A. Florida’s Early Learning and Developmental Standards Introduction 1 GUIDING PRINCIPLES HOW TO USE THE STANDARDS GUIDING PRINCIPLES Florida’s Early Learning and Developmental Standards is organized into five domains, Florida’s Early Learning and Developmental Standards is based on principles that or areas of development. These domains include the following: Physical Development; incorporate our collective knowledge about child development and best practices. These HOW TO USE Approaches to Learning; Social and Emotional Development; Language and Communication; principles include the following: HOW TO USE Cognitive Development and General Knowledge. Each domain is divided into sub-domains The first five years is a period of rapid growth and development. that focus on specific areas. The Standards themselves are found within those sub-domains. Development begins prenatally and continues throughout life. During the first three years of Four practical examples are provided to help the reader understand each Standard. development, a child’s brain connections become increasingly complex, and interference with those connections could have long-term effects on development. Children’s increasing physical prowess To make the Standards useful for parents, caregivers, and teachers, a series of facilitates learning across all domains. The capacity to form and maintain productive and nurturing Questions to Ask Yourself are included for each domain. Suggestions for integrating the relationships with other people supports the development of cognitive and language skills. Standards into daily interactions with young children can be found in the Environmental Nurturing and responsive relationships are the foundation of health, growth, and Considerations section for each domain. An alignment between the Birth to Three Early development. Learning and Developmental Standards and the Head Start Program Performance Standards Young children depend on the unconditional love, support, and guidance of those adults can be found at the end of each section. who care for them in order to maximize new learning opportunities. The most important relationship in a young child’s life is the one between that child and her/his parents. Other significant adults The Standards can be used in multiple ways by a variety of audiences. must work in partnership with parents to ensure a seamless and supportive environment. This includes the following: Consistency and continuity of experiences promotes development. The Standards can help adults understand what children may be able to do, and what Young children thrive when there are common threads across the settings in which they to expect as they develop. While the Standards are not designed to be a screening develop. Their confidence in trying new skills and finding unique information is more apt to or an assessment tool, they can serve to help adults understand the typical order of occur when they can more accurately predict their environments, and have a sense of trust in development during the early years. the adults that care for them. Developmental milestones occur in a somewhat predictable order, but each child The Standards can guide parents, caregivers, and teachers as they plan intentional develops at a unique pace. and appropriate experiences for young children, based on an understanding of each Development occurs in all five domains, but not necessarily at the same pace. Growth child’s developmental accomplishments and anticipated next steps. in one domain can affect growth in other domains. Development is shaped by many factors, including genetics, the early environment, individual temperament and cultural background. The Standards can be a useful tool for enriching the experiences of young children with special needs. These children tend to develop less or more rapidly, or even out Children learn in many ways and in multiple settings. of sequence in the various domains. Understanding and planning for these children Learning occurs in all parts of the child’s world – at home, in early childhood settings, can help all who participate in early care and education programs. and in communities. Young children learn from their daily routines, and from both planned and unplanned activities. They learn from adults and from other children. This learning is enhanced The Standards create a common language for parents, caregivers, and teachers. A when adults actively guide and expand young children’s play through exploration, encouragement, hallmark of sound, early experiences is that the adults who care about young children imitation, and repetition. Limited overt direction from adults may be necessary as well. work together to