Curriculum & Assessment

Early Learning and Development Standards
The Early Learning and Development Standards describe the concepts and skills children develop and learn along the developmental continuum from birth to kindergarten entry. Their purpose is to support the development and well-being of young children and to foster their learning. The standards promote the understanding of early learning and development, provide a comprehensive and coherent set of early childhood educational expectations for children’s development and learning, and guide the design and implementation of curriculum, assessment and instructional practices with young children. The standards encompass six learning domains.

Social Emotional Development
http://earlychildhoodohio.org/elds/pdf/Social-Emotional-Development.pdf

Approaches Toward Learning
http://earlychildhoodohio.org/elds/pdf/Approaches-Toward-Learning.pdf

Physical Well Being & Motor Development
http://earlychildhoodohio.org/elds/pdf/Physical-Well-Being-and-Motor-Development.pdf

Cognition (Including Math, Science & Social Studies)
http://education.ohio.gov/Topics/Early-Learning/Early-Learning-Content-Standards/Birth-Through-Pre_K-Learning-and-Development-Stand

Language & Literacy
http://education.ohio.gov/getattachment/Topics/Early-Learning/Early-Learning-Content-Standards/Birth-Through-Pre_K-Learning-and-Development-Stand/ELDS-Language-and-Literacy.pdf.aspx

The Early Learning and Development Standards Implementation Guides provide strategies for teachers to address the standards in developmentally appropriate ways.  The strategies in these guidance documents represent broad approaches to implementation in each strand that include creating rich, engaging environments and intentionally planning experiences to support development and learning.  

http://www.earlychildhoodohio.org/elds/implementation.stm

Early Learning Assessment
The Early Learning Assessment is a tool for teachers of preschool age children to learn about the current level of each child’s skills, knowledge and behaviors in the areas of Social Foundations, Language and Literacy, Mathematics, Science, Social Studies, Physical Well-Being and Motor Development, as well as the Fine Arts. Children do not complete test questions or provide test answers. The ELA is an ongoing process of observations performed by the teacher to gather information on how a child is developing over time. This process allows the teacher to form an understanding of the child’s learning and development that will assist them in planning future learning opportunities.

Prior to initial use, teachers must successfully complete the Early Learning Assessment training. Teachers must complete the training that includes demonstrating reliability on a video simulator and passing a content knowledge test. Before collecting evidence for the ELA, staff must attend and complete the ELA training. Upcoming Professional Development opportunities can be found here.

More Information about the Early Learning Assessment can be found here.