The Rhode Island Board of Education adopted the Rhode Island Early Childhood Learning and Development Standards (RIELDS) on May 23, 2013. The Race to the Top – Early Learning Challenge grant provided funds for the revision and expansion of the state’s early learning and development standards. Throughout 2022, the RIELDS were opened for public comment and revision. On January 24th 2023 the 2023 Rhode Island Early Learning and Development Standards were endorsed by the Council on Elementary and Secondary Education.

Charting the Course for Success: Rhode Island’s Early Childhood Learning and Development Standards were made possible by many dedicated individuals giving countless hours to the project. We are grateful for the multitude of early childhood stakeholders: The RI Early Learning Council (ELC), the Region 2 Comprehensive Center (R2CC), licensed family childcare providers, licensed child care administrators and teachers, Head Start, RI Pre-K administrators and teachers, public school administrators and teachers, and special education programs and parents and community members who provided input and made recommendations that enriched the level of content and quality of the standards.

We must also recognize those who were instrumental in drafting multiple versions of the early learning and development standards: