1. Transitional Kindergarten Implementation Summit
Alignment of the California Preschool Learning Foundations with the Common Core State Standards
November 8, 2011
Presenters: Peter L. Mangione, WestEd
Osnat Zur, WestEd
This presentation is drawn from a project of the California Department of Education, Child Development Division

2. The Preschool Learning Foundations
Goal: To strengthen preschool education and children’s school
readiness
Developed by researchers, early childhood educators, and other stakeholders.
Age Range: Describe key knowledge and skills that children acquire with appropriate support
At around 48 months of age
At around 60 months of age
Cover nine developmental domains

3. Preschool Learning Foundations
Preschool Learning Foundations, Volume 1
Social-Emotional Development
Language and Literacy
English-Language Development
Mathematics
Preschool Learning Foundations, Volume 2
Visual and Performing Arts
Physical Development
Health
Preschool Learning Foundations, Volume 3
History-Social Science
Science

4. The Common Core State Standards
Goal: Clear and consistent goals for learning, to prepare America’s children for success in college and work
Led by the National Governors Association (NGA), and the Council of Chief State School Offices (CCSSO), and developed in collaboration with a variety of stakeholders
Age Range: Standards for every grade level (K-12th grade)
Domains:
English-Language Arts & Literacy in History/Social Studies, Science, and Technical Subjects.
Mathematics

5. The Alignment
Draws the connection between the preschool learning foundations in the domains:
Language and Literacy
Mathematics
and the corresponding common core state
standards.
Illustrates the developmental progression of key foundations in these domains, as they relate to specific common core state standards

6. Aspects to Consider in Reviewing the Alignment:
Organization of the two resources:
Each of the documents groups standards or foundations into domains
The standards/foundations in a domain are organized in key content areas (referred to as strands in the preschool foundations)
Specific foundations within the strands are organized in subgroups (referred to as substrands in the preschool foundations).

7. Aspects to Consider in Reviewing the Alignment:
Key Characteristics of Early Learning and
Development:
Differences among different age periods: The preschool foundations and the kindergarten common core state standards were written for children at different age periods. The foundations/standards reflect these developmental differences.

8. Key Characteristics of Early Learning and Development:
Differentiation of Competencies as Children
Learn and Develop
Some developments reflect continuous growth, with quantitative change over time (e.g, vocabulary growth)
Other developments result in qualitative changes and the emergence of new competencies (e.g., the ability to write).
Many of the competencies described at the preschool level become more differentiated and lead to more specific competencies at the kindergarten level.

9. Alignment with Common Core Standards: Language and Literacy
Preschool Foundations
Common Core Standards-KG
Domain:
Language & Literacy
Domain:
English-Language Arts & Literacy in History/Social Studies, Science, and Technical Subjects.
The Common Core State Standards present a broad picture of literacy across different academic subjects.

10. Language and Literacy Alignment at Strand Level:
The preschool learning foundations and the common core state standards are organized according to the same basic categories (strands): listening and speaking, reading and writing.
The common core state standards also include a strand identified as language standards. It includes standards for grammar and vocabulary, covered under listening and speaking in the preschool foundations.

11. Language and Literacy Alignment at Strand Level:
Common Core Standards-KG
Preschool Foundations
Listening and Speaking
Reading
Writing
Speaking and Listening
Language Standards
Reading Standards for Literature
Reading Standards for Informational Texts
Reading Standards: Foundational Skills
Writing Standards

12. Language and Literacy Alignment at Substrand Level:
Specific preschool foundations in each strand are grouped in substrands
Specific common core state standards are organized according to key areas, overarching College and Career Readiness (CCR) anchor standards
The alignment draws the connection between substrands in the preschool foundations and common core anchor standards.

13. Preschool Foundations: Listening and Speaking
Substrands:
Common Core Standards- K
Anchor Standards
Speaking & Listening
Comprehension and Collaboration
Presentation of Knowledge and Ideas
Language Standards
Vocabulary Acquisition and Use
Conventions of Standard English
1.0 Language use and Conventions 2.0 Vocabulary 3.0 Grammar

14. Preschool Foundations: Reading
Common Core Standards- KG
Anchor Standards
Preschool Foundations
Substrands
Print Concepts
Craft and Structure
Phonological Awareness
Phonics and Word Recognition
Key Ideas and Details
Integration of knowledge and ideas
1.0 Concepts about Print 2.0 Phonological Awareness 3.0 Alphabetics and word/print recognition 4.0 Comprehension and analysis of age-appropriate text 5.0 Literacy interest and response

15. Writing Preschool Foundations Common Core Standards- K
Substrand
Common Core Standards- K
Anchor Standards
1.0 Writing Strategies
Text Types and Purposes
Production and Distribution of Writing
Research to Build and Present Knowledge

16. Language and Literacy Alignment Analysis:
Substantial correspondence in content between the preschool foundations and the common core state standards in all areas
Certain common core standards focus on skills that emerge in kindergarten, and therefore have no corresponding content in the preschool foundations:
Reading
Fluency (Read text with purpose and understanding)
Range of Reading and Level of Text Complexity
Writing
Production and Distribution of Writing
Research to Build and Present Knowledge

17. Developmental Progression Across Age-Levels Example: Concepts about Print
Preschool Foundations
At around 60 months
Common Core Standards-K
Concepts about Print
1.1 Display appropriate book-handling behaviors and knowledge of print conventions.
1.2 Understand that print is something that is read and has specific meaning
Print Concepts
1. Demonstrate understanding of the organization and basic features of print.
Follow words from left to right, top to bottom, and page by page.
Recognize that spoken words are represented in written language by specific sequences of letters.
Understand that words are separated by spaces in print.

18. Developmental Progression Across Age-Levels Example: Writing
Common Core Standards-K
Preschool Foundations
At around 60 months
Writing Strategies
1.1 Adjust grasp and body position for increased control in drawing and writing.
1.2 Writes letter or letter-like shapes to represent words or ideas.
1.3 Writes first name nearly correctly.
Text Types and Purposes
1. Use a combination of drawing, dictating, and writing to compose opinion pieces in which they tell a reader the topic or the name of the book they are writing about and state an opinion or preference about the topic or book (e.g., My favorite book is . . .).
2. Use a combination of drawing, dictating, and writing to compose informative/explanatory texts in which they name what they are writing about and supply some information about the topic.
3. Use a combination of drawing, dictating, and writing to narrate a single event or several loosely linked events, tell about the events in the order in which they occurred, and provide a reaction to what happened.

19. Domain: Mathematics
Alignment of the Preschool Learning Foundations and the Kindergarten Common Core State Standards

20. Strands in the Preschool Learning Foundations in Mathematics Domain
Number Sense
Classification & Patterning
Mathematical Reasoning
Measurement
Geometry
Cover five main developmental strands:
Number Sense
Algebra & Functions (Classification and Patterning)
Measurement
Geometry
Mathematical Reasoning
High degree of alignment with NCTM standards and CA K-12 content standards-
Add more details. Expand on the standards identified by NCTM- age specific expectations in key areas (No Separate Data Analysis)
Here- Mathematical Reasoning at the center- relates to all areas.

21. Organization of the Common Core State Standards- Mathematics Domain
Standards for Mathematical Content
Counting and Cardinality
Operations and Algebraic Thinking
Number and Operations in Base Ten
Measurement and Data
Geometry
Standards for Mathematical Practice
Eight key processes and proficiencies that apply to all content areas in all grade-levels

22. Mathematics Alignment at Strand Level:
Preschool Foundations
Common Core Standards-K
Number Sense
Algebra and Functions (Classification and Patterning)
Measurement
Geometry
Mathematical Reasoning
Counting and Cardinality
Operations and Algebraic Thinking
Number and Operations in Base Ten
Measurement and Data
Geometry
Mathematical Practices

23. Mathematics Alignment at Strand Level:
Even though the preschool foundations and the common core standards are organized somewhat differently, overall, both cover the same key areas in mathematics.
Differences in organization:
Content related to number sense in the preschool learning foundations is represented in two key area in the common core state standards: counting and cardinality, and operations and algebraic thinking.
Content in number and operations in base ten of the Common Core State Standards is too advanced for it to have corresponding content in the preschool foundations.
Content related to Classification appears under algebra and function in the preschool foundations, and under measurement and data in the Common Core State Standards.

24. Preschool Foundations: Number Sense
Common Core Standards- K
Preschool Foundations
Substrands:
1.0 Children understand numbers and quantities in the their everyday environment 2.0 Children understand number relationships and operations in their everyday environment
Counting and Cardinality
Know number names and the count sequence
Count to tell the number of objects
Compare numbers
Operations and Algebraic Thinking
Understand addition as putting together and adding to, and understand subtraction as taking apart and taking from.
Number and Operations in Base Ten
Work with numbers to gain foundations for place vale.

25. Preschool Foundations: Algebra and Functions (Classification and Patterning)
Common Core Standards- K
Preschool Foundations
Substrands
1.0 Children sort and classify objects in their everyday environment
2.0 Children recognize/expand understanding of simple repeating patterns.
Measurement and Data
Classify objects and count the number of objects in categories.

26. Preschool Foundations: Measurement
Common Core Standards- K
Preschool Foundations
Substrand
1.0 Children compare, order, and measure objects
Measurement and Data
Describe and compare measurable attributes.

27. Preschool Foundations: Geometry
Substrands
Common Core Standards- K
1.0 Children identify and use shapes 2.0 Children understand positions in space
Geometry
Identify and describe shapes
Analyze, compare, create, and compose shapes

28. Preschool Foundations: Mathematical Reasoning
Common Core Standards- K
Preschool Foundations
Substrand
Standards for Mathematical Practices
Make sense of problems and persevere in solving them
Reason abstractly and quantitatively
Construct viable arguments and critique the reasoning of others
Model with mathematics
Use appropriate tools strategically.
Attend to precision.
Look for and make use of structure
Look for and express regularity in repeated reasoning
1.0 Children use mathematical thinking to solve problems in their everyday environment

29. Mathematics Alignment at Substrand Level:
For almost every substrand of the preschool learning foundations, there is a category in the common core state standards with corresponding content.
The Common Core State Standards
Include differentiated standards in mathematical reasoning
Do not include standards related to patterning, subitizing (number sense), and measuring length (measurement).
Developmental progression across age-levels in every substrand

30. Developmental Progression Across Age-Levels Example: Number Sense (Counting)
Preschool Foundations
At around 60 months
Common Core Standards- K
Know number names and the count sequence.
Count to 100 by ones and by tens. 
Count forward beginning from a given number within the known sequence (instead of having to begin at 1).
1.1 Recites numbers in order to twenty with increasing accuracy.

31. Developmental Progression Across Age-Levels Example: Geometry (Shapes)
Preschool Foundations
At around 60 months
Common Core Standards- K
1.1 Identify, describe, and construct a variety of different shapes, including variations of circle, triangle, rectangle, square, and other shapes.
Identify and describe shapes (squares, circles, triangles, hexagons, cubes, cones, cylinders, and spheres). 
Correctly name shapes regardless of their orientations or overall size.
Identify shapes as two-dimensional (lying in a plane, “flat”) or three-dimensional (“solid”).
Analyze, compare, create, and compose shapes.
Analyze and compare two- and three-dimensional shapes, in different sizes and orientations, using informal language to describe their similarities, differences, parts (e.g., number of sides and vertices/”corners”) and other attributes (e.g., having sides of equal length).

32. In Summary,
The alignment indicates substantial correspondence in content between the preschool learning foundations and the common core state standards.
The two documents cover the same key areas in language & literacy and in mathematics, even when the content is organized somewhat differently in the preschool foundations and in the common core standards.
The alignment illustrates a developmental progression across age-levels, and the differentiation of competencies as children learn and develop.

33. Alignment of the Preschool Learning Foundations in English-Language Development with the K-12 Content Standards in English Language Development

34. The Preschool Learning Foundations in English-Language Development
Describe a typical developmental progression in four general categories of English acquisition: listening, speaking, reading, and writing
Describe a continuum of “beginning,” “middle,” and “later” stages of English acquisition for every foundation.

35. The K-12 Content Standards in English Language Development
Include standards in three main areas: listening and speaking, reading, writing
Describe standards in three levels, “beginning,” “intermediate” and “advanced”.
Children proceed through these levels based on their individual progress in listening, speaking, reading and writing skills.

36. Aspects to Consider in Reviewing the Alignment in the ELD Domain:
The K-12 English-language development standards do not represent a developmental progression from preschool to kindergarten, and therefore it is not possible to align specific preschool foundations to specific K-12 standards in the ELD Domain.
The alignment only points to corresponding content areas (substrands) in the preschool foundations and the K-12 ELD standards, but does not identify the next level in English acquisition for children entering kindergarten.

37. English-Language Development Alignment at Strand Level:
The preschool learning foundations and the kindergarten content standards are organized according to the same basic categories (strands): listening and speaking, reading and writing.
Both documents describe a continuum of English-language development across three levels.

38. English-Language Development Alignment at Strand Level:
Preschool Foundations
K-12 ELD Standards
Listening
Speaking
Reading
Writing
Listening and Speaking
Reading
Writing

39. English Language Development Alignment at Substrand Level: Listening
Preschool Foundations
K-12 Standards
Listening
Children listen with Understanding
Listening and Speaking
Strategies and Applications; Comprehension
And elements from:
Reading
Word Analysis, Fluency, and Systematic Vocabulary Development; Vocabulary and concept Development

40. English Language Development Alignment at Substrand Level: Speaking
Preschool Foundations
K-12 Standards
Speaking
Children use nonverbal and verbal strategies to communicate with others
Children use language to create narratives
Children begin to understand and use social conventions in English
Listening and Speaking
Strategies and Applications; Organization and delivery of oral communication
Reading
Word Analysis, Fluency, and Systematic Vocabulary Development; Vocabulary and concept Development
Strategies and applications; Comprehension; Organization and Delivery of Oral Communication

41. English Language Development Alignment at Substrand Level: Reading
Preschool Foundations
K-12 Standards
Reading
Children demonstrate an appreciation and enjoyment of reading and literature
Children show an increasing understanding of book reading
Children demonstrate an understanding of print conventions.
Children demonstrate awareness that print carries meaning
Reading
Reading Comprehension; Comprehension and analysis of grade-level appropriate text; structural features of informational materials
Reading Comprehension; Comprehension and analysis of grade-level appropriate text

42. English Language Development Alignment at Substrand Level: Reading
Preschool Foundations
K-12 Standards
Reading
Children demonstrate progress in their knowledge of the alphabet in English
Children demonstrate phonological awareness
Reading
Word Analysis, Fluency, and Systematic Vocabulary Development; Phonemic Awareness; Decoding and Word Recognition

43. English Language Development Alignment at Substrand Level: Writing
Preschool Foundations
K-12 Standards
Writing
Children use writing to communicate their ideas
Writing
Strategies and Applications; Penmanship; Organization and Focus

44. English Language Development Alignment Analysis
All substrands in the preschool learning foundations are aligned with a kindergarten ELD substrand with corresponding content, except for the following preschool substrands:
Children demonstrate an appreciation and enjoyment of reading and literature
Children demonstrate awareness that print carries meaning

45. Alignment of the Preschool Learning Foundations in Social-Emotional Development with the Kindergarten Content Standards in Health: Mental, Emotional, and Social Health

46. Alignment with the Kindergarten Content Standards: Social-Emotional Development
Preschool Foundations
K Content Standards
Domain:
Social-Emotional Development
Domain:
Health
Mental, Emotional, and Social Health

47. Social-Emotional Development : Alignment with Kindergarten Content Standards
The kindergarten content standards related to social-emotional development are included as part of the health domain, under the strand, mental, emotional and social health, rather than as a separate domain.
Some, but not all, of the content in the preschool domain Social-Emotional Development aligns with the mental, emotional, and social health strand of the kindergarten Health domain.

48. Social-Emotional Development Alignment at Strand Level:
Preschool Foundations
Content Standards- K
Social-Emotional Development
Self
Social Interaction
Relationships
Health
Mental, Emotional and Social Health

49. Social-Emotional Development Alignment at Substrand Level: Self
Preschool Foundations
Content Standards- K
Self
1.0 Self Awareness
2.0 Self Regulation
3.0 Social and Emotional Understanding
4.0 Empathy and Caring
5.0 Initiative in Learning
Essential Concepts
Interpersonal Communication
Practicing Health-Enhancing Behaviors
Goal Setting
Practicing Health Enhancing Behaviors

50. Social-Emotional Development Alignment at Substrand Level: Social Interaction
Preschool Foundations
Content Standards- K
Social Interaction
1.0 Interactions with Familiar Adults
2.0 Interactions with Peers
3.0 Group Participation
4.0 Cooperation and Responsibility
Interpersonal Communication

51. Social-Emotional Development Alignment at Substrand Level: Relationships
Preschool Foundations
Content Standards- K
Relationships
1.0 Attachment to Parents
2.0 Close Relationships with Teachers and Caregivers
3.0 Friendships
Essential Concepts
Analyzing Influences
Accessing Valid Information

52. Social-Emotional-Development Alignment Analysis
The Mental, Emotional, and Social Health content standards give a more narrow coverage of social-emotional development than the preschool learning foundations.
The content in the preschool substrands initiative in learning, interaction with familiar adults, group participation, cooperation and responsibility, and friendships has no corresponding content in the kindergarten standards.
The overlapping content between preschool foundations and kindergarten standards in social-emotional development illustrates a progression across age-levels.

53. For questions or additional information, you may contact:
Peter L. Mangione
Center for Child and Family Studies, WestEd
Osnat Zur