The California Department of Education (CDE), Early Education Division (EED) has released the California Preschool/Transitional Kindergarten Learning Foundations (PTKLF). The PTKLF describe the knowledge and skills that most children ages three to five and a half develop in a high-quality early education program. The PTKLF is a revision to the Preschool Learning Foundations originally released in 2008.

Grounded in the most recent science of learning and development and emphasis on culturally and linguistically responsive practices, the PTKLF describe key competencies children develop in nine domains of learning: (1) Approaches to Learning, (2) Social and Emotional Development, (3) Language and Literacy (including Foundational Language Development and English Language Development), (4) Mathematics, (5) Science, (6) Physical Development, (7) Health, (8) History-Social Science, and (9) Visual and Performing Arts.

These foundations are intended for use in transitional kindergarten, the California State Preschool Program, and other state-funded, federally-funded, and private preschool programs in California including school-based, center-based, and home-based settings. For more information and for access to the PTKLF please visit: California PTKLF – Child Development (CA Dept of Education).