1. Teaching and Learning
1D. Curriculum and Child Assessment
Informational Resources
Illinois Early Learning Guidelines for Birth to Three
http://illinoisearlylearning.org/guidelines/index.htm
The Illinois Early Learning Guidelines for Children Birth to Age 3 provide early childhood professionals and policy makers a framework for understanding child development by presenting information on what children know and should do and what development looks like in everyday life. The main goal of the Guidelines is to offer early childhood professionals a cohesive analysis of children’s development with common expectations and common language. These Guidelines also provide suggestions and ideas on how to create early experiences that benefit all children’s learning and development.
Illinois Early Learning and Development Standards for Preschool
http://illinoisearlylearning.org/ields/index.htm
The Illinois Early Learning Project has launched a convenient HTML version of the 2013 Illinois Early Learning and Development Standards (IELDS), ages 3 to kindergarten enrollment age, allowing users easy access from a variety of platforms. The HTML version includes a handy drop-down feature that shows the Example Performance Descriptors for most standards.
Specific Tools
Below are curriculums in alphabetical order that have been reviewed and are aligned to the Illinois Early Learning Guidelines for Children Birth to Age Three Years (IELG) and the Illinois Early Learning and Development Standards for Preschool 3 years old to Kindergarten Enrollment Age (IELDS).
The State of Illinois and its administering agencies (ISBE, IDHS, DCFS) do not "approve" or "endorse" any specific curriculum for implementation in any of its funded and/or regulated early childhood programs. The Curriculum Crosswalk is solely to determine whether the curriculum is aligned with the Illinois Early Learning Guidelines for ages birth–3, and/or the Illinois Early Learning and Development Standards for ages 3–5. If determined aligned, the curriculum is accepted by ExceleRate Illinois as evidence of program compliance with Standard 1B, Curriculum for centers and Standard 1D, Curriculum for family child care.
Please Note
- Aligned curricula are generally acceptable for use in both center-based and family child care settings, unless the publisher provides a separate and distinct curriculum for family child care.
- Child Assessment Tools which accompany and align with the curricula on this list are generally acceptable for Child Assessment Standard 1E in centers and Standard 1D in family child care. A separate alignment process is not required unless the child assessment tool is independent of the curriculum.
- Even though a curriculum is determined to be aligned with the Illinois Early Learning Guidelines and/or the Illinois Early Learning and Development Standards, it may not meet all criteria as set forth by individual early childhood programs, such as Preschool for All and Head Start. Please check with the appropriate administering agency for specific guidelines.
- If programs use a core curriculum and then layer on additional or supplement curriculum specific to certain program areas (i.e. literacy, math/STEM, social-emotional, inclusion, etc…) only the core curriculum must be on the aligned curriculum list.
Proprietary Curriculum
Bank Street Developmental Interaction Approach
bankstreet.edu
Big Day for PreK
http://www.hmhco.com/products/big-day-pre-k/?kw=big%20day%20for%20pre-k&atrkid=v3adw4bbc5b9b_10328525628_kwd-139009749362__53331907428_g_c___1t1
Blueprint for Early Literacy, published by the Children's Literacy Initiative (CLI), ages 3-5
https://cli.org/blueprint/
The Creative Curriculum®
https://shop.teachingstrategies.com/page/74258-creative-curriculum-infants-toddlers.cfm#product_overview
https://shop.teachingstrategies.com/page/73756-creative-curriculum-system-preschool.cfm#product_overview
Curiosity Corner Preschool Curriculum
http://www.successforall.org/our-approach/classroom-programs/curiosity-corner/
DIG (Discover, Inspire, Grow) Preschool Curriculum, Abrams Learning Trends
https://www.abramslearningtrends.com/products/dig
Frog Street Pre-K
Frog Street Threes
Frog Street Toddlers
Frog Street Infants
http://www.frogstreet.com/curriculum/
FunShine Express Early Learning Curricula
http://www.funshineexpress.com/
Galileo Pre-K Online Curriculum
www.ati-online.com
Gee Whiz Family Child Care Curriculum
http://www.geewhizeducation.com/
HighScope Infant and Toddler Curriculum
https://highscope.org/infant-toddler
HighScope Preschool Curriculum
https://highscope.org/preschool
The Innovations Series
Innovations: The Comprehensive Infant Curriculum
https://www.gryphonhouse.com/books/details/innovations_the_comprehensive_infant_curriculum
Innovations: The Comprehensive Toddler Curriculum
https://www.gryphonhouse.com/books/details/innovations_the_comprehensive_toddler_curriculum
Innovations: The Comprehensive Preschool Curriculum
https://www.gryphonhouse.com/books/details/innovations_the_comprehensive_preschool_curriculum
InvestiGator Club Inquiry-Based Learning System
http://www.investigatorclub.com/
Learn Every Day™: Infants, Toddlers and Twos
https://www.kaplanco.com/LearnEveryDay-InfantToddlerTwos/
Learn Every Day™: The Preschool Curriculum
https://www.kaplanco.com/LearnEveryDay/
Mother Goose Time Comprehensive Curriculum
http://www.mothergoosetime.com/about-the-curriculum/
Open a World of Learning (OWL)
http://www.pearsonlearning.com/microsites/owl/main.cfm
Program for Infant Toddler Care/PITC
http://www.pitc.org/pub/pitc_docs/home.csp
The Redleaf Family Child Care Curriculum
http://www.redleafpress.org/Redleaf-Family-Child-Care-Curriculum-2nd-Edition-P1278.aspx
Starfall PreK4
http://more.starfall.com/info/curriculum/pre-k.php
We Can!™
http://www.voyagerlearning.com/curriculum/literacy-solutions/we-can-first-edition
WEE Learn Early Childhood Curriculum
http://www.cdealliance.org/wee-learn-curriculum/
Proprietary Curriculum – not available for use in other programs
American Montessori Society (proprietary curriculum - only for AMS)
The Empowered Child (ages 3-5, proprietary curriculum - only for Child Time Schools)
Goddard Schools Flex Learning Program Curriculum (ages birth-5, proprietary curriculum - only for Goddard Schools)
Journey (ages 3-5, proprietary curriculum - only for La Petite Academy schools)
Kids 'R' Kids First Class Curriculum (ages birth-5, proprietary for Kids 'R' Kids)
Knowledge Universe (proprietary curriculum - only for KinderCare)
Learn As We Grow (ages 2-3, proprietary curriculum - only for Learning Care Group)
Learn from the Start (birth – age 3, proprietary curriculum – only for Learning Care Group Schools)
Life Essentials (proprietary curriculum - only for schools operated by Kiddie Academy)
Life Smart (ages 3-5, proprietary curriculum – only for Tutor Time schools)
Resources 