Understanding FELDS: Using Florida’s Learning Standards to Improve Outcomes

For childcare centers in Florida, the Florida Early Learning and Developmental Standards (FELDS) provides a clear, research-informed framework for early childhood development. They lay the foundation for compliance, audits, VPK funding, and ultimately, parent trust.

At first glance, FELDS feels like one more requirement added to an already full plate. However, the truth is that these standards eliminate the guesswork in early learning. They provide:

• A consistent way to evaluate the success of your program.
  
• Audit-ready confidence for compliance checks.
• Credibility with families by showing transparent progress.
  
  

Before we get into the “how,” here’s a quick refresher on what FELDS covers. Then we’ll dive into how to use it to your advantage. 

What Are FELDS?

The Florida Early Learning and Developmental Standards (adopted in 2017) outline what children should know and be able to do from birth through kindergarten.

FELDS is structured around eight developmental domains that ensure a holistic approach to learning:

1. Physical Development
   
   
2. Approaches to Learning
   
   
3. Social and Emotional Development
   
   
4. Language and Literacy
   
   
5. Mathematical Thinking
   
   
6. Scientific Inquiry
   
   
7. Social Studies
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8. Creative Expression Through the Arts
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Within each domain, educators find standards, benchmarks, and sometimes indicators, helping align lesson plans with developmental expectations. For example, in the Physical Development domain for 4-year-olds, benchmarks target gross and fine motor coordination, feeding skills, and self-care routines.

Why FELDS Matters for Preschool Directors

FELDS is more than a roadmap. It's a tool for accountability, transparency, and engagement. Here are some ways in which FELDs benefits your childcare center: 

1. Keeps you audit-ready

With FELDS in hand, teachers know exactly what skills children are expected to demonstrate. For directors, that also means peace of mind during audits. Because FELDS connects directly to VPK and licensing requirements, aligning lesson plans to these benchmarks ensures you are inspection-ready without last-minute scrambling.

2. Takes the guesswork out of learning

FELDS lays out clear goals like recognizing letters, balancing, or engaging in creative play. Teachers get direction, and directors get confidence that their program isn’t “winging it.” Instead of wondering if your curriculum is good enough, you can point to specific standards as proof of quality.

These same benchmarks make it easier to evaluate the big picture when things aren’t working as per plan- are certain domains (like science or math) consistently weaker? Do some classrooms need extra coaching? FELDS gives you a built-in lens to measure success and spot gaps early.

3. Creates a shared language for parents and teachers

Parents want reassurance that their child is learning, not just “being kept busy.” Using FELDS as a reference point helps you explain progress in concrete, age-appropriate terms. It turns subjective feedback into professional communication that builds trust.

With FELDS as the common language, teachers, parents, and administrators are on the same page. Everyone knows the goals, the benchmarks, and how progress is being tracked — which reduces confusion and keeps your staff aligned.

How to Use FELDS to Enhance Learning Outcomes

Apart from being a roadmap for creating a curriculum and measuring a child’s growth, FELDs can also help you achieve added transparency and parent engagement. Here’s how to implement FELDs to achieve these results: 

1. Introduce FELDS to Your Team

Rolling out FELDS shouldn’t just be about handing staff a binder. Directors who want consistency build in time for structured onboarding. For example, dedicate part of a staff meeting to one domain (say, mathematical thinking) and discuss what those benchmarks look like in real classroom moments.

This kind of intentional introduction does two things: it gets everyone using the same language, and it makes sure your staff aren’t interpreting standards differently across classrooms. When an auditor asks to see how your program addresses math skills, or when a parent asks why their child isn’t yet recognizing numbers, you can be confident that your whole team is aligned and responding consistently.

2. Audit your curriculum with FELDS in mind

Most directors already have lesson plans and activity calendars in place. But the real question is: how well do those plans map to FELDS domains? A curriculum audit, done a few times each year, can highlight gaps you didn’t realize were there. For instance, maybe your center excels in language-rich activities but gives little structured attention to science or social studies.

Directors who compare lesson plans to FELDS benchmarks gain two advantages: first, you can prove alignment during VPK or licensing reviews. Second, you can market your program to families as offering a balanced, standards-based education — something parents increasingly look for when choosing a preschool.

3. Observe with specific benchmarks in mind

Casual observation is helpful, but it doesn’t give you measurable data. FELDS turns everyday classroom moments into trackable evidence of growth. Instead of “the children enjoyed block play,” a note tied to a FELDS benchmark might read: “Child stacked six blocks independently, demonstrating progress in physical coordination and early math concepts.”

For directors, this specificity is gold. It allows you to track growth across classrooms, identify teachers who may need extra coaching, and present parents with clear, professional updates. Most importantly, it creates a paper trail. If you’re ever questioned about program quality — whether by auditors or families — you have objective data that shows exactly how children are meeting developmental expectations.

4. Communicate progress through FELDS

One of the most powerful uses of FELDS is in parent communication. Directors often hear from families: “How do I know my child is really learning?” FELDS provides a concrete answer. Instead of vague updates like, “We’re working on early writing,” you can say, “Your child is beginning to use emerging writing skills, which is exactly what the FELDS benchmarks for four-year-olds describe.”

This type of language transforms how families perceive your program. Parents feel reassured that their child’s progress is being measured against statewide standards, not just a teacher’s opinion. Over time, this builds trust, reduces parent anxiety, and makes families less likely to leave your program for a competitor.

5. Reflect and adjust

Even the strongest programs have blind spots. Directors who use FELDS proactively schedule regular reviews to see which domains might be lagging. Maybe your classrooms are excelling in social-emotional development but underemphasizing scientific inquiry. Rather than waiting for a VPK audit or a parent complaint, FELDS helps you catch that imbalance early.

From there, you can adjust staffing, training, or materials to close the gap. Over time, this reflection builds a culture of continuous improvement. Parents see a program that evolves thoughtfully, auditors see a center that’s intentional and data-driven, and teachers feel supported instead of reactive.

FELDS in Action

Scenario 1: Uneven Development Across Domains
Your preschool notices many children are thriving in language and social play, but struggling in mathematical thinking.

• FELDS Application: Teachers plan block play sessions with counting and patterning, document when children duplicate patterns or compare sets, and share this evidence with families.
  
• Benefit: You can show auditors that your curriculum is balanced across domains and reassure parents that math readiness is being addressed systematically, not left to chance.
  
  

Scenario 2: Parent Concern About Reading
A parent asks, “Why isn’t my four-year-old reading yet?” They’re anxious because they’ve heard of other children starting to sound out words.

• FELDS Application: You point to the Language & Literacy benchmarks, which emphasize letter recognition, storytelling, and emergent writing — not full reading at age four.
  
• Benefit: Parents leave reassured, recognizing your program is aligned with state standards and developmentally appropriate. Instead of doubting your quality, they see your center as knowledgeable and trustworthy.
  
  

Scenario 3: Staff Inconsistency in Observations
One teacher documents “child had a great day,” while another writes detailed notes like “child balanced on one foot for 5 seconds.” The inconsistency makes it hard to evaluate progress across classrooms.

• FELDS Application: By training staff to tie observations directly to benchmarks, you standardize reporting. Every note links to a developmental goal — gross motor skills, problem-solving, or social interactions.
  
• Benefit: You gain reliable data to coach staff, evaluate program quality, and present families and auditors with consistent, professional evidence of learning.
  
  

Final Takeaway

FELDS isn’t just a regulatory requirement — it’s a roadmap for running a stronger program. When you weave these standards into your curriculum, observations, and parent communication, you gain three big advantages:

• Clarity for your staff: Teachers know exactly what skills to plan for and track, reducing guesswork and stress.
  
• Confidence for families: Parents hear progress described in concrete, standards-based language, which builds trust in your program.
  
• Readiness for compliance: Because FELDS ties directly into VPK and licensing expectations, you’ll walk into audits with evidence already in hand.
  
  

For directors, the payoff is consistency. You’re not relying on individual interpretation, scattered lesson plans, or subjective updates. You have a system that ensures children are supported across all domains, teachers feel aligned, and families see the value of your program.

When used well, FELDS is more than a framework — it’s the backbone of quality, accountability, and growth in early childhood education.