Pennsylvania’s Learning Standards for Early Childhood are research-based according to age and development, and form the foundation for curriculum, assessment, instruction and intervention within early care and education programs.

Pennsylvania’s Learning Standards for Early Childhood were developed in 2004 through cross-sector collaboration from the departments of Health, Education and Public Welfare (now Human Services), and representatives from child care, early intervention, school districts, Head Start, higher education, family support programs and researchers.

The standards delineate benchmarks along the birth to grade 2 continuum to promote readiness and early school success and are aligned with standards that span to the 12th-grade. Pennsylvania’s standards are research-based according to age and development and form the foundation for curriculum, assessment, instruction and intervention within early care and education programs. They also comprise the primary device for ensuring high quality, consistent childcare across geographies and programs. Pennsylvania was one of the first states in the country to develop and align early learning standards to grade three academic standards.

In 2010 Pennsylvania began integrating its early learning standards into the Standards Aligned System (SAS), the K-12 online resource portal designed to provide educators with a framework and integrated tools to enhance their teaching effectiveness.

Science, Technology & Engineering, Environmental Literacy & Sustainability (STEELS) Standards were adopted by the Pennsylvania State Board of Education in January 2022. The new STEELS Standards will begin implementation in all Pennsylvania Schools in school year 2025-2026.