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Learning Foundations

California Preschool/Transitional Kindergarten Learning Foundations (PTKLF)

The California Preschool/Transitional Kindergarten Learning Foundations (PTKLF) outline key knowledge and skills that most children ages three to five and a half years old can achieve when provided with the kinds of interactions, instruction, and environments that research has shown to promote early learning and development. 

The Preschool Learning Foundations (PLF) were originally released by the California Department of Education (CDE) in January 2008 (Volume 1), 2010 (Volume 2), and 2012 (Volume 3). In the 2021 Budget Bill, the CDE was given the authority to revise the PLF to reflect recent research in child development in all domains.

The revised Preschool Learning Foundations was released July 23, 2024 with the following domains:

  1. Approaches to Learning
  2. Health
  3. History/Social-Science
  4. Language and Literacy
  5. Math
  6. Physical Development
  7. Science
  8. Social-Emotional Development
  9. Visual Performing Arts

 

A condensed version of the foundations can be found here.

Please click herefor the link to the CDE website that contains a more in-depth explanation of the PTKLF.