How are the Illinois Early Learning Standards and Benchmarks organized?
The Illinois Early Learning Standards cover 8 Learning Areas. The Illinois Standards for elementary through high school students use the same Learning Areas: • Language Arts • Mathematics • Science • Social Sciences • Fine Arts • Foreign Languages • Physical Developmentand Health • Social and Emotional Development In each Learning Area, you will find at least one State Goal, at least one Learning Standard, and at least one Benchmark. • Every State Goal describes something that we want for all children by the time they finish high school. • Each Learning Standard under a State Goal describes something children need to know or be able do to meet that Goal. • Each Standard has at least one Benchmark. An early childhood Benchmark describes something that a child needs to know or do to address the Standard by the end of the preschool years. Here is what a section of the Illinois Early Learning Standards looks like. STATE GOAL 1: Read with understanding and fluency. Learning Standard A: Appl
