Early Childhood Curriculum

Research shows that stimulating and supportive interactions between teachers and children, and effective use of quality curriculum promotes children’s holistic learning and development, resulting in improved school readiness. 

Curriculum is a key ingredient to helping teachers improve their interactions, providing ways to create nurturing and responsive practices and environments that foster trust and emotional security. 

The optional use of a comprehensive curriculum in alignment with Virginia’s Early Learning and Development Standards (ELDS) ensures that all areas of learning and development are being covered in developmentally appropriate ways. (ELDS Spanish Version) Programs participating in VQB5 are not required to use curriculum. 

For more information about Curriculum in VQB5, please refer to the VQB5 Curriculum FAQ document. (VQB5 Curriculum FAQ Spanish Version)

The Connection between CLASS and Curriculum  

The Classroom Assessment Scoring System (CLASS™) measures teacher-child interactions and developmentally-appropriate instruction.

Curriculum consists of the “plans for the learning experiences through which all children acquire knowledge, skills, abilities, and understanding.” 

Curriculum helps teachers provide quality interactions that promote learning. 

The following document describes how the CLASS™ Framework and a high-quality curriculum play complementary roles in promoting positive outcomes for young children. 

• CLASS and Curriculum Connections Infant/Toddler (Spanish Version)

• CLASS and Curriculum Connections PreK (Spanish Version)

Resources to Support Curriculum Choice 

Virginia is addressing disparities in access to quality curriculum by expanding options for publicly funded birth to five programs who do not have an approved curriculum in place. Programs that do not have a curriculum that meets VDOE’s Baseline Criteria for High-Quality Birth to Five Curriculum as listed in the pre-submission checklist should not rush to purchase a new product. The resources listed below are designed to support programs in selecting a quality curriculum that meets the program’s unique needs.

• Virginia’s Vetted and Approved Curriculum List
  • Virginia ECE programs can choose and use one of the 70+ VDOE-approved curricula. This document, updated monthly, includes a list of currently approved early childhood curriculum options.
  • There are four free/low-cost approved options: 
    • STREAMin3, available for publicly funded Virginia ECE programs
    • Early Learning Matters, available nationally to ECE programs
    • Core Knowledge Preschool Sequence, available nationally to ECE programs.
    • Great First Eight (Infant/Toddler), available nationally to ECE programs.

•  Early Childhood Curriculum Vendor "Get to Know You" Series Library - To assist Virginia early childhood providers in exploring curriculum options, VDOE hosted a "Get to Know You" Lunch & Learn series featuring representatives from Virginia-approved curriculum vendors. The archived recordings of this series give providers the opportunity to learn about and compare different curriculum options. Each recording features up to 3 vendors and an overview of curriculum in VQB5. 

• VQB5 Early Childhood Curriculum Fall Refresher 2024 (recorded webinar)
  •  As a 2024 Fall Refresher, VDOE released a pre-recorded webinar intended for Virginia Early Childhood providers which shares information on curriculum in VQB5, including expectations for reporting optional curriculum use, resources to support curriculum choice, and updates to the vetted and approved list.
    • Fall Refresher: VQB5 Early Childhood Curriculum Fall Refresher 2024 (28 mins)
    • Presentation Slides (PDF) Spanish Version (PDF)

• Child Care Financing Program - The Virginia Small Business Financing Authority provides no-interest, low-cost loans to eligible child care programs to enhance early learning environments, support curriculum, acquire technology/software, upgrade playgrounds, comply with health/safety guidelines, and more.