Utah Core Standards

The Utah Core Standards provide a foundation for ensuring learning within the classroom. They drive high-quality instruction through comprehensive statewide expectations for all students. The standards outline essential knowledge, concepts, and skills to be mastered at each grade level or within a critical content area. The Utah State Board of Education (USBE) regularly updates the standards, while parents, teachers, and local school boards control the curriculum choices that reflect local values. The Utah Core Standards are aligned to scientifically based content standards.

Utah Early Learning Standards: Ages 3-5

Board Approved May 7, 2020

Utah Core State Standards for Early Learning for Ages 3 to 5

Estándares estatales básicos de Utah para el aprendizaje temprano para edades de 3 a 5 años (Spanish)

Essential Early Learning Standards: Age 3

Essential Early Learning Standards: Age 4

District/Local Education Agency (LEA) Programs

Preschool Programs

TIGERweb: Find your School District
United States Census Bureau

District Preschool Programs

School Readiness Grants

Utah’s School Readiness Initiative is designed to improve the quality of preschool and expand access for students who are economically disadvantaged or English learners in quality early learning environments throughout the state.

Utah State Legislature:

• Title 35A-15-102: Definitions
• Title 35A-15-202: Elements of a High Quality School Readiness Program
• Title 35A-15-203: School Readiness Restricted Account. Creation. Funding. Distribution of Funds.
• Title 35A-15-301: Becoming High Quality School Readiness Grant Program
• Title 35A-15-302: Section 302 Expanded Student Access to High Quality School Readiness Programs Grant Program. Determination of High Quality School Readiness Program. Reporting Requirement.

The Initiative consists of three components and is governed by the Utah School Readiness Board:

1. Pay for Success transaction, created in 2014;
2. Becoming Quality grants to support preschool programs seeking to improve quality; and
3. Expanded Student Access grants to fund seats for economically disadvantaged and English learner students in high quality preschool programs.

School Readiness
Workforce Services Child Care

School Readiness Board
Utah Public Notice Website

Workforce Services Grant Opportunities
Department of Workforce Services

Family Resources

5 Before 5

Child Care Licensing
Utah Department of Health

Kindergarten Readiness
Utah State Board of Education

Preschool Path
Utah Education Network (UEN)

Register for Utah Preparing Students Today for a Rewarding Tomorrow (UPSTART)
Waterford Institute 

UPSTART is an in-home, technology-delivered kindergarten readiness program that is designed to give Utah four-year-old's an individualized reading, mathematics, and science curriculum with a focus on reading. Children participate in the program the year before they attend kindergarten.

Title 53F-4-402: UPSTART Program to Develop School Readiness Skills of Preschool Children
Utah State Legislature

Special Education Preschool
Utah State Board of Education

TIGERweb: Find your School District
United States Census Bureau

Utah Head Start Association (UHSA)

Utah PTA

Workforce Services Child Care

Preschool Professionals

5 Before 5

Child Care Licensing
Utah Department of Health

Kindergarten Readiness
Utah State Board of Education 

Student Snapshot | Transition Agreement

National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC)

National Institute for Early Education Research (NIEER)

Preschool Path
Utah Education Network (UEN)

Special Education: Preschool
Utah State Board of Education

Utah Association for the Education of Young Children (UAEYC)

Utah Head Start Association (UHSA)

Workforce Services Child Care

Data

Utah Preschool Data

Preschool Data 2021-2022 Survey Results
Preschool Data 2020-2021 Survey Results
Preschool Data 2019-2020 Survey Results

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

1. What school district do I live in?

• TIGERweb: Find your School District
  United States Census Bureau

2. How do I go about enrolling my child in preschool?

• Contact your local school district for information regarding public preschool services. You can find their information on the District Programs tab.

3. Who do I contact to enroll my child in Head Start?

• To enroll your child in Head Start, visit Utah Head Start Association (UHSA) or call (801) 903-2960.

4. What are the requirements for setting up my own preschool?

• The Utah State Board of Education does not oversee private preschools. You will need to obtain a business license through your city government office. If your preschool will also offer child care and you are interested in obtaining a license, you will go through the same licensing procedure as child care centers:
  
  • Utah Department of Health
• You may also have your preschool accredited nationally by the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC):
  • Search for an Accredited Early Child Care Center/Preschool

5. How do Utah’s public schools measure the development of literacy, numeracy and lifelong learning practices in students?

• Utah’s Pre-kindergarten Entry and Exit Profile (PEEP) is intended to inform various stakeholders, such as parents, teachers and leadership, on the academic and lifelong learning practices essential for entering and exiting pre-kindergarten students.
  • Pre-Kindergarten Assessments
    Utah State Board of Education Assessment and Accountability