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Florida B.E.S.T. Standards
Explained for Parents

Benchmarks for Excellent Student Thinking (B.E.S.T.) are the Florida K-12 standards that replaced the state's prior Common Core-aligned framework. This guide explains what B.E.S.T. covers in kindergarten and 1st grade, how it differs from Common Core, and how to support your child at home.

How to Read This Page

B.E.S.T. only covers math and ELA. Science uses Florida's Next Generation Sunshine State Standards, and civics has its own state framework. Read the math and ELA cards first; cross-link to the science and civics frameworks at the bottom if you need them.

This page is parent-facing. The official text is at fldoe.org and cpalms.org. We have translated it into plain English without changing the substance.

A friendly illustration of a Florida elementary student working on early math and reading, showing the everyday version of B.E.S.T. kindergarten skills.

Florida adopted B.E.S.T. in 2020 to replace Common Core in Florida public schools. The kindergarten and 1st grade foundations look very similar to Common Core; bigger differences show up in middle and high school.

What are B.E.S.T. Standards in simple words?

B.E.S.T. stands for Benchmarks for Excellent Student Thinking. These are the Florida-specific academic standards for math and English language arts, kindergarten through 12th grade. Florida adopted them in 2020 to replace its prior Common Core-aligned framework. The Florida Assessment of Student Thinking (FAST) measures B.E.S.T. mastery.

The big picture: B.E.S.T. is Florida's "post-Common-Core" set of standards. Kindergarten and 1st grade goals (counting, comparing, phonics, addition within 10) look very similar to Common Core. B.E.S.T. emphasizes rigor, content knowledge, classic texts, and civics, and adds explicit handwriting expectations.

What B.E.S.T. Covers in the Early Grades

B.E.S.T. organizes math and ELA into a small number of strands. Each card explains one strand in plain English, with examples for kindergarten and 1st grade plus printable practice that matches.

1. Mathematics B.E.S.T. (K-1)

  • Number Sense and Operations. Count to 100 (K). Compare numbers. Add and subtract within 10 (K), within 20 (grade 1).
  • Algebraic Reasoning. Patterns and basic equality.
  • Measurement. Compare and order objects by length, weight, capacity. Tell time (grade 1).
  • Geometric Reasoning. Identify and describe 2D and 3D shapes.
  • Data Analysis and Probability. Sort objects, simple categorical data.

2. ELA: Foundations of Reading (K-1)

  • Print concepts. Books read front to back, words read left to right.
  • Phonological awareness. Hearing rhymes, syllables, beginning and ending sounds.
  • Phonics and word analysis. Letter-sound pairs, blending, sounding out short words.
  • Fluency. Reading short texts with growing accuracy and expression.
  • Handwriting (B.E.S.T. specific). Florida specifies explicit handwriting expectations across early grades.

Printed workbooks:

Alphabet Tracing workbook

Read on the blog:

Letter formation

3. ELA: Reading Across Genres (K-2)

  • Reading prose and poetry. Identify rhyme, characters, settings, events.
  • Reading informational text. Find main topic and key details.
  • Asking and answering questions about texts. Retelling stories.
  • Vocabulary. Learning new words from books and conversation.
  • Florida B.E.S.T. specifically calls out classic literature and civics-aligned text choices in upper grades.

Worksheet sets:

Sight Words Starter

4. ELA: Communication (K-2)

  • Writing. Narrative, opinion, informative — with drawing and dictation in kindergarten.
  • Communication through speaking and listening. Participate in discussions, follow rules of conversation.
  • Following research questions. Asking simple questions and gathering information.
  • Conventions and command of language. Capitalization, punctuation, spelling at appropriate grade level.

Worksheet sets:

Pre-Writing Warm-Ups

Printed workbooks:

Math + Reading workbook

Read on the blog:

School readiness articles

How B.E.S.T. Differs From Common Core

Florida B.E.S.T. and Common Core get compared often. Here is what is and is not different at the early-grade level:

  • B.E.S.T. covers only math and ELA. Common Core also covers only math and ELA. Same scope, different framework.
  • B.E.S.T. names ELA strands differently (Foundations, Reading, Communication) than Common Core.
  • B.E.S.T. is more explicit about handwriting expectations in early grades.
  • B.E.S.T. emphasizes classical literature and civics-aligned text choices in upper grades.
  • Kindergarten and 1st grade math (counting, comparing, addition within 10/20) looks very similar in both frameworks.
  • Florida uses FAST for assessment, not the Common Core consortium tests.
  • Florida science uses Next Generation Sunshine State Standards, separate from B.E.S.T.

If your child's school is in Florida, you can mostly stop worrying about which framework. The early-grade foundations (counting, reading sounds, addition, handwriting) look nearly identical across all U.S. frameworks. Practice the skills, not the politics.

Frequently asked questions

What does B.E.S.T. stand for?

B.E.S.T. stands for Benchmarks for Excellent Student Thinking. They are the Florida-specific K-12 academic standards for math and English language arts, adopted in 2020 to replace Florida's prior Common Core-aligned standards.

Why did Florida drop Common Core?

Florida adopted Common Core and used it for years, then in 2019 the state decided to replace it with its own framework. The replacement, B.E.S.T. Standards, was finalized in 2020 and implemented statewide over the following years.

Are B.E.S.T. standards harder than Common Core?

B.E.S.T. emphasizes rigor and content knowledge, and in some areas does ask for earlier or more explicit mastery. In practice, kindergarten and 1st grade expectations look quite similar to Common Core's. The biggest visible differences appear in middle and high school.

When did Florida adopt B.E.S.T.?

Florida adopted B.E.S.T. Mathematics in 2020 and B.E.S.T. ELA in 2020-2021. Implementation across the state was phased in by grade level over the next two school years and is now fully active.

Does B.E.S.T. cover science and social studies?

No. B.E.S.T. only covers math and English language arts. Science uses the separate Florida Next Generation Sunshine State Standards. Civics and social studies use their own Florida frameworks. Florida treats civics with particular emphasis at every grade.

Do Florida private schools follow B.E.S.T.?

Private schools in Florida are not required to follow B.E.S.T. Public, charter, and most schools that accept state-funded scholarships do. Some private schools choose B.E.S.T. anyway for consistency with state assessments.

What is FAST and how does it relate to B.E.S.T.?

FAST stands for Florida Assessment of Student Thinking, the standardized test Florida public school students take to measure B.E.S.T. progress. FAST replaced the older Florida Standards Assessments (FSA) when B.E.S.T. was adopted.

Where do I find B.E.S.T.-aligned worksheets?

Whizki worksheets cover the same foundational kindergarten and 1st grade skills B.E.S.T. tracks: counting, addition, sight words, phonics, writing, geometry. Browse the kindergarten section for matching practice.

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B.E.S.T.-Aligned
Worksheets

B.E.S.T.

Practice that matches kindergarten and 1st grade B.E.S.T. skills: counting to 100, comparing, addition, phonics, handwriting, sight words, shapes. Free to print, screen-free, calm.

Browse Kindergarten Worksheets

Compare With Other U.S. Frameworks

B.E.S.T. is the Florida K-12 framework. These sibling guides explain the frameworks used in other states or for younger children.

Common Core (CCSS)

The K-12 framework B.E.S.T. replaced in Florida. Helpful background if your family moves between Florida and a Common Core state, or if you grew up with Common Core elsewhere.

Head Start ELOF

The federal preschool framework for ages birth through five. Florida Voluntary Prekindergarten (VPK) standards align loosely with ELOF — this is the closest match for the years before B.E.S.T. kicks in.

How We Built This Guide

This page is a parent-facing summary of Florida B.E.S.T. Standards for the early grades. It is not the official text and is not a Florida Department of Education policy document. The goal is to help families understand what their Florida student is learning, in plain English.

Reviewed for clarity by the Whizki Learning editorial team - Sunny Hedge, Early Childhood Educator. Last updated: May 30, 2026.

What This Guide Is Based On

B.E.S.T. Standards are public documents maintained by the Florida Department of Education. We cross-referenced this guide with:

  • Florida Department of Education (fldoe.org) — current B.E.S.T. text by subject and grade.
  • CPALMS (cpalms.org) — Florida's searchable standards platform with benchmarks and resources.
  • FLDOE family roadmaps published per subject.
  • FAST (Florida Assessment of Student Thinking) public guidance.

If you want the formal text of a specific benchmark, search the standard code on cpalms.org.

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