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California Content Standards
Explained for Parents

California schools use a layered set of academic frameworks: a California adaptation of Common Core for math and ELA, NGSS for science, and state-specific frameworks for history, social science, and the arts. Plus the Preschool Learning Foundations for ages 3 to 5. This guide explains it all in plain English.

How to Read This Page

California Content Standards are organized by subject. The early-grade cards on this page cover what your kindergartener and preschooler are learning. Read the kindergarten section first, then check the Preschool Learning Foundations and TK guidance if your child is younger.

This page is parent-facing. The official documents are at cde.ca.gov. Most California parent brochures are also available in Spanish; the state publishes more multilingual family materials than most others.

A warm illustration of a California elementary classroom showing math, reading, science, and arts activities side by side.

California uses more frameworks than most states because it covers more subjects formally. The good news: at the kindergarten level the foundations (counting, letters, sorting, simple science observations) look very similar across all of them.

What are the California Content Standards in simple words?

California Content Standards is the umbrella term for the academic frameworks California public schools follow, kindergarten through 12th grade. They include Common Core (California adaptation) for math and ELA, NGSS for science, and state-specific frameworks for history, social science, world languages, health, physical education, and the arts.

The big picture: California is a Common Core state for math and ELA, but adds its own preschool and dual-language guidance and uses NGSS for science. The state publishes some of the most detailed parent-facing materials in the country, available in many languages.

What California Covers in the Early Grades

Each card explains one subject area or framework in plain English, with examples for kindergarten plus printable practice that fits.

1. Mathematics (Common Core, California adaptation)

  • Counting and Cardinality (K). Count to 100. Recognize numbers 0-20. Compare quantities.
  • Operations and Algebraic Thinking (K-2). Add and subtract within 10 (K), within 20 (grade 1), within 100 (grade 2).
  • Numbers and Operations in Base Ten (K-2). Build place-value understanding from "ten and some ones".
  • Measurement and Data, Geometry. Compare by length and weight, name 2D and 3D shapes, sort and count groups.

Printed workbooks:

Math + Reading workbook

2. English Language Arts (Common Core, California adaptation)

  • Reading Foundations. Print concepts, phonological awareness, phonics, fluency.
  • Reading Literature and Informational Text. Asking questions, retelling, identifying main topics.
  • Writing. Narrative, informative, opinion, with drawing and dictation in kindergarten.
  • Speaking and Listening. Conversations, following discussion rules.
  • Language. Vocabulary, basic grammar, simple sentence structure.
  • English Language Development (ELD). California adds dedicated ELD standards for students whose home language is not English.

Printed workbooks:

Alphabet Tracing workbook

3. Science (NGSS)

  • Forces and Interactions. Pushes and pulls, what makes things move.
  • Living Things. What plants and animals need to grow.
  • Weather and Climate. Observing patterns in weather.
  • Structure and Properties of Matter. Sorting materials by what they are like.
  • NGSS organizes learning around three dimensions: practices, crosscutting concepts, and disciplinary core ideas. In kindergarten that mostly means hands-on observation.

Printed workbooks:

Whizki Facts About workbook

4. History-Social Science and the Arts

  • History-Social Science (K). Self, family, community. Basic geography. Rules and fairness. American symbols.
  • Visual and Performing Arts. Music, dance, drama, visual art — California has formal K-12 arts standards.
  • Health Education. Basic hygiene, safety, healthy choices.
  • Physical Education. Movement, motor skills, basic games.
  • World Languages and English Language Development. California publishes both, with strong focus on bilingualism.

Printable practice:

Kindergarten social studies

Read on the blog:

School readiness articles

5. Preschool Learning Foundations (Ages 3-5)

  • Social-Emotional Development. Self-awareness, relationships, social interaction.
  • Language and Literacy. Listening, speaking, vocabulary, pre-reading and pre-writing.
  • English Language Development. Dedicated guidance for dual-language learners.
  • Mathematics. Counting, comparing, sorting, basic shapes and measurement.
  • Science, History-Social Science, Visual and Performing Arts, Physical Development, Health. Age-appropriate foundations across all subject areas.

Worksheet sets:

Pre-Writing Warm-Ups

Read on the blog:

Screen-free play ideas

Quick Reality Check on California Standards

California Content Standards get confused with other frameworks. A few clarifications so you can find the right document fast:

  • California uses Common Core for math and ELA — with a California-specific adaptation, not the unmodified national version.
  • California uses NGSS for science, not Common Core (Common Core never covered science).
  • Preschool Learning Foundations is separate from the K-12 Content Standards and applies to ages 3-5.
  • Transitional Kindergarten (TK) sits between preschool and kindergarten and has its own state guidance.
  • California publishes parent guides in many languages. cde.ca.gov is the source.
  • "California Common Core" is a casual phrase. The official name is California Common Core State Standards or CA CCSS.

If your child is in a California public school, ask the teacher which subject-specific framework they reference. The Content Standards umbrella covers many documents, and the relevant one depends on the subject and grade.

Frequently asked questions

What are the California Content Standards?

The California Content Standards are the academic standards California public schools use, kindergarten through 12th grade. They include the California adaptation of the Common Core State Standards for math and ELA, the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) for science, and California-specific frameworks for history, social science, health, physical education, and the arts.

Does California use Common Core?

Yes, for math and ELA. California adopted the Common Core State Standards in 2010 and added its own implementation guidance. The state also publishes its own Preschool Learning Foundations and uses NGSS for science.

What are California Preschool Learning Foundations?

A separate framework written for California preschools, covering ages 3-5. It describes what young children typically know and can do in language, math, social-emotional, physical, science, history, and visual arts. It is California's answer to ELOF, with explicit guidance for dual-language learners.

How do California standards differ from other states?

California adds explicit guidance for dual-language learners, since roughly 40% of California kindergarteners are not native English speakers. The state also publishes unusually detailed parent-facing brochures in multiple languages and uses NGSS for science, not Common Core.

What does CDE stand for?

CDE is the California Department of Education. It is the state agency that adopts and publishes the Content Standards and Preschool Learning Foundations. The CDE website (cde.ca.gov) is the official source.

What is TK and how does it fit in?

TK stands for Transitional Kindergarten. It is California's extra year of school between preschool and kindergarten, for children turning 5 within a specific window. California has its own TK guidance that bridges Preschool Learning Foundations and kindergarten Content Standards.

Are California Content Standards the same as Common Core?

For math and ELA, yes, with minor California-specific additions. For science, no — California uses NGSS. For history, social science, and the arts, no — California has its own frameworks. So calling them "California Common Core" is partially correct but incomplete.

Where do I find California-aligned worksheets?

Whizki worksheets map to the same kindergarten and preschool skills the California Content Standards and Preschool Learning Foundations track. The printable library is organized by grade and subject, so you can match a page to what your child is practicing today.

Take the Next Step

California-Aligned
Worksheets

CA CCSS

Practice that matches California kindergarten and 1st grade Content Standards in math and ELA. Counting, addition, phonics, sight words, comprehension. Free to print, screen-free, calm.

Browse Kindergarten Worksheets

Compare With Other Frameworks

California uses Common Core for math and ELA, NGSS for science, and the Preschool Learning Foundations for ages 3-5. These sibling guides explain the underlying frameworks and the major alternatives.

Common Core (CCSS)

The K-12 math and ELA framework California adopted in 2010. Common Core is the foundation under California's math and ELA Content Standards.

Head Start ELOF

The federal preschool framework that California Preschool Learning Foundations align with. Useful if your child is in Head Start or you want the federal preschool view.

How We Built This Guide

This page is a parent-facing summary of the California Content Standards and Preschool Learning Foundations for the early grades. It is not the official text and is not a California Department of Education policy document. The goal is to help families understand what their California 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

California Content Standards are public documents maintained by the California Department of Education. We cross-referenced this guide with:

  • California Department of Education (cde.ca.gov) — current Content Standards by subject and grade.
  • California Preschool Learning Foundations (cde.ca.gov/sp/cd/re/psfoundations.asp).
  • California adopted NGSS framework for science.
  • California English Language Development standards.
  • CDE parent guides, published in English, Spanish, and several other languages.

For the formal text of any standard, search the standard code on cde.ca.gov.

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