The Florida Benchmarks for Excellent Student Thinking (B.E.S.T.) Standards parent guides for Pre-K-5 provide a clear, grade-by-grade roadmap of academic goals, emphasizing a balanced approach to learning and practical skill development. For English Language Arts (ELA), the standards focus on building strong literacy through explicit phonics instruction, using content-rich texts to build knowledge, developing critical thinking skills, and integrating reading and writing. In Mathematics, the focus is on a deeper understanding of number sense, problem-solving, and allowing students the flexibility to use their preferred methods to reach a correct solution, ensuring procedural fluency while applying math concepts to real-world situations. Ultimately, the guides aim to be user-friendly for families, clearly defining the specific knowledge and skills (benchmarks) students should master each year to prepare them for future academic and life success. Click on the applicable grade level below to access the documents:
Kindergarten: (English and Spanish)
First Grade: (English and Spanish)
Second Grade: (English and Spanish)
Third Grade: (English and Spanish)