Set up your learning framework in brightwheel to align instruction with its standards. Once your framework is set, you can plan and document learning activities and tag the relevant standard. This is not an assessment of student performance, but it documents how your curriculum and instruction align with state standards.

🚀 Want an easy way to track student growth? With Experience Assessments, you’ll get a valid, reliable framework aligned to all 50 states’ early learning standards. It’s a simple way to support authentic, meaningful assessment and meet high quality standards. Learn about Assessments here.

What is a framework

Learning frameworks are research-based guidelines that outline what young children are typically ready to learn and do at different ages.

Think of them as a roadmap for growth. Often set by your state, these frameworks are sometimes guided by organizations like NAEYC or shaped by approaches such as Montessori. They help teachers, caregivers, and families support children’s development across social, emotional, physical, and academic domains, while honoring that every child learns and grows at their own unique pace

Choosing the right framework

In brightwheel, you can select from the following available learning frameworks.

When choosing a learning framework in brightwheel, first confirm it aligns with your state’s standards, since many states require curriculum to reflect those guidelines. Beyond compliance, look for a framework that helps educators plan meaningful learning experiences and support each child’s growth.

Set learning framework

You can set your preferred framework(s) from either the web or mobile app. Once selected, the framework(s) will be enabled automatically.

Note: If you're using our Experience Assessments product, visit Set your learning framework for Experience Assessments for guidance on the correct framework to select.

From the web

Click to expand My School on the purple sidebar menu
Select Settings
Jump to the School Info tab
Select the desired framework(s) using the drop-down under Learning Settings

From the app

From the Administrator Home screen, tap School Profile
Tap Learning Frameworks under the 'School Settings' section
Click to select the desired framework(s)
Go back when finished
Click Save in the top right corner of the School Profile page

Update your framework while logging observations

If you are logging observations and you need to switch over to a different learning framework, or the correct one is not selected, you can easily update a room's framework while logging an observation. Here’s how:

Log in on the app
Select a room > Add Activity > Observation
After selecting students, tap the gear icon ⚙️ to (top right)
Select the preferred framework, then return to the previous screen to finish logging the observation