The new California ELD Standards were adopted in November 2012, and are directly correlated to the English Language Arts and Literacy in History/Social Studies, Science, and Technical Subjects Standards of the California Common Core. These standards are to provide guidance for English Learner instruction so students can access, engage with, and achieve grade level academic content.

The ELD Standards are organized by grade level. Although there are various components, there are two main sections common across all grade levels: sections one and two. Section one includes a goal statement, Critical Principles, and an “At a Glance” Overview of the Standards. Section two provides the detailed, grade level ELD Standards, organized into three categories: Interacting in Meaningful Ways, Learning About How English Works, and Using Foundational Literacy Skills. Also, appendices A, B, C, and D provide additional resources to support understanding and implementation.