Delaware Early Learner Survey

All kindergarten students in Delaware public schools participate in the Delaware Early Learner Survey (DE-ELS). This survey asks kindergarten teachers to observe and record each child’s knowledge and skills to determine any supports needed to succeed in kindergarten and beyond.

DE-ELS is a developmentally-appropriate, whole-child survey. During the first 30 days of school, teachers observe a set of 34 objectives related to six developmental domains:

• Social-emotional:  Learning how we feel about ourselves and how we get along with others.
• Physical: Practicing well-being and motor development.
• Language: Communication and understanding thoughts and feelings through listening, using sounds (talking), hand signals, and writing.
• Cognitive: The skills we use to think, understand, and learn.
• Literacy: Learning how to read and write.
• Mathematics: The study of numbers, shapes, quantity, and measurement.

Students whose primary language is not English may receive an additional domain: English Language Acquisition. Learn more about the survey’s objectives.

DE-ELS results allow educators, families and the state to identify:

• Resources the child may need to customize instruction to children’s needs in all developmental domains
• How to best support young children’s progress before, during and after kindergarten
• Ways to support early learning and kindergarten teachers and administrators throughout Delaware

Download the DE-ELS family flier for more information.