KINDERGARTEN — California Common Core Standards

These are the California Common Core standards for TK–Kindergarten reading, spelling, and foundational skills, rewritten in clear, parent‑friendly language.

Print Concepts (RF.K.1)

Kindergarteners learn how print works so they can begin decoding words.
They should be able to:

• Follow print left‑to‑right and top‑to‑bottom

• Recognize letters in uppercase and lowercase

• Understand that words are separated by spaces

• Recognize basic sentence features

Phonological & Phonemic Awareness (RF.K.2)

These listening skills form the foundation for reading and spelling.
Students should be able to:

• Recognize and produce rhyming words

• Count, blend, and segment syllables

• Blend and segment onset‑rime

• Blend and segment individual sounds (CVC words)

• Identify initial, medial vowel, and final sounds

Phonics & Word Recognition (RF.K.3)

Students begin connecting sounds to letters and reading simple words.
They should be able to:

• Demonstrate basic letter–sound knowledge

• Read CVC words (cat, map, sun)

• Read high‑frequency words

• Distinguish between similar words (cat/can)

Fluency (RF.K.4)

Students begin reading simple texts with purpose and understanding.

Language Standards (L.K.2)

Students begin early spelling and writing.
They should be able to:

• Capitalize the first word in a sentence and the pronoun “I”

• Recognize end punctuation

• Spell simple words phonetically

What This Means for Your Child

Kindergarten builds the listening and letter–sound foundations needed for 1st‑grade phonics. Students who master these skills enter 1st grade ready for long‑vowel patterns and beginning spelling rules.