drdp 2025, in plain language

the desired results developmental profile (drdp) is the observation tool california and many head start programs use to track how a young child is growing. the 2025 update is a refresh of the long-standing 2015 instrument, not a brand new framework. this guide walks a preschool teacher through what is the same, what is changing, and how to get ready, in plain language. official materials live at desiredresults.us.

what stays the same

the drdp is still observation-based. a teacher rates a child from what the child actually does across the day, not from a sit-down test.
the eight domain areas (approaches to learning and self-regulation, social and emotional, language and literacy, english language development, cognition, physical and health, history and social science, visual and performing arts) carry over.
ratings still move along a developmental continuum from earlier to later levels, with the same emphasis on integrated, authentic evidence over a single moment.
dual language learners are still rated in both the home language and english, and the home language is never treated as a deficit.

what is changing

the 2025 refresh is meant to make the tool faster to use, easier to learn, and more useful for planning. specifics vary by state and rollout cohort, so confirm with the local lead, but the direction of travel is consistent.

a tighter set of measures
some measures are being combined or retired so a teacher spends less time on the instrument and more time with children. the trade is breadth for clarity.
clearer look-fors
level descriptors are being rewritten in plainer language with concrete examples, so a new teacher can rate with more confidence and a coach can calibrate faster.
stronger tie to instruction
the update leans harder on using ratings to plan the next week of teaching, not just to file a report. expect more guidance on turning a rating into a small-group plan.
refreshed dll guidance
guidance for rating dual language learners is being updated to reflect current research on bilingual development and to reduce under-rating of children whose strongest language is not english.
new training cycle
every teacher who rates the drdp will need to complete updated training and inter-rater reliability before submitting 2025 ratings. plan for it on the staff-development calendar.

how to get ready

1. keep observing the way the drdp asks: short notes in the moment, photos with a line of context, a quick voice memo at nap. the source data does not change with the version.
2. read the 2025 measures alongside the 2015 ones, side by side. notice which evidence in the notebook already speaks to the new look-fors.
3. register for the updated training as soon as a local cohort opens. inter-rater reliability is required before the first 2025 rating period.
4. talk with the site coach about the transition timeline. some programs will rate one last cycle in 2015 and switch mid-year; others will switch at the start of a new program year.

used in these programs

california state preschool (cspp), the program built around drdp.
transitional kindergarten, districts that continue drdp into tk.
head start, grantees that use drdp as an approved child assessment.
first 5 county commissions, the funder behind many drdp-using seats.