The Parent's Guide to Florida B.E.S.T. Standards

Jennifer Lopez

Homework2Night Team · February 25, 2026

Florida replaced Common Core with B.E.S.T. standards. Here's what actually changed, grade by grade, and what it means for your child's homework.

What Are B.E.S.T. Standards?

In 2020, Florida officially replaced Common Core State Standards with the Benchmarks for Excellent Student Thinking (B.E.S.T.) standards. The transition was fully implemented for math in the 2022-2023 school year and for English Language Arts (ELA) in 2023-2024. If your child attends a Florida public school, they're now learning under B.E.S.T., not Common Core. But here's the thing most parents don't realize: B.E.S.T. and Common Core overlap significantly. About 70% of the math content is identical. The changes are real, but they're more about sequencing and emphasis than a complete overhaul.

What Changed From Common Core to B.E.S.T. in Math

The biggest shifts: Multiplication facts are expected to be memorized by the end of 3rd grade (Common Core said by end of 3rd grade too, but B.E.S.T. is more explicit about automaticity — your child should recall 7 x 8 = 56 instantly, not use a strategy to figure it out). Standard algorithms (the traditional way of doing long addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division) are introduced earlier. Common Core delayed the standard algorithm for multi-digit addition until 4th grade; B.E.S.T. brings it to 3rd grade. Fractions are still heavily emphasized in grades 3-5, but B.E.S.T. adds more work with money and financial literacy in early grades. Data analysis and probability get more attention in grades 4-5.

Grade-by-Grade Overview: Kindergarten Through 2nd Grade

Kindergarten: Counting to 100, recognizing numbers to 20, basic addition/subtraction within 10, identifying shapes, sorting and classifying. Very similar to Common Core. One difference: more emphasis on writing numbers (not just recognizing them). First grade: Addition and subtraction within 20 with fluency, place value to 100, telling time to the hour and half hour, measuring with non-standard units. B.E.S.T. adds earlier work with equal signs and understanding that = means "the same as" (4 + 3 = 3 + 4). Second grade: Addition and subtraction within 100, skip counting, measuring in inches and centimeters, time to the nearest 5 minutes. B.E.S.T. is more explicit about mental math strategies and estimation.

Grade-by-Grade Overview: 3rd Through 5th Grade

Third grade: This is the biggest shift year. Multiplication and division facts to 100 (with fluency expected), fractions introduced, area and perimeter, standard algorithm for addition and subtraction. B.E.S.T. explicitly requires fact memorization — not just understanding, but instant recall. Fourth grade: Multi-digit multiplication, fraction equivalence and operations with like denominators, decimal introduction, angle measurement. B.E.S.T. moves the standard multiplication algorithm here (Common Core waited until 5th). Fifth grade: All fraction operations including unlike denominators, decimal operations, volume, coordinate graphing, order of operations. B.E.S.T. adds more real-world problem solving and financial literacy context.

What About ELA?

B.E.S.T. ELA standards emphasize explicit phonics instruction more heavily than Common Core, especially in grades K-2. There's a stronger focus on foundational reading skills — decoding, fluency, and vocabulary — before comprehension strategies. Writing expectations are similar but B.E.S.T. adds more emphasis on cursive handwriting (starting in 3rd grade) and grammar conventions. For reading, B.E.S.T. requires more literary analysis even in early grades and includes specific texts and genres students should encounter at each grade level.

How Homework2Night Supports Both Standards

Homework2Night is designed to work with both Common Core and B.E.S.T. standards. When you set up your child's profile, you can select your state, and the app adjusts its explanations accordingly. For a Florida 3rd grader working on multiplication, the app emphasizes fact fluency and the standard algorithm — matching what their B.E.S.T.-aligned teacher expects. For a 3rd grader in a Common Core state, the app focuses more on conceptual strategies and arrays. The math is the same — the approach and emphasis adapt to match what your child's teacher is doing in class. You don't need to know which standard your state uses. The app handles it.

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