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For educators, the content of the curriculum really is like oxygen: it is the necessary precondition for improving schools, closing the achievement gap, engaging parents, and preparing teachers. However, when educators take the content of the curriculum for granted, they lose opportunities to coordinate and collaborate. Good curriculum instruction should be carefully planned to introduce topics early, and then teachers can intentionally revisit, deepen, and extend learning on these topics in later grades. This article presents the "Core Knowledge Language Arts" (CKLA) program that begins with preschool through third grade reading models to assist teachers incorporate a curriculum that helps students get the mastery for fluent reading, writing, and language comprehension. The program contains seven units, each with a teacher guide. Students and teachers engage in activities that build and deepen background knowledge using teaching practices that are appropriate for young children and early educators. The CKLA domains are carefully organized to build on each other within and across grades, giving students opportunities to refine and expand their knowledge and vocabulary over time. Included with this article are two sidebars: (1) Content on the Cutting-Room Floor: A Brief History of the Elementary Curriculum (Ruth Wattenberg); and (2) Preschoolers to Presidents: CKLA Builds Knowledge Step by Step.

The present study examined the extent to which preschool classroom supports--relational support (RS) and instructional support (IS)--are associated with children's language development and whether these associations vary as a function of children's language ability. The language skills of 360 children within 95 classrooms were assessed using an expressive narrative task in the fall and spring of the preschool year, teachers rated RS in the fall, and observations of IS were collected across the year. Research Findings: Hierarchical linear models revealed main effects of IS, but not RS, on preschoolers' development of expressive language skills. In addition, the associations between RS and IS on children's expressive language development were moderated by children's fall language ability. Specifically, the association between IS and language development was stronger for children with stronger expressive language skills, and the association between RS and language development was stronger for children with weaker expressive language skills. Practice or Policy: These findings suggest that professional development for preschool teachers might focus on aligning classroom supports with the needs of children with weaker language skills who are at risk for difficulty acquiring literacy.

Purpose: Speech-language pathologists (SLPs) and reading professionals provide educational services to children who are at risk for reading difficulties, although these professions do not necessarily coordinate efforts. To date, there is limited evidence regarding the proportion of children who receive services from both professionals. The current study reports the prevalence and overlap of speech-language and reading services provided to kindergartners and first graders in Virginia. Method: This study analyzed a population-level database of reading screening scores from 74,730 kindergartners and 75,088 first graders. Information regarding the speech-language services received by these children was obtained. Prevalence rates of speech-language impairment, reading risk, and comorbidity were calculated. The distribution of children receiving speech-language services across categories of reading competence was examined. Results: Findings indicated that approximately 6% of the children received speech-language services and 11.1% of the kindergartners and 13.7% of the first graders received reading services. One-quarter of the children receiving speech-language services also received reading services. Furthermore, children receiving speech-language services received reading services at twice the rate of children who were not receiving speech-language services in both kindergarten (23.1% vs. 9.1%) and first grade (25.2% vs. 11.3%). Clinical Implications: This study provides empirical support for improving coordination between SLPs and reading professionals.

The article focuses on the importance of curriculum content in several aspects, which include precondition for school improvement, closing achievement gap, and teacher preparation. Topic discussed include the perception of educators and policymakers in terms of the importance of curriculum, education policy, and factors that influence early education. Also mentioned are Common Core standards, teacher quality, and Core Knowledge Language Arts (CKLA) Preschool.