Exploring Early Math
Summary
Alignment of academic content for grades PreK-3 is considered important among practitioners, policymakers, and educational researchers alike. However, surprisingly little is known about the extent to which alignment across grades, even within schools or districts, actually exists. Using classroom observations and curriculum analysis, we examined the alignment of three widely used elementary math curricula across grades PreK-3. While we found that content is generally aligned across grades, instructional environments and pedagogical practices may not be. Kindergarten in particular, may be poorly aligned with both preschool and the early elementary grades. Supporting an aligned environment through the kindergarten year may be one lever for sustaining early learning gains. We recommend that further research explore the relationship between curriculum, implementation, and student outcomes.
