The Core Knowledge Curriculum is the instructional foundation. This nationally developed and widely used curriculum will provide up to 40% of the instructional program. The remaining 60% of the curriculum is based on the Illinois Academic Standards. Core Knowledge is a research-based sequence of information that prepares children to be knowledgeable and critical thinking individuals. The curriculum is rigorous and sets high standards for students. Standardized test scores of at-risk students using this approach demonstrate that students, when properly challenged, are fully capable of meeting the challenge.

SRA's Open Court is a "research based" reading program designed to teach reading and writing simultaneously.

Open Court focuses on the foundations for reading which include:

• Reading aloud
• Print awareness
• Phonemic awareness through oral blending and segmentation
• Alphabetic principle
• Explicit systematic phonics and blending
• Fluency using decodable books for initial reading experience
• Comprehension strategies and skills
• Spelling
• Writing

Open Court also focuses on the goals of reading:

• Authentic literary experiences
• Learning through themes
• Inquiry and research

Learning units are tied to important concepts that call on students to make connections across all areas of the curriculum and to acquire knowledge that can be used beyond a single lesson. Each unit is organized so that a reading selection adds more information or a different perspective to the student's knowledge of a concept. Throughout all units, the focus is on learning how to learn through inquiry and research.

Reading, writing, discussion, research, and exploration activities are integrated through lessons that evolve sequentially becoming increasingly complex and demanding. Through individual, collaborative learning groups, and whole-class activities, students are encouraged to bring their own experiences to the learning situation and, through exploration, to gain deeper understandings. The student's responsibilities are to learn more, and to help classmates discover more about the unit concepts.

Every lesson throughout the program emphasizes the combination of reading skills, comprehension, and learning so that children acquire the tools they need to read and then learn from what they read.

Saxon Math is a research/based and highly effective mathematics program. It is the only major math program on the market today that systematically distributes instruction and practice and assessment throughout the academic year. Saxon Math's unique approach to math instruction ensures that students not only gain but also retain essential math skills.

In Saxon Math, each increment builds on the foundation of earlier increments, leading students to a deeper understanding of mathematical concepts. The instruction of related increments is carefully distributed throughout the grade level, ensuring that students have the opportunity to master each increment before being introduced to the next related one.