# TK: References and Evidence Map

The standards, research guidance, and international frameworks behind the curriculum.

## How the references are used

California's PTKLF defines the curriculum's breadth and developmental context. The activities, stories, printables, and teaching sequence are original Arcomm materials. They are not an official California curriculum, a reproduced commercial program, or an intervention with measured outcomes.

| Reference | Role here | Evidence boundary |
|---|---|---|
| California PTKLF | All nine domains; attention to language, inclusion, and later preschool/TK development | Describes learning foundations, not percentile norms or guaranteed effects |
| IES: Preparing Young Children for School (2022) | Intentional social-emotional teaching, language, shared reading, letters and sounds, and mathematics | Strong evidence ratings for these recommendations; moderate for executive-function games and math conversation. Ratings apply to recommendations, not these original lessons |
| IES: Teaching Math to Young Children (2013) | Developmental progression and representations | Moderate evidence for number-and-operation progression; other recommendations have minimal evidence in this guide |
| IES: Foundational Reading Skills (2016, revised 2019) | Ready-child kindergarten extensions for linking speech and print and decoding | K–3 scope. Strong evidence for speech segments linked to letters and for decoding/word analysis; moderate for daily connected-text reading; minimal for the academic-language recommendation |
| EEF: Preparing for Literacy (2018) | Adult interaction, shared reading, language, and early literacy | Ages 3–5; does not justify transferring every primary-school phonics result to younger children |
| Singapore Nurturing Early Learners (2022) | Purposeful play, intentional teaching, integrated and holistic learning | Ages 4–6 framework; not a comparative trial of this syllabus |
| New Zealand Te Whāriki (2017) | Relationships, belonging, family and local curriculum context | A culturally situated curriculum with Māori foundations, not a generic attainment recipe |
| Head Start ELOF | Cross-check for whole-child breadth and observable learning | A developmental framework, not a diagnostic or ranking test |
| California kindergarten standards | Transparent advanced destinations for reading, writing, counting, and operations | Kindergarten expectations are extensions here, not universal TK completion rules |
| AERA/APA/NCME Testing Standards (2014) | Valid interpretation of assessment and percentile claims | Requires evidence appropriate to each proposed interpretation and use |

## Editorial choices

The flexible study contexts, lesson order, original stories, page designs, and observation categories are curriculum design choices. They do not carry an evidence rating. Teachers should adapt examples to local language, culture, access needs, and observed prerequisites while preserving each lesson's concept.

## Reuse

Original Arcomm lesson text and pupil materials in this collection may be copied and adapted for classroom and family education with attribution to Arcomm. External publications retain their own terms. Links identify sources; no external book, proprietary lesson, or secure assessment is included in the downloadable materials.

## Publication details

| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| Material | Teaching guide |
| Learners | California TK, ages 4–5 |
| Setting | Full classroom |
| Pacing | Teacher selects from observed prerequisites |
| Author | Arcomm |
| Edition | First edition, 2026-09-08 |
| Format | Markdown |
| Evidence status | Original synthesis; not outcome-validated |

## Sources and dates

- [California Department of Education: Preschool/TK Learning Foundations](https://www.cde.ca.gov/sp/cd/re/psfoundations.asp): current domain publications. Retrieved 2026-09-08T03:44:00.628834+00:00.
- [CDE: Approaches to Learning](https://www.cde.ca.gov/sp/cd/re/documents/ptklfapproachestolearning.pdf): current PTKLF edition. Retrieved 2026-09-08T03:44:00.628834+00:00.
- [CDE: Social and Emotional Development](https://www.cde.ca.gov/sp/cd/re/documents/ptklfsocialemotionaldev.pdf): current PTKLF edition. Retrieved 2026-09-08T03:44:00.628834+00:00.
- [CDE: Language and Literacy Development](https://www.cde.ca.gov/sp/cd/re/documents/ptklflanguageliteracydev.pdf): current PTKLF edition. Retrieved 2026-09-08T03:44:00.628834+00:00.
- [CDE: Mathematics](https://www.cde.ca.gov/sp/cd/re/documents/ptklfmathdomain.pdf): current PTKLF edition. Retrieved 2026-09-08T03:44:00.628834+00:00.
- [CDE: Science](https://www.cde.ca.gov/sp/cd/re/documents/ptklfsciencedomain.pdf): current PTKLF edition. Retrieved 2026-09-08T03:44:00.628834+00:00.
- [CDE: Physical Development](https://www.cde.ca.gov/sp/cd/re/documents/ptklfphysicaldevelop.pdf): current PTKLF edition. Retrieved 2026-09-08T03:44:00.628834+00:00.
- [CDE: Health](https://www.cde.ca.gov/sp/cd/re/documents/ptklfhealthdomain.pdf): current PTKLF edition. Retrieved 2026-09-08T03:44:00.628834+00:00.
- [CDE: History-Social Science](https://www.cde.ca.gov/sp/cd/re/documents/ptklfhistorysocscience.pdf): current PTKLF edition. Retrieved 2026-09-08T03:44:00.628834+00:00.
- [CDE: Visual and Performing Arts](https://www.cde.ca.gov/sp/cd/re/documents/ptklfvisualperformarts.pdf): current PTKLF edition. Retrieved 2026-09-08T03:44:00.628834+00:00.
- [IES What Works Clearinghouse: Preparing Young Children for School](https://ies.ed.gov/ncee/wwc/PracticeGuide/30): 2022 practice guide. Retrieved 2026-09-08T03:44:00.628834+00:00.
- [IES What Works Clearinghouse: Teaching Math to Young Children](https://ies.ed.gov/ncee/wwc/PracticeGuide/18): 2013 practice guide. Retrieved 2026-09-08T03:44:00.628834+00:00.
- [IES What Works Clearinghouse: Foundational Reading Skills](https://ies.ed.gov/ncee/wwc/PracticeGuide/21): 2016; revised 2019; kindergarten through grade 3. Retrieved 2026-09-08T03:44:00.628834+00:00.
- [Education Endowment Foundation: Preparing for Literacy](https://educationendowmentfoundation.org.uk/education-evidence/guidance-reports/literacy-early-years): 2018 guidance; ages 3–5. Retrieved 2026-09-08T03:44:00.628834+00:00.
- [Singapore Ministry of Education: Nurturing Early Learners](https://nel.moe.edu.sg/tl/all-resources/nel-framework-2022-/): 2022 framework; ages 4–6. Retrieved 2026-09-08T03:44:00.628834+00:00.
- [New Zealand Ministry of Education: Te Whāriki](https://tewhariki.tahurangi.education.govt.nz/early-childhood-curriculum-home): 2017 curriculum and current portal. Retrieved 2026-09-08T03:44:00.628834+00:00.
- [Head Start: Early Learning Outcomes Framework](https://www.headstart.gov/interactive-head-start-early-learning-outcomes-framework-ages-birth-five): birth-to-five framework. Retrieved 2026-09-08T03:44:00.628834+00:00.
- [AERA, APA and NCME: Standards for Educational and Psychological Testing](https://www.testingstandards.net/uploads/7/6/6/4/76643089/standards_2014edition.pdf): 2014 edition. Retrieved 2026-09-08T03:44:00.628834+00:00.
- [CDE: English Language Arts Standards](https://www.cde.ca.gov/be/st/ss/documents/finalelaccssstandards.pdf): California Common Core; kindergarten extensions. Retrieved 2026-09-08T03:44:00.628834+00:00.
- [CDE: Kindergarten Counting, K.CC.5](https://www2.cde.ca.gov/cacs/id/web/262): kindergarten standard. Retrieved 2026-09-08T03:44:00.628834+00:00.
- [CDE: Kindergarten Operations, K.OA.5](https://www2.cde.ca.gov/cacs/id/web/269): kindergarten standard. Retrieved 2026-09-08T03:44:00.628834+00:00.

[Back to the classroom syllabus](/agent/docs/tk-syllabus) · [Browse TK materials](/human/docs/directory?subject=society%2Feducation%2Ftransitional-kindergarten)

## Revisions

[Revision history](/agent/docs/tk-evidence/history)