Three bases or decision-rules for selecting and organizing content for teacher preparation programs are discussed. In order to be considered as viable content for a teacher preparation program, the concept, principle, or process must be: (1) related to student growth; (2) a necessary curricular component; and (3) logically explained by a theory of social science. Examples are presented to illustrate the nature of content resulting from each decision-rule. The three rules are neither exhaustive nor exclusive, each having topics overlapping into the other areas; this overlap is logical given the interaction of theory and empirical evidence used in the processes. A consolidation of the three bases represents the most desired content structure of pedagogy. (CB)