Kindergarten teachers must balance the competing interests of meeting grade level standards, including teaching students to be literate, and integrating developmentally appropriate practices. Students need to have opportunities to read, write, listen, and speak; however, a didactic, teacher-centered approach is not in the best interest of young students who need multi-sensory inputs, opportunities for peer collaboration, and movement. While there is a large body of research on the many facets of literacy instruction (Brown et al., 2021; Miles & Ehri 2017, National Early Literacy Panel, 2008), research on how kindergarten teachers implement literacy practices while considering the needs of their students, along with the expectations of their district and site administrators, is underdeveloped. This study examined the self-reported instructional practices of teachers from two contextually different elementary schools within one large, suburban school district. A qualitative multiple site case study was conducted. Data were collected over the course of 3 months and included interviews with district personnel, school administrators, and kindergarten teachers, as well as the collection and analysis of documents and artifacts. Results of each case study revealed that while administrators prioritized high literacy expectations for students, teachers in both school sites used a balanced approach to literacy practices including phonics and comprehension, with differentiated instruction and activities, in order to meet student needs. In addition, participants described student talk, movement, and engaging, multi-sensory activities as a part of their daily literacy practices. Participant language emphasized training as an important component in their understanding of literacy practices and how to make student-centered decisions. Professional development provided by the district served to create a common language between district staff, creating alignment despite the contextual differences of the schools. While the district and site administrators provided guidance and clear expectations, teachers felt they were respected as professionals and had the capacity to make instructional decisions based on the differing needs of their students. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://bibliotheek.ehb.be:2222/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]