Reflecting a view of how classrooms can and should look to assist all students to achieve high standards of excellence, this curriculum framework presents the first statewide framework for learning, teaching, and assessment in the English language arts for Massachusetts public schools. After an introduction, it discusses the core concept underlying the framework, which is that the goal of an English language arts curriculum is to teach learners how to reason and use language purposefully as they comprehend, construct, and convey meaning. It then presents 10 guiding principles that underlie every strand and learning standard in the framework. The framework then presents content strands and learning standards for the areas of language, literature, composition, and media (separated by grade levels pre-K-4, 5-8, 9-10, and 11-12). (Contains 22 endnotes and 119 references. Appendixes contain (1) a suggested list of authors, illustrators, or works reflecting "our common literary and cultural heritage"; (2) suggested lists of authors and illustrators of contemporary American literature and world literature; (3) 3 sample literature units; (4) a historical perspective on the goals and content of English language arts instruction; (5) accommodation for limited English proficient students; and (6) advice on relating literature to key historical documents.) (RS)