The English Language Arts Standard Course of Study establishes competency goals and objectives for the teaching and learning of English Language Arts in North Carolina. This document details the English Language Arts content that should be taught in all schools. The entire K-12 North Carolina English Language Arts Standard Course of Study was last revised in 1999 [ED445347]. The beginning reading portion was revised in 1997 in response to legislative mandate to include more emphasis on early and systematic phonics instruction within a balanced reading program. The curriculum contains specific goals and objectives for each grade level. This 2004 curriculum includes clarifications and specificity designed to make the competency objectives more comprehensible and to support teachers' implementation of the standards. The following are appended: (1) Information on Beginning Reading Instruction; (2) K-2 Grade Span Continuum; (3) Strand Skills Continuum; and (4) Content of Reading and Literature Program K-12. The final appendix containing a glossary is not included in this version of the document.