This online database is the 4th edition of Content Knowledge, a work that first began as a series entitled The Systematic Identification and Articulation of Content Standards and Benchmarks, first published in April 1993. A study as ambitious as this one is always the product of the hard work and creative insight of a number of individuals. The following individuals had major responsibilities for identifying various standards and benchmarks:

John Kendall has been the senior author of all editions of Content Knowledge and is responsible for the conceptual design of the research underlying the development of the standards and benchmarks, topics, vocabulary, and knowledge/skill statements. He is also responsible for the technical design, quality control, and implementation of that research.

Robert Marzano has been co-author of all editions of Content Knowledge. His contributions have primarily been at the level of conceptual design for the standards, benchmarks, and knowledge/skill statements.

Amitra Blake-Schwols shared major responsibility for performance statements in K–2 and 6–8 mathematics and for the development of knowledge/skill statements and topics in health education and engineering education, as well as the update of benchmarks for engineering education.

Keri DeFrees shared major responsibility for the development of prekindergarten benchmarks in science. She shared major responsibility for the development of knowledge/skill statements in behavioral studies, civics, science, technology, and life skills.

Kathleen Flynn shared major responsibility for the development of prekindergarten benchmark in the language arts.

Biaze Miller shared major responsibility for the performance statements in K–5 language arts, and for the development of topics and knowledge/skill statements in business education.

Amy Richardson shared major responsibility for the development of knowledge/skill statements in the arts, civics, foreign language, health, physical education, technology, and life skills and, for the career education standards, knowledge/skill statements and topics for health education, agricultural education, and family/consumer sciences. She also identified performance statements in 3-5 mathematics.

Susan Ryan shared major responsibility for the development of knowledge/skill statements for history and for the career education standards, knowledge/skill statements and topics for arts and communication and business education. She also identified performance standards for 6–8 language arts.

Chris Snyder shared major responsibility for the development of knowledge/skill statements for the language arts and history. For earlier editions of this report, she has shared responsibility for the revision of standards and benchmarks in the English language arts, foreign language, and history.

Jill Williams shared major responsibility for the revision of benchmarks in mathematics, the development of prekindergarten benchmarks for mathematics, and the development of knowledge/skill statements for mathematics.

In addition, Farid Khan significantly redesigned the online database program for the 4th edition, making it more robust, easier to revise, and greatly increasing its accessibility for individual and institutional use. His recent redesign has allowed the addition of performance statements and for linking assessment items directly to knowledge/skill statements.

The following individuals contributed to the development of other standards and benchmarks in previous editions of this work:

Michael Schintgen shared major responsibility for the revision of standards and benchmarks in mathematics.

Angela Wahlquist shared major responsibility for the revision of standards and benchmarks in science.

Heidi Hoopes shared major responsibility for the revision of standards and benchmarks in technology.

Lisa Schoch-Roberts shared major responsibility for the identification of standards and benchmarks in physical education and for the revision of standards and benchmarks in United States and world history for an earlier report.

Mary Lee Barton shared major responsibility for an earlier revision of standards and benchmarks in the English language arts.

Nathalie Bleuzé shared major responsibility for the revision of standards and benchmarks in mathematics and economics, and for citations in civics.

Bradley Kennedy shared major responsibility for the initial identification of standards and benchmarks in world history, for draft standards in foreign language, and for the verification of standards in the arts.

Laura Lloyd shared major responsibility for citation updates of standards and benchmarks in physical education, health education, behavioral studies, and the arts.

Jessica Logan shared major responsibility for the identification of standards and benchmarks in technology and for the revision of standards and benchmarks in foreign language and life skills.

Jennifer Norford shared major responsibility for the identification of standards and benchmarks in economics and behavioral studies, and for the revision of standards and benchmarks in mathematics.

Audrey Peralez contributed to the initial identification of standards and benchmarks in geography.

Therese Sarah shared major responsibility for the initial identification of standards and benchmarks in U.S. history and K-4 history, for draft standards in economics, and assisted in the identification of the geography benchmarks.

Michael Shea shared major responsibility for the identification of standards and benchmarks in civics.

Shelly Wasson shared major responsibility for the identification of standards and benchmarks in science, health, the arts, and foreign language, for additions to the section on life skills, for the verification of standards and benchmarks in geography, and for document preparation.

The contributions that these individuals have made to this study cannot be overstated.

The authors would also like to thank the following individuals for their initial reviews of various national reports and documents: Tom Barlow, Sandy Berger, Jan Birmingham, Linda Brannan, Susan Everson, Joan Grady, Toni Haas, Bob Keller, Fran Mayeski, Barbara McCombs, Joann Sebastian-Morris, Diane Paynter, Sylvia Parker, Jerome Stiller, Jo Sue Whisler, and Terry Young. Farid Khan implemented a new database design for the 4th edition, expanding the capacity for current and future enhancements. Barb Gaddy provided editorial support. Carol Loredo assisted with word processing. Thanks also to David Frost, Shae Isaacs, Linda Brannan, Brad Wherry, and Peter Lund who assisted in the production, design, and distribution of previous updates in print and electronic media.

Others have also supported this effort through their thoughtful discussions of issues raised in this report. The authors would like to thank C. L. Hutchins, Alice Krueger, Debra Pickering, and Janie Pollock especially, among many others.