What is CKLA and Where Did it Come From?

My Views Are My Own

By Lisa Schonhoff, Ed.S.

4/8/2025

Why are so many public school districts in Nebraska using this new set of curriculum materials called CKLA (Core Knowledge Language Arts)? It seems that in the last few years, this Amplify curriculum has swept through our state and our nation. Where did it come from and why is it so popular? In my research, I found that it is popular because it has a green rating on Edreports, funded by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. It is listed first on our Nebraska standards website for ELA because of this green rating. It receives a green rating because it is aligned to Common Core State Standards, also funded by Bill Gates.

An article published in Tulsa Kids magazine that interviewed three teachers about their experiences using CKLA states that “CKLA is a product of Amplify, the education division of Rupert Murdoch’s News Corp., an entertainment/news media company. The corporation planned to disrupt the American education industry as a newcomer in the curriculum development arena by introducing its own tablet computer and bundled education software into classrooms across the United States. When the ed-tech company didn’t deliver on its financial objective, Murdoch sold it to private investors.”

Source: Amplifying Profits Selling Harmful Pedagogy | tultican

Pros to teaching CKLA

-Rigorous content

-Brings phonics back to the classroom

Cons to teaching CKLA

-Too much screen time

-Limited access to physical books

-Repeated exposure to dark, heavy content at a very young age

-Not engaging for struggling learners

Let’s take a look at the elementary content. Short segments are provided below as well as links for further research. As you look through the content, it’s important to look through the lens of a seven-year old or a ten-year old. Students at these ages will believe what they read and what they are told by significant role models in their lives, even if it’s missing important truths. For example, can we properly teach the Islam religion without teaching about Devshirme or Sharia Law? Is learning about the Gods and Goddesses of the underworld, such as Persephone, appropriate or necessary in order for second graders to understand world history? Could repeated and prolonged exposure to such dark content actually have a negative impact on the mental health of developing brains? Regardless of how you feel about such topics, it’s important to ask your students what they are learning about in school. Check in with local school boards and administrators to see when you can provide input on new materials being purchased. Materials such as CKLA are very expensive, and most school districts purchase new materials on a seven year cycle for each content area. These dollars add up and should be scrutinized by all stakeholders.