Perhaps more than any other formulation, the question "What should students know and be able to do?" has shaped both the parlance and practice of education over the past decade. Ushering in an era of standards and accountability, this widely intoned question has precipitated the most massive reform American education has experienced, with no part of the education system, including early childhood education, exempt. In this article, the authors examine how this focus has affected young children, addressing the prevalence of standards, their nature, and their use as they relate to children who are just entering the schools. (Contains 1 table and 7 notes.)