Scripted curriculum materials are becoming more and more commonplace throughout schools in the United States. Scripted curriculum materials are instructional materials that have been commercially prepared and require the teacher to read from script while delivering the lesson. They reflect a focus on explicit, direct, systematic skills instruction and are touted as a method to boost sagging standardized test scores and narrow the achievement gap between children growing up in poverty and those who are more affluent. In this article, the author discusses the politics of the scripted curriculum, as well as who profits, its basic structure, current research as to its effectiveness, and concerns about its effect on students as well as teachers.