More and more children are entering school with limited language, literacy and learning experiences. Add that to delayed emotional maturity and socialization, and you get some real challenges for teachers who work with groups of children with such a wide range of abilities…

How has kindergarten’s curriculum changed in the past 10 to 20 years?

It has definitely become more academic with high-stakes assessment or testing associated with it. Because more children are in child care before coming to school, many kindergarten teachers expect higher socialization and academic skills. Teachers are pressured to ensure all children are performing at a high level. The expectations of reading and math curriculums often widen the gap of achievement.

Source: Arizona Republic
http://www.azcentral.com/arizonarepublic/local/articles/0805edalldayk0805.html