There is a risk that some students will progressively slip further behind the pace of instruction across grade levels, particularly in the second through fourth grades. A combination of factors are related to instructional risk: (1) structure of skill development across more than one grade level; (2) organization of textbook lessons that provide instruction and practice within a particular grade level; and (3) the way teachers move students through a year's worth of lessons--especially how they make adjustments in what to cover for students who may not complete all topics within the textbook by the end of the school year. The first step in reducing instructional risk is identifying pivotal skills which have strong instructional linkages across grade levels. Risks to further learning are increased when there is little practice on skill units which are strongly linked to next year's instruction, when practice is located near the end of textbooks, or when practice is badly fragmented. Once pivotal skills are identified, students must be instructed in these skills at the appropriate time, and intensive practice on these skills should be provided. Sample specifications are presented for risk reduction resources, and types of exercises that may be used in sequence by the classroom teacher are provided. (JD)