This paper presents the results of a document and interview analysis focusing on the standards and frameworks materials that have been newly developed for teachers and administrators in New York to determine the fit between these guidelines and the developing sociocultural concept of curriculum as "conversation" within the domains of English Language Arts and Social Studies. The study focused on 21 teachers in several schoolwide curriculum projects at kindergarten through grade 4 levels. The first data set consisted of documents from a variety of sources. The second data set included transcribed telephone interviews from 16 urban and 5 suburban teachers. The analyses indicate that the framework documents offered by the state and school districts are not sufficient for teachers to transform the new standards into classroom practice. For example, aside from the documents on the state testing program, there is little guidance on beginning reading development and assessment. In social studies education little instruction as delivered bears any relationship to the state social studies standards. Comparisons across examined standards documents and also statements made of teachers revealed some discontinuities, suggesting a breach in many cases between intended public policy and implementation. Teachers may be caught between conflicting expectations. An appendix presents the New York state standards for social studies. (Contains 1 table, 3 figures, and 14 references.) (SLD)