Curricula are designed by organizations at various levels ranging from a grade level group of teachers to the national Department of Education. A curriculum specifies what is to be taught, usually in a given sequence.

The North Carolina state curriculum is called the Standard Course of Study. It includes the goals and specific objectives to be addressed for all subjects at every grade level. It also includes additional information for how the curriculum should be expressed: for example, teaching and learning strands, philosophical frameworks, and proficiency levels. The Standard Course of Study currently consists of the Common Core State Standards and North Carolina Essential Standards. For further explanation:
See The Standard Course of Study on LEARN NC.