(Mis)Alignment of instructional policy supports in Pre-K and kindergarten: Evidence from rural districts in North Carolina

•Horizontal alignment refers to the degree of alignment between standards, curricula, and assessments within a grade level.•Vertical alignment refers to the degree of alignment among standards, curricula, and assessments across grade levels.•Study participants report stronger horizontal than vertical alignment. This is particularly pronounced in Kindergarten teachers’ perceptions.•Participants provide three reasons for weak vertical alignment.•Implications for ways to overcome these potential barriers as well as future studies of alignment are discussed.