English Language Arts and Reading
This English language arts and reading web page provides clarification, guidance, and support to English language arts and reading stakeholders, including districts, schools, parents, educators, and students, for the development and implementation of the K–12 English language arts and reading Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS).
Announcements
ELPS Guide is Live!
The Texas Education Agency is excited to announce the launch of the ELPS Guide, now available through the TEKS Guide platform at https://teksguide.org.
The ELPS Guide is designed to support educators by providing a consistent, clear, and shared interpretation of the new English Language Proficiency Standards (ELPS).
Modeled after the TEKS Guide, this resource helps ensure that all educators in Texas have a common understanding of the ELPS and how the standards support emergent bilingual students in accessing grade‑level instruction.
To access the ELPS Guide:
- Visit https://teksguide.org
- Use the “Which subject are you interested in?” drop‑down menu
- Select English Language Proficiency Standards and the appropriate grade band
This new resource complements existing TEKS Guide content and serves as an additional tool to support statewide coherence in standards implementation.
May Stakeholder Engagement Session
Topic: English Language Proficiency Standards (ELPS) Guide 101
Date: May 20
Please see the Stakeholder Engagement Sessions section for additional information. Black History Month: February 2026
Each year, during February, we celebrate the history and cultural contributions of Black Americans in the United States. Students will explore over 400 years of Black history within the broader context of American history.
TEA has created a web page to provide resources, including a variety of lessons, activities, and instructional materials, that can be used to support instruction and honor Black History Month. Please visit the “Commemorative Weeks and Months” section below for additional information.
English Language Arts & Reading TEKS
The links below provide access to the web-based version of the current English language arts Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS), which are the state standards for what students should know and be able to do. You can also access a PDF version of the TEKS.
- Elementary English Language Arts and Reading TEKS
- Middle School English Language Arts and Reading TEKS
- High School English Language Arts and Reading TEKS
- Other High School English Language Arts and Reading TEKS
TEKS Guide
The purpose of the TEKS Guide is to help teachers understand each student expectation in the Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS) and to provide valuable resources to support instruction. Currently, the TEKS Guide includes resources for K-8 English Language Arts and K-6 Spanish Language Arts.
Vertical Alignment
The following vertical alignment documents were created to reflect the alignment of the new English and Spanish language arts and reading TEKS across grade levels, kindergarten – grade 12.
- Vertical alignment: K-12 English language arts and reading TEKS, Adopted 2017 (PDF, 236KB)
- Vertical alignment: K-12 Spanish language arts and reading TEKS, Adopted 2017 (PDF, 236KB)
English Language Proficiency Standards (ELPS)
The State Board of Education (SBOE) adopted new English Language Proficiency Standards (ELPS) at the September 2024 SBOE meeting. The new ELPS became effective in 19 Texas Administrative Code (TAC), Chapter 120, on February 2, 2025.
The new ELPS are scheduled to be implemented in classrooms beginning with the 2026–2027 school year. Local education agencies (LEAs) must continue providing instruction in the current ELPS in 19 TAC, Chapter 74, §74.4, until they are replaced with the new ELPS in 2026–2027.
The links below provide access to the new ELPS posted on the TEA Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills web page.
ELPS Resources
The ELPS resources below provide information to support understanding and implementation of the ELPS.
- Updates to the ELPS Starting in 2026–2027 (Video)
- New English Language Proficiency Standards (ELPS) Overview (PDF)
The side-by-side tables provide a comparison of the ELPS student expectations by grade band (Kindergarten–Grade 3 and Grades 4–12). Each grade band includes a side-by-side table for each domain showing the alignment between the current ELPS and the new ELPS adopted in 2024.
The links below provide a side-by-side view of the current ELPS and the new ELPS student expectations.
- ELPS Side-by-Side Tables for the Current ELPS and New ELPS Adopted 2024: Grade Band K–3 (2026–2027 Implementation Year) (PDF)
- ELPS Side-by-Side Tables for the Current ELPS and New ELPS Adopted 2024: Grade Band 4–12 (2026–2027 Implementation Year) (PDF)
Stakeholder Engagement Sessions
The reading language arts team at TEA is committed to enhancing opportunities for stakeholder engagement across the state of Texas. Reading Language Arts Stakeholder Engagement Sessions allow the TEA reading language arts team to expand information sharing and interaction with stakeholders.
May Reading Language Arts Stakeholder Engagement Session
Topic: English Language Proficiency Standards (ELPS) Guide 101
Target Audience: English Language Arts, English as a Second Language, Bilingual or Dual Language Stakeholders- Teachers, District Administrators, Campus Administrators, Education Service Center Specialists, Parents, Professional Organizations
Session Description: This session is designed to introduce participants to the purpose, structure, and key components of the ELPS Guide. This tool will help provide a consistent and clear interpretation of the revised ELPS so that all educators in Texas have the same understanding of the standards. Attendees will receive a high-level overview of how the guide is organized and how it can be used to support planning, instruction, and decision-making. The session will highlight major sections of the guide and clarify how the content is intended to be used in practice. Participants will leave with an understanding of the guide’s goals and where to find information to support their work.
Date, Time, and Registration Link
Wednesday, May 20, 1:00-2:00 p.m. (CT): May 20 Registration Link
Recent English Language Arts Communications
The recent newsletters and engagement session presentations updates below have been shared by the reading language arts team with stakeholders.
Additional TEA Web Pages Related to English Language Arts and Reading
- House Bill 1605
- Student Assessment
- Spanish Language Support
- College, Career, and Military Prep
- Continuing Professional Education (CPE)
- Early Childhood Education
- Educator Certification Rules
- Graduation Information
- Special Populations
- Bible Literacy Frequently Asked Question (PDF)
Commemorative Weeks and Months
- Each year, during the week that includes September 17, Texas schools honor Celebrate Freedom Week (TEC § 29.907) to highlight the values and ideals on which the United States was founded as well as the sacrifices that were made for freedom in the founding of the country. Students learn about the intent, meaning, and importance of the Declaration of Independence and the U.S. Constitution, including the Bill of Rights. Students also examine the relationship between the ideas in these documents and subsequent American history.
- Celebrate Freedom Week web page
- Each year, Americans observe National Hispanic Heritage Month from September 15 to October 15 by celebrating the histories, cultures, and contributions of Americans who trace their heritage to Latin America or Spain. The observation started in 1968 as Hispanic Heritage Week under President Lyndon Johnson and was expanded by President Ronald Reagan in 1988 to cover a 30-day period. The following websites provide instructional materials, activities, and lessons that can be used to celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month and to support instruction in Ethnic Studies: Mexican American Studies.
- Hispanic Heritage Month web page
- Each year, during February, we celebrate the history and cultural contributions of Black Americans in the United States. Students will explore over 400 years of Black history within the broader context of American History. The following websites provide a variety of lessons, activities, and instructional materials that can be used to honor Black History Month and to support instruction in Ethnic Studies: African American Studies and other social studies courses throughout the year.
- Black History Month web page
- SB 1828 was passed in 2019 in acknowledgment of the Holocaust’s ongoing significance. SB 1828 instructs the Texas Holocaust, Genocide, and Antisemitism Advisory Commission (THGAAC) to develop or approve materials for public schools for a statewide Holocaust Remembrance Week. Counseled by the Commission, the Governor’s Office selected the week of January 27th as the date for Remembrance Week. (International Holocaust Remembrance Day is January 27, which is the date that Auschwitz was “liberated” by Allied troops.)
- Holocaust Remembrance Week web page
Curriculum Standards and Student Support
(512) 463-9581
For questions or additional information, please submit a Curriculum Request Form through the TEA Help Desk.
Please subscribe for newsletter updates from the Reading Language Arts team.
Foundation Team
Shawna Wiebusch
Foundation Director
Tamara Robert
Reading Language Arts Content Specialist
Liz Baker
Science Content Specialist
Jenny Gaona
Social Studies Content Specialist
James Slack
Mathematics Content Specialist