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鈥12 English language arts and reading Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS).
Announcements
IMRA Cycle 2026 Reviewer Application
Apply now to help improve the quality and suitability of instructional materials across Texas! will be accepted until Friday, January 9, 2026, at 11:59 p.m. CT.
Learn about IMRA reviewer qualifications, commitment expectations, and compensations at .
For questions, please visit the , submit a ,* and/or sign up to attend .
*To ensure requests are routed to the appropriate team for support, please select IMRA Reviewer or Reviewer Applicant as your Role.
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.
TEKS Guide
The purpose of the 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 鈥 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.鈥
The new ELPS are scheduled to be implemented in classrooms beginning with the 2026鈥2027 school year. Local education agencies (LEAs) must continue providing instruction in the鈥current ELPS in 19 TAC, Chapter 74, 搂74.4, until they are replaced with the new ELPS in 2026鈥2027.鈥
The links below provide access to the new ELPS posted on the鈥痺eb page.鈥
ELPS Resources
The ELPS resources below provide information to support understanding and implementation of the ELPS.
The side-by-side tables provide a comparison of the ELPS student expectations by grade band (Kindergarten鈥揋rade 3 and Grades 4鈥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鈥3 (2026鈥2027 Implementation Year) (PDF)
- ELPS Side-by-Side Tables for the Current ELPS and New ELPS Adopted 2024: Grade Band 4鈥12 (2026鈥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.
This section will be updated as future stakeholder engagement sessions are scheduled. Please check back for the latest information.
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
- 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 搂 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 .
- 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 and other social studies courses throughout the year.
- Black History Month web page
- SB 1828 was passed in 2019 in acknowledgment of the Holocaust鈥檚 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鈥檚 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 鈥渓iberated鈥 by Allied troops.)
Curriculum Standards and Student Support
(512) 463-9581
For questions or additional information, please submit a Curriculum Request Form through the .
Please 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