Utah Core Standards

The Utah State Board of Education approved new P-12 English Language Arts Standards in April 2023. These standards identify the essential literacy skills in speaking & listening, reading, and writing.

Utah State Standards for P-12 English Language Arts

English Language Arts Standards Resources

Speech Progression Chart

English Language Arts Standards - Best Practices

English Language Arts Standards FAQ

Utah Secondary Supplemental Standards for English Language Arts: Journalism, Speech/Debate, Creative Writing/Literary Magazine, Humanities, Professional & Technical Communication

Core Guides

The English Language Arts Standards are created to provide guidance for developing effective instruction aligned to the Utah State Standards for P-12 English Language Arts. They are intended to support teachers, administrators, English Language Arts specialists, instructional coaches, parents, and other stakeholders as they plan instruction at a local level.

The Core Guides are not intended to be read from cover to cover. They are meant as a resource document to be used, when needed, to support teacher professional learning and curriculum decisions. They are not meant to be used by students, and therefore, they may not be written in student-friendly language. The Core Guides are meant to inform teachers and leaders as they make English Language Arts curriculum decisions.

ELA Core Guide Preschool Age 3

ELA Core Guide Preschool Age 4

ELA Core Guide Kindergarten

ELA Core Guide 1st Grade

ELA Core Guide 2nd Grade

ELA Core Guide 3rd Grade

ELA Core Guide 4th Grade

ELA Core Guide 5th Grade

ELA Core Guide 6th Grade

ELA Core Guide 7-8 Grades

ELA Core Guide 9-10 Grades

ELA Core Guide 11-12 Grades

Educator Endorsements

Endorsement Applications

For Information on endorsement options and requirements, please refer to the following:

Endorsement Application and Specifications

Endorsement FAQs

English Language Arts Endorsements Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Secondary Literacy Interventionist (SLI) Endorsement Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Online Endorsement Courses

The Utah State Board of Education, in partnership with Southern Utah University, offers four online courses that meet the requirements for the English Language Arts endorsement. These courses meet the following requirement areas:

Course Name	Requirement Areas Met
Teaching Secondary English Language Arts (ELA)	3, 7
Adolescent Literature	1, 2, 3
Content Area Literacy Instruction	7, 9
Teaching Writing for Adolescents	5

 

Fall 2025 Semester

 Registration: July 28 - August 25, 2025

Course Dates: September 8 - December 5, 2025

• Adolescent Literature
• Teaching Secondary English Language Arts

Spring 2026 Semester

Registration: November 17 - December 29, 2025

Course Dates: January 12 - April 3, 2026

• Content Area Literacy Instruction 
• Teaching Writing for Adolescents

Participation Criteria for online English Language Arts endorsement courses:

The endorsement courses are designed specifically for Utah educators seeking an associate or professional level ELA endorsement.

Fees and Official SUU Transcripts

To receive an official transcript with a grade for the course, you will need to pay $69 to SUU ($23 for each credit; these courses are three credits each).

 

 

 

 

 

Meetings

Elementary Literacy Director Meetings

2025-2026 School Year (Virtual)

• Wednesday, September 24, 2025, 9:00 am - 12:00 pm
• Thursday, November 13, 2025, 9:00 am - 12:00 pm
• Tuesday, January 13, 2026, 9:00 am - 12:00 pm
• Tuesday, March 17, 2026, 9:00 am - 12:00 pm

Secondary ELA Director Meetings

2025-2026 School Year (Virtual)

• Tuesday, September 23, 2025 1:00 pm-3:00 pm
• Tuesday November 18, 2025 1:00pm-3:00pm
• Tuesday January 13, 2026 1:00pm-3:00pm
• Tuesday March 17, 2026 1:00pm -3:00pm

Resources

USBE Resources

Building Readers Parent's Guide

Building Readers Parent's Guide

Building Readers Parent's Guide Spanish

Building Readers: A Parent's Guide emphasizes the crucial role parents play in developing their children's reading skills, fostering a love of reading, and providing support throughout a child's educational journey. It highlights that reading ability significantly impacts a child's academic performance and future success. The guide provides age-appropriate suggestions for parents to encourage reading from infancy to adolescence.

Early Learning Program

Early Learning Program Technical Manual

The purpose of the Early Learning Program is to improve the Early Literacy and Early Mathematics classroom instruction and student outcomes in kindergarten through grade 3. The Early Learning Program establishes an Early Learning Plan that includes early literacy, early mathematics, goals, and the Professional Learning Grant. This document is a resource for Local Education Agencies (LEAs) (Districts and Charters) to use to guide them in completing their Early Learning Plan.

K-12 Literacy Framework

Utah's K-12 Literacy Framework

Utah's K-12 Literacy Framework translates the research findings into advice and guidance to provide Educators with the knowledge, tools, and resources necessary to meet the instructional needs of all students in reading, writing, listening, and speaking. The purpose of the framework is to support districts, charters, and schools in evaluating, refining, and monitoring the essential systems, structures, and literacy practices necessary to achieve greater outcomes in the area of literacy for all students.

The Elementary Literacy Framework integrates five key elements that support literacy outcomes:

• Element 1: Culture of Learning
• Element 2: Learner Agency
• Element 3: Demonstrated Competency and Assessment
• Element 4: Customized Supports
• Element 5: Social and Emotional Learning

A Guide for Secondary Educators Supporting Adolescent Readers

Supporting Adolescent Readers

Bringing Grammar & Language to Life Through Evidence-Based Practices

Bringing Grammar and Language to Life

Utah's Science of Reading (SOR) Expert Panel

As legislated in the 2022 Legislative Session, Utah has created an expert panel to support the Science of Reading (SOR). The expert panelists have deep knowledge and a research background in the science of reading and the science of reading instruction, as well as practical experience translating the science of reading into effective reading instructional practices.

Current SOR Panel Members

Janice A. Dole

Parker C. Fawson

Pati Montgomery

Ray Reutzel

Dr. Angela S. Rutherford

Dr. Elsa Cárdenas-Hagan

UEN Resources

UEN Resources for K-12 Education: English Language Arts

Email List

The Utah State Board of Education (USBE), in collaboration with the Utah Education Network (UEN), has created a Secondary ELA Teacher ListServ for all secondary ELA Professionals across the state. Subscribe to stay up to date on secondary ELA resources and professional learning opportunities.