Welcome to Secondary Language Arts
Overview
Our mission is to ensure that all students become proficient in various areas of literacy in order to become successful citizens, and to be prepared for college and career pathways.
Secondary Language Arts Team
Utah Core Standards
The Utah State Board of Education approved new P-12 English Language Arts Standards in April of 2023. These standards identify the essential literacy skills in speaking & listening, reading, and writing.
Core Guides
Grade 6: A Core Guide to the Utah English Language Arts Standards
Grades 7-8: A Core Guide to the Utah English Language Arts Standards
Grades 9-10: A Core Guide to the Utah English Language Arts Standards
Grades 11-12: A Core Guide to the Utah English Language Arts Standards
Secondary Language Arts Team
Educator Endorsements
Important Update on Secondary ELA Endorsement Courses for 2026
USBE would like to thank educators for their patience and understanding as we've been diligently working to explore new ways to offer Secondary ELA endorsement online courses. We are excited to announce a new endorsement course pathway for the Secondary ELA endorsement courses for 2026. Northeastern Utah Educational Services (NUES) in partnership with the Utah State Board of Education (USBE) and Souther Utah University (SUU), offer four online courses that meet many of the requirements for the EnglishLanguage Arts endorsement. These courses are 12 weeks, and are asynchronous.
Course Dates in 2026:
|
Course Name |
Requirement Areas Met |
2026 Dates |
|
Teaching Secondary English Language Arts |
3, 7 |
Jan 5-Mar 31, 2026 |
|
Adolescent Literature |
1, 2, 3 |
Jan 5-Mar 31, 2026 |
|
Content Area Literacy Instruction |
7, 9 |
Apr 6-June 30, 2026 |
|
Teaching Writing for Adolescents |
5 |
Apr 6-June 30, 2026 |
The course fee is $300 per 3-credit course. For SUU credit, an additional $69 per course is required. This credit is master's level and could be used as elective credit towards a masters degree (total fees: $369). For MIDAS (USBE) credit, no additional fee is required (total fees = $300). When you sign up for the course, you will indicate if you are seeking SUU or MIDAS credit.
Sign up for the 2026 Endorsement Courses Here
If you have additional questions please contact Monica Bellenger at monica.bellenger@schools.utah.gov
Endorsement Applications
For information on endorsement options and requirements, please refer to the following:
Endorsement Application and Specifications
Endorsement FAQs
English Language Arts Endorsement 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 |
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 & 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).
Secondary Language Arts Team
Meetings
Secondary Literacy Director Meetings
2024-2025 Meetings (Virtual)
- Tuesday, September 18, 2024, 1:00-3:00 pm
- Tuesday, November 12, 2024, 1:00-3:00 pm
- Tuesday, January 14, 2025, 1:00-3:00 pm
- Tuesday, March 11, 2025, 1:00-3:00 pm
Message brenda.mcmurtrey@schools.utah.gov for an invite.
Secondary Language Arts Team
Resources
Secondary ELA Newsletters
Coming soon.
UEN Resources
UEN Resources for K-12 Education: English Language Arts
USBE Resources
A Guide for Secondary Educators Supporting Adolescent Readers
Bringing Grammar & Language to Life Through Evidence-Based Practices
Utah's P-12 Literacy Framework
E-mail 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.