English Language Arts

English Language Arts (ELA) are all of the communication and language skills and processes people use every day to receive and send information. Students in ELA classrooms and across the content areas take in information through reading, listening, and viewing from both literary and informational sources. Students also write, speak, and exchange ideas to express themselves and communicate with others. The ability to use and understand language is critical to every aspect of students’ lives and their future career and college readiness.
 

Educator Edition Bulletin

 The Educator Edition Bulletin/Newsletter is a monthly newsletter sent electronically by MDE with important Academic Standards information, research, and legislative updates. Subscribe to the Educator Edition Bulletin/Newsletter. 

Standards, Assessment, and Graduation Requirements

2020 Academic Standards in English Language Arts  – Effective at the beginning of the 2025-26 school year 

The 2020 Minnesota Academic Standards in English Language Arts were adopted in 2023 and are scheduled for full implementation in the 2025-26 school year.
The 2010 ELA standards included an additional disciplinary literacy supplement for History/Social Studies, Science, and Technical Subjects. Now, literacy is embedded in each content area’s revised standards (2019 Science Standards, 2020 ELA Standards, and 2021 Social Studies Standards), with a focus on disciplinary literacies authentic to the disciplines.

Learning Progressions

The 2020 K–12 Minnesota English Language Arts (ELA) standards in the vertical format show the standards, organized by strand, with their corresponding grade-level benchmarks for grades K–12. These learning progressions allow teachers, school leaders and administrators, and parents and caregivers to see what students should be learning in their grade level in relation to the grade levels above and below.
The 2020 ELA academic standards are organized into three strands: 1) Reading; 2) Writing; and 3) Listening, Speaking, Viewing and Exchanging Ideas (LSVEI). The following documents show the learning progression of the three ELA strands from kindergarten through 12th grade. Importantly, the standard and benchmark information below is the same as can be found in the primary 2020 K–12 ELA Standards documents above but is organized in a learning progression format.

Implementation Support

Full implementation of the 2020 ELA Standards is required in the 2025-26 school year. For more information and implementation resources, including a suggested implementation timeline and a 3-part webinar series, please refer to the ELA Implementation page.

2010 Academic Standards in English Language Arts (ELA) – Effective from November 2011 until the end of the 2024-25 school year

The 2010 Minnesota Academic Standards in English Language Arts were adopted in 2011 and were fully implemented in the 2012-13 school year. 

Assessments

The Reading Minnesota Comprehensive Assessments (MCA) III and the Minnesota Test of Academic Skills (MTAS) III assess the 2010 ELA standards in grades 3-8 and 10. The MCA IV and MTAS IV will begin assessing the 2020 standards at the same grade levels in the 2025-26 school year. Learn more about the MCAs and statewide assessments on the Statewide Testing page.
 

Graduation requirements:

The graduation requirements for English Language Arts (ELA) include credit requirements and standards requirements. All students are required to satisfactorily complete four credits in ELA encompassing the high school academic standards. See the Graduation Requirements page for more information.
 

Professional Learning and Coming Events

English Language Arts Implementation 

Refer to the English Language Arts Implementation webpage for guidance on the 2020 ELA standards implementation.

Literacy Professional Development

The READ Act requires professional development for all staff who support reading instruction in PreK-12 schools. See the READ Act webpage for more information about requirements and opportunities.

General Training for K-12 Academic Standards

Minnesota Department of Education provides resources to guide educators, both individuals and teams, through a process for implementing a set of standards, from understanding the standards to examining student work. See the K-12 Academic Standards Training webpage for more information.
 

Legislative Initiatives and Special Projects

READ Act and Local Literacy Plans

Districts are required to develop a Local Literacy Plan to ensure that all students have achieved early reading proficiency by no later than the end of third grade. This plan addresses the third grade reading proficiency objective of districts’ World’s Best Workforce plans (Minnesota Statutes 2023, section 120B.11). The READ Act webpage provides guidance and resources to assist efforts to understand and meet the demands of early reading intervention and the requirements of the READ Act (Minnesota Statutes 2023, section 120B.12). The Local Literacy Plan is due to MDE each year by June 15.

Resources for Instruction and Learning

Minnesota Reading Association

The Minnesota Reading Association (MRA) is a dynamic and diverse organization that includes classroom teachers, reading specialists, consultants, administrators, supervisors, college teachers, researchers, psychologists, librarians, media specialists, students, and parents. MRA has more than 500 members in Minnesota and is affiliated with the International Literacy Association. Visit the MRA website for more information and to learn about ongoing events.

Minnesota Council of Teachers of English

The Minnesota Council of Teachers of English (MCTE) is the Minnesota-based professional organization for teachers of English and language arts at the elementary, middle, secondary, and post-secondary levels. MCTE is committed to providing quality professional development opportunities for English teachers in Minnesota. The organization advocates for best practices in English/language arts in the public and the legislature and promotes professional growth opportunities for college students pursuing a career in English education. MCTE is affiliated with the National Council of Teachers of English. Visit the MCTE website for more information and to learn about events such as the annual MCTE conference.

Minnesota Writing Project

The Minnesota Writing Project (MWP) aims to improve K-college literacy in Minnesota. Housed within the Center for Writing at the University of Minnesota – Twin Cities, MWP is a local site of the National Writing Project, which “focuses the knowledge, expertise, and leadership of our nation’s educators on sustained efforts to improve writing and learning for all learners.” Visit the MWP website for more information and to learn about professional learning opportunities and youth programs.
 

Standards and Related Information

  • Convergence Insufficiency (CI) Fact Sheet - 12/18/23
    Additional information as it relates to Reading Well by Third Grade Data and Plan.
  • Language Essentials for Teachers of Reading and Spelling (LETRS): What Do Administrators Need to Know - 12/16/21
    LETRS is a comprehensive professional development course appropriate for all staff instructing and supporting reading, spelling, and related language skills.
  •  - 3/29/21
    Frequently Asked Questions about Minnesota K-12 Academic Standards in English Language Arts (2010)
  •  - 6/18/20
  •  - 1/3/20
  • 2019-20 Minnesota English Language Arts Standards Committee - 11/8/19
  • Minnesota K-12 Academic Standards in English Language Arts (2010) - 8/15/18
    Literacy in History/Social Studies-See pages 80-90