Monthly Standards Update
Draft 4 Adopted as 2026 ELA Standard Course of Study
On January 8, 2026, the NC State Board of Education (SBE) adopted Draft 4 as the 2026 ELA Standard Course of Study for implementation in the 2027-2028 school year. The current 2017 ELA Standard Course of Study will remain in place for classroom instruction for the 2025-2026 and 2026-2027 school years. The newly approved K-12 ELA SCOS aims to serve as the framework that guides each Public School Unit (PSU) in the development of the curriculum and instruction for English Language Arts.
In an effort to keep stakeholders informed, the NCDPI ELA Team will provide monthly standards updates that contain the latest announcements and current news regarding the adopted 2026 ELA SCOS. These updates are sent the first Friday of every month.
Note: The April 2026 First Friday message is being sent one day early due to statewide holiday observance on April 3, 2026.
To receive these updates straight to your inbox, please subscribe to our listserv. To view past listserv messages, visit the NCDPI ELA Webpage
Digital Content Accessibility Update
As part of our ongoing commitment to providing an accessible online experience, the Office of Teaching and Learning is updating digital content to comply with the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.1 AA standards. These updates ensure that our digital services are usable by everyone. During this process, some documents and materials on our website may be temporarily removed or unavailable while they are being reviewed and remediated for accessibility.
Educators and stakeholders should consider downloading frequently used resources to maintain access while accessibility remediation is completed. If you need access to a document that is currently unavailable, please contact the ELA team. We will provide the requested materials as quickly as possible. Thank you for your understanding and support as we continue to enhance our website’s accessibility for all users.
2026 ELA Standard Course of Study Initial Statewide Implementation Session Registration Open
Registration Closes May 15, 2026
Statewide, in-person professional development sessions will be offered during Summer 2026 to introduce the new 2026 English Language Arts Standard Course of Study, scheduled for implementation in the 2027-28 school year. Registration for these regional sessions opened on March 6 and is being coordinated at the PSU level, with each district submitting a single registration for a team of up to four participants.
Teacher leaders who are interested in attending--those who are likely to lead professional learning, facilitate implementation efforts, and assist with developing/adapting aligned resources within their districts or schools--should contact their school or district leadership to express interest and inquire about local selection processes. Sessions will be held across all 8 State Board of Education Regions and will provide an overview of the standards, supporting resources, and guidance for local implementation planning.
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2026 ELA Standard Course of Study: New Resources Released!
Unpacking Documents
To support successful implementation of the 2026 ELA Standard Course of Study (SCOS), the NCDPI ELA Team has created Unpacking Documents to deepen the understanding of the SCOS and its Fundamental Principles: 1) Grade-Level Complex Texts at the Center, 2) Integrated Model of Literacy & Spiraling, and 3) Variety of Texts. These documents are now available on the NCDPI ELA SCOS webpage and the Virtual Implementation Kit (VIK).
The Unpacking Documents include the following to support standards-aligned instruction:
- the ELA Standards and Objectives,
- relevant glossary terms for each standard,
- clarifications of what students should be able to know and do at each grade-level/grade-band,
- standards-based question stems and sentence frames,
- classroom considerations, and
- additional supplemental resources.
Please note: These unpacking documents are not meant to be exhaustive. Because North Carolina is a local-control state, all curricular decisions (e.g., texts, tasks, activities, etc.) are approved at the local level. Prior to implementing any of the materials in this resource, teachers should follow appropriate policies and procedures to have their curriculum vetted and approved by their school and district leaders.
View the 2026 ELA Standard Course of Study Unpacking documents by grade-level/band:
Acknowledgements: The NCDPI ELA Team consulted with educators in the field as well as the Offices of Early Learning and Exceptional Children during the creation of this resource.
Highlighted Vertical Progression
The Highlighted Standards Progression Tool provides a vertical view of the NC Standard Course of Study for English Language Arts, K-12 (2026). This resource allows educators to see how each standard and objective changes and builds from grade-to-grade as they progress towards career and college readiness. Educators can use the vertical progression to align and differentiate curriculum and instruction, develop scaffolds and supports, and coordinate curriculum and instruction across grades.
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2026 ELA SCOS Additional Installation Materials Available
Throughout the installation phase, supporting resources will be developed and shared. Stakeholders are encouraged to check the ELA Virtual Implementation Kit (VIK) often for updates and additional resources.
Standards Implementation Guide
The Standards Implementation Guide aims to provide general guidance to PSUs on the considerations that must be made as PSUs and schools install newly revised NCSCOS.
Implementation of Adopted 2026 ELA SCOS
Note: The current 2017 ELA Standard Course of Study will remain in place for classroom instruction and assessment through the 2026-2027 school year.
Public school units (PSUs) are expected to implement the 2026 North Carolina Standard Course of Study for K-12 English Language Arts starting in the 2027-2028 school year. Details regarding professional learning opportunities and forthcoming resources will be shared via listservs and social media channels. Consider encouraging colleagues to subscribe to the ELA Team listserv and/or follow the ELA Team's Instagram and Facebook pages, so they can stay informed throughout installation and implementation of the 2026 ELA Standard Course of Study!
ELA Standards Update Webinar Series
Mark your calendars for the final webinar in the ELA Standards Update series!
Join the NCDPI ELA Team to learn more about the newly adopted English Language Arts Standard Course of Study.
Webinars will allow participants to:
- Gain a greater understanding of the adopted 2026 standards
- Explore revisions to the 2017 SCOS
- Dive deeper into the adopted 2026 SCOS organization and structure
- Receive updates on the installation timeline and supporting resources
Final Webinar Registration
Register today for the remaining standards update webinar which will take place in June, and consider sharing the registration link with colleagues who would be interested in joining!
ML/Title III Position Open
NCDPI is seeking a dedicated and experienced Education Consultant to join our ML/Title III team! This is a meaningful opportunity to make a lasting impact on the educational outcomes of MLs in North Carolina public schools.
Join the team! Posting is open now and closes April 9.
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