Ohio's Learning Standards for English Language Arts

Ohio's Learning Standards for English Language Arts (Adopted 2026)

 

The Ohio Department of Education and Workforce has revised Ohio's Learning Standards for English Language Arts:

• 2026 Ohio's Learning Standards for English Language Arts K-12
• 2026 Ohio's Learning Standards for English Language Arts K-8 Crosswalk
• Glossary of Terms

The 2026 Ohio's Learning Standards for English Language Arts K-12 document includes the revised K-8 standards, as well as the 2017 grades 9-12 standards, which have not changed. The K-8 standards revisions focused on alignment to the science of reading and clarity of language. Additionally, Reading Foundations (decoding) expanded through grade 8 and Writing Foundations (spelling and handwriting) was added to grades K-8, making Ohio the 4th state in the nation to include advanced phonics and morphology in adolescent literacy standards. Revisions were made following stakeholder meetings with educators across the state, as well as feedback from public comment periods. 

The 2026-2027 school year will be a transition year for these revised standards, with professional learning and Model Curriculum development taking place throughout the year. The 2027-2028 school year will be the first year of implementation for the revised standards. Ohio's State Tests in English Language Arts will be revised to align with the new standards, as applicable. More information is forthcoming. Please monitor the Department's webpage and sign up for English Language Arts updates. 

Ohio's Learning Standards for English Language Arts (Adopted 2017)

In 2015-2016, Ohio embarked on an updating process resulting in revised standards that the State Board of Education adopted in February 2017. 

• Ohio's Learning Standards for English Language Arts (adopted 2017) 

Appendices to the Standards (2017)

The appendices to the standards reflect the revisions adopted in 2017 for English Language Arts & Literacy in History/Social Studies, Science, and Technical Subjects. Go to our Instructional Strategies page to find more information on text complexity, as described in Appendix A.

Vertical Alignments (2017)

These documents, represented by strand, show how the standards progress from kindergarten through grade 12 for each of the college and career readiness anchor standards.

Additional Resources for Understanding Ohio’s English Language Arts Learning Standards (2017)

• Standards Revision Highlights for English Language Arts 
• Ohio's Learning Standards for English Language Arts (adopted 2017) - Excel Version
• English Language Arts Student Readiness Gap Analysis Tool
• Determining Theme Standard Guidance
• Types of Summaries Standard Guidance
• Establishing a Thesis Standard Guidance
• Key Shifts
• Benchmarking Report
• Ohio’s K-12 English Language Arts Learning Standards Crosswalk - The crosswalk describes the standards revisions, allowing educators to see the 2017 and 2010 standards side-by-side and identify key differences that will impact instruction.

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Structure of Ohio's Learning Standards for English Language Arts (2017)

Revision of Ohio’s Learning Standards in English Language Arts (2017)

Last Modified: 8/6/2026 1:32:13 PM

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