ELA Standards Review Process
The Wisconsin Standards for English Language Arts' review and revision process went from summer 2019 to summer 2020, concluding with the State Superintendent's adoption of the revised standards.
The ELA process is summarized here and explains the status of standards for English language arts in other states.
Specific information about the DPI's transparent and comprehensive academic standards review process can be found on the standards page. The process began with a Notice of Intent to review and a public comment period in summer 2019. The State Superintendent’s Academic Standards Review Council (SSASRC) examined those comments and recommended revising. The State Superintendent decided to move forward with the revision process. The draft revised standards were reviewed by the public, the SSASRC, and finally the State Superintendent.
Wisconsin Academic Standards specify what students should know and be able to do in the classroom. They serve as goals for teaching and learning. Setting high standards enables students, parents, educators, and citizens to know what students should have learned at a given point in time. In Wisconsin, all state standards serve as a model. Locally elected school boards adopt academic standards in each subject area to best serve their local communities. We must ensure that all children have equal access to high-quality education programs. Clear statements about what students must know and be able to do are essential in making sure our schools offer opportunities to get the knowledge and skills necessary for success beyond the classroom.
Adopting these standards is voluntary. Districts may use the academic standards as guides for developing local grade-by-grade level curriculum. Implementing standards may require some school districts to upgrade school and district curriculums. This may result in changes in instructional methods and materials, local assessments, and professional development opportunities for the teaching and administrative staff.
The Wisconsin English Language Arts (ELA) Standards were revised in 2020, and Appendix 6, Considerations for students who use or are learning to use braille, was added in the fall of 2025. The Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction (DPI) wishes to acknowledge the ongoing work, commitment, and various contributions of individuals to revise our state’s academic standards for English language arts. Thank you to the State Superintendent’s Standards Review Council and the State Superintendent’s Blind and Visual Impairment Education Advisory Council for their work and guidance through the ELA standards process. A special thanks to the English Language Arts Writing Committee for taking on this important project that will shape the classrooms of today and tomorrow. Thanks to the many staff members across the division and other teams at DPI who have contributed their time and talent to this project. Finally, a special thanks to Wisconsin educators, business people, parents, and citizens who provided comment and feedback to drafts of these standards.
Overview
Wisconsin Standards for English Language Arts provide clear expectations around student learning at each grade level.
As an integrated discipline, English Language Arts provides opportunities to use specifics skills throughout all aspects of student learning. This site aims to compile high-quality resources to demonstrate what ELA standards-based instruction can look like in the classroom.
Related Resources for the Wisconsin Standards for ELA
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