June 22, 2026 Committee of the Full Board Item 3

Discussion of Proposed New 19 TAC Chapter 110, Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills for English Language Arts and Reading, Subchapter A, Elementary, §110.11, Vocabulary Lists, Kindergarten-Grade 5, Adopted 2026; Subchapter B, Middle School, §110.31, Vocabulary Lists, Grades 6-8, Adopted 2026; and Subchapter C, High School, §110.71, Vocabulary Lists, High School, Adopted 2026; and Proposed New 19 TAC Chapter 128, Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills for Spanish Language Arts and Reading and English as a Second Language, Subchapter A, Elementary, §128.11, Vocabulary Lists, Kindergarten-Grade 5, Adopted 2026; Subchapter B, Middle School, §128.31, Vocabulary Lists, Grade 6 and English Learners Language Arts (ELLA), Grades 7 and 8, Adopted 2026; and Subchapter C, High School, §128.71, Vocabulary Lists, High School, Adopted 2026

June 22, 2026

COMMITTEE OF THE FULL BOARD: DISCUSSION
STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION: NO ACTION

SUMMARY: This item provides the opportunity for the committee to discuss proposed new 19 Texas Administrative Code (TAC) Chapter 110, Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills for English Language Arts and Reading, Subchapter A, Elementary, §110.11, Vocabulary Lists, Kindergarten-Grade 5, Adopted 2026; Subchapter B, Middle School, §110.31, Vocabulary Lists, Grades 6-8, Adopted 2026; and Subchapter C, High School, §110.71, Vocabulary Lists, High School, Adopted 2026; and proposed new 19 TAC Chapter 128, Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills for Spanish Language Arts and Reading and English as a Second Language, Subchapter A, Elementary, §128.11, Vocabulary Lists, Kindergarten-Grade 5, Adopted 2026; Subchapter B, Middle School, §128.31, Vocabulary Lists, Grade 6 and English Learners Language Arts (ELLA), Grades 7 and 8, Adopted 2026; and Subchapter C, High School, §128.71, Vocabulary Lists, High School, Adopted 2026. The proposed new sections would add lists of vocabulary to be taught in each grade level as required by House Bill (HB) 1605, 88th Texas Legislature, Regular Session, 2023.

STATUTORY AUTHORITY: Texas Education Code (TEC), §28.002(c-4), as added by HB 1605, 88th Texas Legislature, Regular Session, 2023.

TEC, §28.002(c-4), as added by HB 1605, 88th Texas Legislature, Regular Session, 2023, requires the State Board of Education (SBOE), in adopting essential knowledge and skills for English language arts under TEC, §28.002(a)(1)(A), to specify a list of required vocabulary and at least one literary work to be taught in each grade level. 

The full text of statutory citations can be found in the link above.

FUTURE ACTION EXPECTED: Proposed new 19 TAC §§110.11, 110.31, 110.71, 128.11, 128.31, and 128.71 will be presented for first reading and filing authorization to the SBOE at a future meeting.

BACKGROUND INFORMATION AND JUSTIFICATION: The 88th Texas Legislature, Regular Session, 2023, passed HB 1605 relating to instructional material and technology. HB 1605 added TEC, §28.002(c-4), which requires the SBOE, in adopting essential knowledge and skills for English language arts, to specify a list of required vocabulary and at least one literary work to be taught in each grade level. 

Work related to the statutory requirement for literary works began first. At the November 2025 meeting, the Committee of the Full Board received an update on the process for developing recommendations for literary works. At the January 2026 meeting, the committee considered proposed new 19 TAC §§110.10, 110.30, 110.70, 128.10, 128.30, and 128.70 that would add lists of literary works required to be taught at each grade level. At that time, the board postponed action on proposed literary works lists until the April 2026 meeting. The SBOE approved proposed new 19 TAC §§110.10, 110.30, 110.70, 128.10, 128.30, and 128.70 related to literary works for first reading and filing authorization at the April 2026 meeting.

A discussion item at the January 2026 meeting provided an opportunity for the Committee of the Full Board to discuss the process for developing recommendations for the required vocabulary to be taught at each grade level as required by HB 1605. The attachments to this item reflect the text of proposed new 
19 TAC §§110.11, 110.31, 110.71, 128.11, 128.31, and 128.71. The proposed new sections would adopt vocabulary lists required to be taught in English and Spanish language arts and reading in Kindergarten-Grade 12.

Staff Member Responsible:
Shannon Trejo, Deputy Commissioner, School Programs

Attachment I: 
Text of Proposed New 19 TAC Chapter 110, Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills for English Language Arts and Reading, Subchapter A, Elementary, §110.11, Vocabulary Lists, Kindergarten-Grade 5, Adopted 2026

Attachment II: 
Text of Proposed New 19 TAC Chapter 110, Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills for English Language Arts and Reading, Subchapter B, Middle School, §110.31, Vocabulary Lists, Grades 6-8, Adopted 2026

Attachment III: 
Text of Proposed New 19 TAC Chapter 110, Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills for English Language Arts and Reading, Subchapter C, High School, §110.71, Vocabulary Lists, High School, Adopted 2026

Attachment IV: 
Text of Proposed New 19 TAC Chapter 128, Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills for Spanish Language Arts and Reading and English as a Second Language, Subchapter A, Elementary, §128.11, Vocabulary Lists, Kindergarten-Grade 5, Adopted 2026

Attachment V: 
Text of Proposed New 19 TAC Chapter 128, Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills for Spanish Language Arts and Reading and English as a Second Language, Subchapter B, Middle School, §128.31, Vocabulary Lists, Grade 6 and English Learners Language Arts (ELLA), Grades 7 and 8, Adopted 2026

Attachment VI: 
Text of Proposed New 19 TAC Chapter 128, Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills for Spanish Language Arts and Reading and English as a Second Language, Subchapter C, High School, §128.71, Vocabulary Lists, High School, Adopted 2026