The Office of English Language Arts (ELA), as part of the Office of Elementary Education and Reading and the Office of Secondary Education, is responsible for providing support to teachers and schools throughout the state in the implementation of Mississippi’s College and Career Readiness Standards (CCRS) for English Language Arts. The staff in the Office of English Language Arts develops resources for teachers, delivers statewide and school-based professional development, and supports schools in the alignment of curriculum, instruction, and assessment.
Professional Development Services
In an effort to support English Language Arts instructors throughout the state, professional development is available in various platforms.
Standards
- Mississippi’s College- and Career-Readiness Standards for English Language Arts (2016)
- Glossary of Terms for MS CCRS for English Language Arts
- Organization of MS CCRS for English Language Arts
Curriculum and Planning
- ELA Vertical Progression Document: This document provides a visual representation of standards alignment for each year to inform planning and instruction.
- MS CCRS Scaffolding Documents: These documents will aid teachers’ understanding of how to teach the standards through a natural progression of student mastery.
- EdReports: This free resource offers reviews of K-12 instructional materials with a focus on standards alignment and other indicators of high quality as recommended by educators across the country.
- Qualitative Rubrics for Measuring Text Complexity: This quick reference chart will assist in evaluating informational and literary texts to make sure the desired rigor is reached.
Instruction
- Mississippi Exemplar Units and Lesson Plans: The 2nd Edition of Exemplar Units are grade specific and address difficult-to-teach standards as determined by Mississippi teachers.
- Mississippi Text Exemplar List for Grades 5-12: Exciting updates to this resource are coming soon.
- EQuIP Quality Review Tool for ELA Lesson Plans: This tool offers a quick checklist for ensuring that lessons or unit plans are aligned to the MS CCRS ELA/Literacy standards and meet desired criteria for quality instruction.
- Tools for Close Reading
- Mississippi Academic Assessment Program (MAAP) Resources for English Language Arts
- SREB Readiness Course Outlines
- Cursive Writing Recommendations (2017)
- Social Studies and Science Topic List
English Language Arts Online Learning
- ELA Learning-at-Home Resources for Districts (Covid-19 Guidance)
- Educational Leadership Special Report: Read multiple perspectives on the current topic of remote learning and teaching online.
Additional Resources and ELA Communities
Stay Informed MS ELA Educators Listserv