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Content Standards: English Language Arts

The South Dakota English Language Arts & Literacy Standards are designed to ensure all students graduate college, career, and life ready. Grounded in the Science of Reading, they emphasize evidence-based instruction in foundational skills - phonemic awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary, and comprehension. These standards are met with the following qualifications (1) research-based, (2) aligned with college and career expectations, (3) rigorous and (4) benchmarked in their design and content.

Developed through collaboration among educators, administrators, post-secondary, parents, and the South Dakota Department of Education, the standards reflect South Dakota's commitment to high-quality, literacy instruction for all students.


Moving Literacy Forward in South Dakota. Link.
English Language Arts Standards

Transition year 2025-26; teach to standards 2026-27; assessed spring 2027.

Standards per Grade Level
Unpacked Standards - ELA State Standards (Adopted 2018)
Reading-Literature

The Unpacked/Disaggregated documents now cluster standards within the College and Career Readiness Anchor Standards for Reading-Literature. Each anchor standard has one corresponding unpacked document which clusters the standards focusing on those key area of skills per grade level.

Anchor Standards K 1 2 3 4 5
Key Ideas and Details K.RL.1
K.RL.2
K.RL.3 		1.RL.1
1.RL.2
1.RL.3 		2.RL.1
2.RL.2
2.RL.3 		3.RL.1
3.RL.2
3.RL.3 		4.RL.1
4.RL.2
4.RL.3 		5.RL.1
5.RL.2
5.RL.3
Craft and Structure K.RL.4
K.RL.5
K.RL.6 		1.RL.4
1.RL.5
1.RL.6 		2.RL.4
2.RL.5
2.RL.6 		3.RL.4
3.RL.5
3.RL.6 		4.RL.4
4.RL.5
4.RL.6 		5.RL.4
5.RL.5
5.RL.6
Integration of Knowledge and Ideas K.RL.7
K.RL.8
K.RL.9 		1.RL.7
1.RL.8
1.RL.9 		2.RL.7
2.RL.8
2.RL.9 		3.RL.7
3.RL.8
3.RL.9 		4.RL.7
4.RL.8
4.RL.9 		5.RL.7
5.RL.8
5.RL.9
Range of Reading and Text Complexity K.RL.10 1.RL.10 2.RL.10 3.RL.10 4.RL.10 5.RL.10
Anchor Standards 6 7 8 9-10 11-12
Key Ideas and Details 6.RL.1
6.RL.2
6.RL.3 		7.RL.1
7.RL.2
7.RL.3 		8.RL.1
8.RL.2
8.RL.3 		9-10.RL.1
9-10.RL.2
9-10.RL.3 		11-12.RL.1
11-12.RL.2
11-12.RL.3
Craft and Structure 6.RL.4
6.RL.5
6.RL.6 		7.RL.4
7.RL.5
7.RL.6 		8.RL.4
8.RL.5
8.RL.6 		9-10.RL.4
9-10.RL.5
9-10.RL.6 		11-12.RL.4
11-12.RL.5
11-12.RL.6
Integration of Knowledge and Ideas 6.RL.7
6.RL.8
6.RL.9 		7.RL.7
7.RL.8
7.RL.9 		8.RL.7
8.RL.8
8.RL.9 		9-10.RL.7
9-10.RL.8
9-10.RL.9 		11-12.RL.7
11-12.RL.8
11-12.RL.9
Range of Reading and Text Complexity 6.RL.10 7.RL.10 8.RL.10 9-10.RL.10 11-12.RL.10
Reading Standards: Foundational Skills K-5

The Unpacked/Disaggregated documents now cluster standards within the College and Career Readiness Anchor Standards for Foundational Skills K-5. Each anchor standard has one corresponding unpacked document which clusters the standards focusing on those key area of skills per grade level.

Anchor Standards K 1 2 3 4 5
Print Concepts K.RF.1 1.RF.1 2.RF.1 3.RF.1 4.RF.1 5.RF.1
Phonological Awareness K.RF.2 1.RF.2 2.RF.2 3.RF.2 4.RF.2 5.RF.2
Phonics and Word Recognitions K.RF.3 1.RF.3 2.RF.3 3.RF.3 4.RF.3 5.RF.3
Fluency K.RF.4 1.RF.4 2.RF.4 3.RF.4 4.RF.4 5.RF.4
Reading for Informational Text

The Unpacked/Disaggregated documents now cluster standards within the College and Career Readiness Anchor Standards for Reading for Informational Text. Each anchor standard has one corresponding unpacked document which clusters the standards focusing on those key area of skills per grade level.

Anchor Standards K 1 2 3 4 5
Key Ideas and Details K.RI.1
K.RI.2
K.RI.3 		1.RI.1
1.RI.2
1.RI.3 		2.RI.1
2.RI.2
2.RI.3 		3.RI.1
3.RI.2
3.RI.3 		4.RI.1
4.RI.2
4.RI.3 		5.RI.1
5.RI.2
5.RI.3
Craft and Structure K.RI.4
K.RI.5
K.RI.6 		1.RI.4
1.RI.5
1.RI.6 		2.RI.4
2.RI.5
2.RI.6 		3.RI.4
3.RI.5
3.RI.6 		4.RI.4
4.RI.5
4.RI.6 		5.RI.4
5.RI.5
5.RI.6
Integration of Knowledge and Ideas K.RI.7
K.RI.8
K.RI.9 		1.R I.7
1.RI.8
1.RI.9 		2.RI.7
2.RI.8
2.RI.9 		3.RI.7
3.RI.8
3.RI.9 		4.RI.7
4.RI.8
4.RI.9 		5.RI.7
5.RI.8
5.RI.9
Range of Reading and Text Complexity K.RI.10 1.RI.10 2.RI.10 3.RI.10 4.RI.10 5.RI.10
Anchor Standards 6 7 8 9-10 11-12
Key Ideas and Details 6.RI.1
6.RI.2
6.RI.3 		7.RI.1
7.RI.2
7.RI.3 		8.RI.1
8.RI.2
8.RI.3 		9-10.RI.1
9-10.RI.2
9-10.RI.3 		11-12.RI.1
11-12.RI.2
11-12.RI.3
Craft and Structure 6.RI.4
6.RI.5
6.RI.6 		7.RI.4
7.RI.5
7.RI.6 		8.RI.4
8.RI.5
8.RI.6 		9-10.RI.4
9-10.RI.5
9-10.RI.6 		11-12.RI.4
11-12.RI.5
11-12.RI.6
Integration of Knowledge and Ideas 6.RI.7
6.RI.8
6.RI.9 		7.RI.7
7.RI.8
7.RI.9 		8.RI.7
8.RI.8
8.RI.9 		9-10.RI.7
9-10.RI.8
9-10.RI.9 		11-12.RI.7
11-12.RI.8
11-12.RI.9
Range of Reading and Text Complexity 6.RI.10 7.RI.10 8.RI.10 9-10.RI.10 11-12.RI.10
Writing Standards

The Unpacked/Disaggregated documents now cluster standards within the College and Career Readiness Anchor Standards for Writing. Each anchor standard has one corresponding unpacked document which clusters the standards focusing on those key area of skills per grade level.

Anchor Standards K 1 2 3 4 5
Text Types and Purposes K.W.1
K.W.2
K.W.3 		1.W.1
1.W.2
1.W.3 		2.W.1
2.W.2
2.W.3 		3.W.1
3.W.2
3.W.3 		4.W.1
4.W.2
4.W.3 		5.W.1
5.W.2
5.W.3
Production and Distribution of Writing K.W.4
K.W.5
K.W.6 		1.W.4
1.W.5
1.W.6 		2.W.4
2.W.5
2.W.6 		3.W.4
3.W.5
3.W.6 		4.W.4
4.W.5
4.W.6 		5.W.4
5.W.5
5.W.6
Research to Build and Present Knowledge K.W.7
K.W.8
K.W.9 		1.W.7
1.W.8
1.W.9 		2.W.7
2.W.8
2.W.9 		3.W.7
3.W.8
3.W.9 		4.W.7
4.W.8
4.W.9 		5.W.7
5.W.8
5.W.9
Range of Writing K.W.10 1.W.10 2.W.10 3.W.10 4.W.10 5.W.10
Anchor Standards 6 7 8 9-10 11-12
Text Types and Purposes 6.W.1
6.W.2
6.W.3 		7.W.1
7.W.2
7.W.3 		8.W.1
8.W.2
8.W.3 		9-10.W.1
9-10.W.2
9-10.W.3 		11-12.W.1
11-12.W.2
11-12.W.3
Production and Distribution of Writing 6.W.4
6.W.5
6.W.6 		7.W.4
7.W.5
7.W.6 		8.W.4
8.W.5
8.W.6 		9-10.W.4
9-10.W.5
9-10.W.6 		11-12.W.4
11-12.W.5
11-12.W.6
Research to Build and Present Knowledge 6.W.7
6.W.8
6.W.9 		7.W.7
7.W.8
7.W.9 		8.W.7
8.W.8
8.W.9 		9-10.W.7
9-10.W.8
9-10.W.9 		11-12.W.7
11-12.W.8
11-12.W.9
Range of Writing 6.W.10 7.W.10 8.W.10 9-10.W.10 11-12.W.10
Speaking and Listening Standards

The Unpacked/Disaggregated documents now cluster standards within the College and Career Readiness Anchor Standards for Speaking and Listening. Each anchor standard has one corresponding unpacked document which clusters the standards focusing on those key area of skills per grade level.

Anchor Standards K 1 2 3 4 5
Comprehension and Collaboration K.SL.1
K.SL.2
K.SL.3 		1.SL.1
1.SL.2
1.SL.3 		2.SL.1
2.SL.2
2.SL.3 		3.SL.1
3.SL.2
3.SL.3 		4.SL.1
4.SL.2
4.SL.3 		5.SL.1
5.SL.2
5.SL.3
Presentation of Knowledge and Ideas K.SL.4
K.SL.5
K.SL.6 		1.SL.4
1.SL.5
1.SL.6 		2.SL.4
2.SL.5
2.SL.6 		3.SL.4
3.SL.5
3.SL.6 		4.SL.4
4.SL.5
4.SL.6 		5.SL.4
5.SL.5
5.SL.6
Anchor Standards 6 7 8 9-10 11-12
Comprehension and Collaboration 6.SL.1
6.SL.2
6.SL.3 		7.SL.1
7.SL.2
7.SL.3 		8.SL.1
8.SL.2
8.SL.3 		9-10.SL.1
9-10.SL.2
9-10.SL.3 		11-12.SL.1
11-12.SL.2
11-12.SL.3
Presentation of Knowledge and Ideas 6.SL.4
6.SL.5
6.SL.6 		7.SL.4
7.SL.5
7.SL.6 		8.SL.4
8.SL.5
8.SL.6 		9-10.SL.4
9-10.SL.5
9-10.SL.6 		11-12.SL.4
11-12.SL.5
11-12.SL.6
Language Standards

The Unpacked/Disaggregated documents now cluster standards within the College and Career Readiness Anchor Standards for Language. Each anchor standard has one corresponding unpacked document which clusters the standards focusing on those key area of skills per grade level.

Anchor Standards K 1 2 3 4 5
Conventions of Standard English K.L.1
K.L.2 		1.L.1
1.L.2 		2.L.1
2.L.2 		3.L.1
3.L.2 		4.L.1
4.L.2 		5.L.1
5.L.2
Knowledge of Language K.L.3 1.L.3 2.L.3 3.L.3 4.L.3 5.L.3
Vocabulary Acquisition and Use K.L.4
K.L.5
K.L.6 		1.L.4
1.L.5
1.L.6 		2.L.4
2.L.5
2.L.6 		3.L.4
3.L.5
3.L.6 		4.L.4
4.L.5
4.L.6 		5.L.4
5.L.5
5.L.6
Anchor Standards 6 7 8 9-10 11-12
Conventions of Standard English 6.L.1
6.L.2 		7.L.1
7.L.2 		8.L.1
8.L.2 		9-10.L.1
9-10.L.2 		11-12.L.1
11-12.L.2
Knowledge of Language 6.L.3 7.L.3 8.L.3 9-10.L.3 11-12.L.3
Vocabulary Acquisition and Use 6.L.4
6.L.5
6.L.6 		7.L.4
7.L.5
7.L.6 		8.L.4
8.L.5
8.L.6 		9-10.L.4
9-10.L.5
9-10.L.6 		11-12.L.4
11-12.L.5
11-12.L.6
Assessment Resources