Texas public schools could soon see significant changes in elementary reading instruction, as the Texas Education Agency (TEA) has proposed a new required literary works list for grades K–5.
The drafted list, required under House Bill 1605, aims to establish a shared literary foundation for elementary students by prioritizing age-appropriate classics, folk tales, fairy tales, and foundational American texts.
The proposal is intended to support curriculum consistency across Texas, particularly for students who move between districts, while aligning reading instruction more closely with the Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS).
State officials have emphasized that the list is designed as a minimum baseline rather than a ceiling, allowing districts and teachers to supplement instruction with additional works and retain control over how the material is taught.
The proposal, recommended by TEA, is scheduled for first reading and discussion by the State Board of Education during its January 27–30, 2026, meeting.
For younger grade levels, many titles are designated as “read-alouds,” a practice intended to build vocabulary, listening comprehension, and early literacy skills while fostering a love of reading.
Dr. Shannon Trejo, deputy commissioner in the Office of School Programs, discussed the value of a consistent literary foundation in an interview with The Dallas Express.
“There’s a lot of value in establishing a literary canon and creating a shared body of knowledge that all of our students can participate in,” Dr. Trejo told DX.
With high student mobility in Texas — including students and teachers moving between districts — Trejo said the list is intended to reduce fragmented reading experiences in which students repeat or miss key texts.
“Knowing that we’ve got a significant student mobility rate, noting that we’ve got teachers, perhaps, who move from district to district… creating that consistent canon helps with consistency of instruction, from school to school, from student to student, from experience to experience,” Dr. Trejo added.
According to TEA, development of the list took six to eight months and began with a compilation of roughly 10,000 titles drawn from national models, other state programs, and private school curricula. Input from approximately 5,700 Texas teachers also helped identify books already in use and effective in classrooms.
Further criteria then narrowed the selections: alignment with TEKS, suitability for grade level, support for read-aloud instruction, and cross-curricular connections (the ability to connect reading with lessons in history and science, for example).
Parents retain the right to opt their children out of specific required works that conflict with their religious or moral beliefs.
The draft also specifically recommends print books over digital formats (like the Kindle or iPad) to encourage hands-on engagement – annotating, sticky notes, highlighting – amid growing global concerns about excessive screen time for kids.
To read the full proposed K–12 literary works list, click here.
Highlights from the K-5 list include:
- Kindergarten: Timeless tales like The Cat in the Hat by Dr. Seuss, Blueberries for Sal by Robert McCloskey, Cinderella, The Tortoise and the Hare, and Texas-specific L is for Lone Star. Many are read-alouds, including nursery rhymes and excerpts from Aesop’s fables.
- Grade 1: Stories such as The Legend of the Bluebonnet by Tomie dePaola, Madeline by Ludwig Bemelmans, The Little Engine That Could, and selections from Fred Rogers’ works.
- Grade 2: American heroes and legends like Johnny Appleseed, Paul Bunyan, Moses: When Harriet Tubman Led Her People to Freedom, and Winnie-the-Pooh (select chapters).
- Grade 3: Classics including Charlotte’s Web by E.B. White, Stone Soup, and excerpts featuring historical figures like Abraham Lincoln and George Washington.
- Grade 4: Works like Number the Stars by Lois Lowry, The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind (picture book edition), and poetry by Robert Frost and Langston Hughes.
- Grade 5: More advanced selections such as The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe by C.S. Lewis, A Christmas Carol (adapted), The Phantom Tollbooth by Norton Juster, and historical documents like the Declaration of Independence in translation.
SBOE Member Brandon Hall (District 11) said the list reflects a return to what he described as classical literature.
“For too long, we have pushed out rich classical literature in Texas classrooms and replaced it with modern works that are more arbitrary and shallow. This has been done for various reasons, from being more politically correct or even potentially indoctrination – things like that. And so what we’re going back to are these rich classical works that have been a part of our education system, you know, for a long time,” Hall told DX.
Hall also noted that the list draws on teacher input and on previously successful educational models, ensuring TEKS alignment while still giving educators a choice.
Implementation won’t be immediate, even if the list isn’t revised again. After potential SBOE adoption (possibly in April or June 2026), publishers must align their materials, and the full rollout is targeted for the 2030 school year to allow for teacher training and resource preparation.
This initiative addresses a key gap: previously, TEKS outlined skills but left text selection to publishers, districts, or individual teachers, leading to inconsistencies.
Supporters of the proposal say the list would reintroduce widely taught classical works into elementary classrooms while upholding parental rights and teacher flexibility.
For Texas families, it promises a more unified, knowledge-rich foundation in literacy that equips students with the tools to think critically, appreciate enduring stories, and become well-rounded readers.
“These classical works… had a huge impact in shaping the world that we live in today… it’s impossible to understand our culture, our history, our laws, and who we are really, without understanding these good classics. And so we’re bringing that back, so that our students can understand what it means to be a Texan, what it means to be American,” Hall added.
The SBOE’s upcoming review will ultimately determine the final look and the books that make the list for this landmark change.
