Early Literacy Curriculum
Early Literacy Curriculum
This page discusses early literacy curriculum for use in universal instruction in 5K through 3rd grade with an emphasis on what is required by 2023 Wisconsin Act 20.
Use the links below to navigate the page
Early Literacy Curriculum Requirements
Early Literacy Curriculum Crosswalk Toolkit
Early Literacy Curriculum Requirements
In addition to being responsible for providing early literacy instruction that meets the requirements in Act 20, public school districts and independent charter schools are also responsible for providing instruction that meets all state and federal requirements, including, but not limited to Wis. Stat. §§ 121.02(1)(L)4 and 118.01(2)(c)7 and 8 , often known together as Act 31.
Science-based Early Literacy Instruction
Per Wis. Stat. § 118.015 "science-based early reading instruction” means instruction that is systematic and explicit and consists of at least all of the following:
- phonological awareness, including word awareness, rhyme recognition, repetition and creation of alliteration, syllable counting or identification, onset, and rime manipulation;
- phonemic awareness, including phoneme identification, isolation, blending, segmentation, addition, substitution, and deletion;
- phonics;
- building background knowledge;
- oral language development;
- vocabulary building to develop lexical and morphological knowledge;
- instruction in writing;
- instruction in comprehension; and
- reading fluency.
Per Wis. Stat. § 118.015, beginning on July 21, 2023, no school board, operator of a charter school, or governing body of a private school participating in a parental choice program may purchase curricula or instructional materials that include 3-cueing (118.015(1m)(d)). Further, beginning in the 2024-25 school year, no public school, including a charter school, or private school participating in a parental choice program may provide instruction that incorporates 3-cueing in the core reading curriculum for grades kindergarten to 3 or in supplemental materials, including materials used for reading intervention, for pupils in grades kindergarten to 3.
Three-Cueing
“Three-cueing” means any model, including the model referred to as meaning, structure, and visual cues, or MSV, of teaching a pupil to read based on meaning, structure and syntax, and visual cues or memory (Wis. Stat. §118.015(1c)(c)).
Click here to access DPI guidance about word-solving in a science-based early literacy classroom. Word solving, which is using the letter-sound relationship (phonics) to read and spell words, is the result of explicit and systematic instruction. The guidance document linked above explains what word-solving does and does not look like in a science-based early literacy classroom.
Early Literacy Curriculum Crosswalk Toolkit
Schools and districts not using a curriculum from the approved list may form a team and use the Wisconsin Act 20 Curriculum Crosswalk Toolkit found at this link to document whether the early literacy instructional materials they are using (purchased and/or locally designed) meet the Act 20 definition of science-based early literacy instruction.
The Curriculum Crosswalk Toolkit does not need to be completed; it is intended as a support for districts to document and/or evaluate their literacy instructional materials.
Early Literacy Curriculum Council (ELCC) Curriculum List (updated 5/12/26)
The Department of Public Instruction has adopted the following list of early literacy curricula as required by Wis Stat. §118.015(1m)(b). This list includes the two curricula recommended by the Early Literacy Curriculum Council (ELCC) for use in school year 2025-2026 and the four curricula previously recommended by the ELCC.
- ARC Core Foundational Skills Compatible (FSC, 2025) K-3 (American Reading Company) with Fundations K-3 (Wilson Language Training, 2025)
- Arts & Letters, Really Great Reading, and Geodes (Great Minds PBC, 2024)
- Being a Reader Second Edition, Being A Writer Third Edition (Center for the Collaborative Classroom, 2025) and SIPPS Fifth Edition (Collaborative Classroom, 2025)
- Benchmark Advanced 2026 (Benchmark Education, 2026)
- Core Knowledge Language Arts K-3 (CKLA, Amplify Education, third edition, 2025)
- EL Education Foundational Skills Block (Open Up, 2024)
- EL Education (Kiddom, 2024)
- HMH Into Reading K-6 (version 3, 2025)
- Wonders with Actively Learn ELA (McGraw Hill, 2024)
- Districts that purchase these titles, including consumables needed to implement these materials, on or after January 1, 2026, are eligible for the partial reimbursement grant.
- HMH Into Reading with Amira (HMH, 2023)
- Wit and Wisdom with Geodes (Great Minds, 2023) and Fundations (Wilson Language Training, 2020)
- Districts that purchase these titles, including consumables needed to implement these materials, on or after January 1, 2025, are eligible for the partial reimbursement grant.
- Bookworms Reading and Writing K-3 (Open Up Resources, 2022)
- Core Knowledge Language Arts K-3 (CKLA, Amplify Education, 2022)
- EL Education K-3 Language Arts (Open Up Resources, 2017)
- Wit and Wisdom with Geodes (Great Minds, 2023) and Really Great Reading (Countdown 2017, Blast Foundations 2014, HD Word 2015)
- Districts that purchase these titles, including consumables needed to implement these materials, on or after January 1, 2024, are eligible for the partial reimbursement grant.
The 2026 - 2027 Curriculum List
(5/12/26) The Early Literacy Curriculum Council (ELCC) is responsible for creating an annual curriculum list. Districts that purchase curriculum from this list are eligible for a partial reimbursement grant. Statute outlines a process for how the ELCC curriculum list is approved.
- The ELCC submits the list to DPI.
- The DPI has up to 30 days to review the list.
- The DPI submits the list to the Joint Committee on Finance.
- The Joint Committee on Finance has up to 14 days to schedule a hearing. If no hearing is scheduled, the list is passively approved.
Documents related to the 2026-2027 ELCC Early Literacy Curriculum List
DPI’s letter to Joint Committee on Finance (April 21, 2026)
ELCC’s letter to DPI (April 17, 2026)
Documents related to the 2025 - 2026 ELCC Early Literacy Curriculum List
DPI's letter to Joint Committee on Finance (December 6, 2024)
ELCC's letter to DPI (November 7, 2024)
When available, the summary of the Early Literacy Curriculum Council's 24-25 curriculum submission ratings will be posted here.
Documents Related to the 2023 - 2024 Early Literacy Curriculum Council (ELCC) List
ELCC's summary of 2023-2024 curriculum submission ratings
DPI's 2023-2024 curriculum submission ratings and comparisons to the ELCC and other states
ELCC's letter to DPI (February 15, 2025)
DPI's letter to Joint Committee on Finance (February 19, 2024)
Early Literacy Curriculum Grants
Wis. Stat. §118.015(1m)(c) allows districts, independent charter schools, and private schools participating in private school choice programs learners to receive a reimbursement grant of 50% of the purchase price. To be eligible, a school or district must purchase curriculum that appears on the Early Literacy Curriculum Council’s recommended list. To be eligible, the purchased curriculum may only be for use in grades 5K-3.
The window for curriculum reimbursement applications is now open!
The current reimbursement application will be open until September 30, 2026. Reimbursements can be expected beginning in December 2026.
Note that a district will complete the application for any district authorized charter schools.
Find the list of six-digit agency codes needed to complete the application here.
Use the below FAQs for assistance in completing the application.
1. What is the deadline for completing an application for a partial reimbursement grant?
2. What percentage of the purchase will be reimbursed?
3. When and how will partial reimbursement grants be received?
4. Are funds for reimbursement available?
6. Why are partial reimbursement grants for early literacy curriculum available?
7. What was on the 2024 – 2025 ELCC curriculum list?
8. What is on the 2025 – 2026 ELCC curriculum list?
9. When will the 2026 – 2027 ELCC curriculum list be available?
11. How does the ELCC create their curriculum list?
12. Do we have to buy curriculum from the ELCC curriculum list?
14. Are consumables reimbursable?
1. What is the deadline for completing an application for a partial reimbursement grant?
The current deadline is September 30, 2026.
Submissions will be accepted through the online form only.
2. What percentage of the purchase will be reimbursed?
DPI cannot guarantee any specific amount of funding.
Per Wis. Stat. §118.015(1m)(c), the partial curriculum reimbursement grant could be as much as 50% of the purchase. However, reimbursement will be prorated based on the total amount of partial curriculum grant reimbursement requested.
All requests for 2024 – 2025 and 2025 – 2026 will be totaled. Then, the amount of funds available for partial reimbursement will be prorated, if necessary, with no more than 50% of the purchase being reimbursed.
The exact rate of reimbursement will not be known until after 2026 submission deadline.
3. When and how will partial reimbursement grants be received?
Reimbursements will be distributed electronically through electronic funds transfer, in the same way other payments from DPI are received.
4. Are the funds for reimbursement available?
Funds are available for reimbursement through spring 2027. Reimbursements may be prorated.
5. Partial reimbursement grants are currently available for 2024 – 2025 and 2025 – 2026. What happens in 2026 – 2027 and beyond?
Partial reimbursement grants are currently available for purchases of an eligible curriculum that was implemented in school year 2025-2026 or for use in school year 2026-27.
The Early Literacy Curriculum Council is currently in the process of reviewing submitted curriculum. Any early literacy curricula approved for inclusion on the recommended list in January 2027 and purchased before March 2027 would be eligible for partial curriculum reimbursement.
6.Why are partial reimbursement grants for early literacy curriculum available?
Partial reimbursement grants for early literacy curriculum are intended to provide one-time financial support for districts, independent charter schools, and private schools participating in private school choice programs to meet curriculum requirements in Wis. Stat. §118.015 by the deadlines in statute.
In 5K through 3rd grade, districts and independent charter schools are required to provide science-based early literacy instruction that is systematic and explicit and consists of at least all the following:
- phonological awareness, including word awareness, rhyme recognition, repetition and creation of alliteration, syllable counting or identification, onset, and rime manipulation;
- phonemic awareness, including phoneme identification, isolation, blending, segmentation, addition, substitution, and deletion;
- phonics;
- building background knowledge;
- oral language development;
- vocabulary building to develop lexical and morphological knowledge;
- instruction in writing; instruction in comprehension; and
- reading fluency.
The instruction cannot use 3-cueing (defined in Wis. Stat. §118.015(1c)(c)) as “any model, including the model referred to as meaning, structure, and visual cues, or MSV, of teaching a pupil to read based on meaning, structure and syntax, and visual cues or memory”.
Effective July 21, 2023, no district, independent charter school, or private school participating in private school choice programs may purchase materials that include 3-cueing.
Beginning in the 2024 – 2025 school year, no district, independent charter school, or private school participating in private school choice programs may provide instruction that incorporates 3-cueing.
7. What was on the 2024 – 2025 ELCC curriculum list?
The 2024 – 2025 ELCC curriculum list included:
- Bookworms Reading and Writing K-3 (Open Up Resources, 2022)
- Core Knowledge Language Arts K-3 (CKLA, Amplify Education, 2022)
- EL Education K-3 Language Arts (Open Up Resources, 2017)
- Wit and Wisdom with Geodes (Great Minds, 2023) and Really Great Reading (Countdown 2017, Blast Foundations 2014, HD Word 2015)
To be eligible for the partial reimbursement grant, purchases from between January 1 and December 31, 2024, must be from this list.
8. What is on the 2025 – 2026 ELCC curriculum list?
The 2025 - 2026 ELCC curriculum list includes:
- Bookworms Reading and Writing K-3 (Open Up Resources, 2022)
- Core Knowledge Language Arts K-3 (CKLA, Amplify Education, 2022)
- EL Education K-3 Language Arts (Open Up Resources, 2017)
- HMH Into Reading with Amira (HMH, 2023)
- Wit and Wisdom with Geodes (Great Minds, 2023) and Fundations® (Wilson Language Training®, 2020)
- Wit and Wisdom with Geodes (Great Minds, 2023) and Really Great Reading (Countdown 2017, Blast Foundations 2014, HD Word 2015)
To be eligible for a partial reimbursement grant, purchases from between January 1 and May 9, 2025, must be from this list.
9. When will the 2026 – 2027 ELCC curriculum list be available?
The Early Literacy Curriculum Council is currently in the process of reviewing submitted curriculum. Any early literacy curricula approved for inclusion on the recommended list in January 2027 and purchased before March 2027 would be eligible for partial curriculum reimbursement.
10. For curriculum packages on the ELCC list, do all parts of the package have to be used to be eligible for a partial reimbursement grant?
For curriculum on the ELCC list that was approved as part of a package, the district, independent charter school, or private school participating in PSCP must be using all components of the package.
A partial reimbursement grant application could be for an entire package. For example, Wit and Wisdom with Geodes (Great Minds, 2023) and Really Great Reading (Countdown 2017, Blast Foundations 2014, HD Word 2015) is on the 2025 – 2026 ELCC list. To qualify for a partial reimbursement grant, all components of the package must be used.
Alternately, a partial reimbursement grant be to “complete” a package. For example, Wit and Wisdom with Geodes (Great Minds, 2023) is already in use. A partial reimbursement grant could supplement the purchase and use of Really Great Reading (Countdown 2017, Blast Foundations 2014, HD Word 2015) to “complete” the package.
11. How does the ELCC create their curriculum list?
The Early Literacy Curriculum Council (ELCC) was created by Act 20 to create an annual list of early literacy curriculum for 5K through 3rd grade that meets/exceeds the requirements of Act 20.
The ELCC designed their process for curriculum review. It includes:
- During an annual window determined by the ELCC, publishers submit materials for review along with a completed self-assessment rubric.
- ELCC members review the materials with a rating rubric.
- In a public meeting, ELCC members discuss ratings and vote on whether to include a curriculum on the annual list
If materials already on the list are revised, the materials must be re-approved by the ELCC.
If materials previously submitted have undergone substantial revision, the materials can be resubmitted by the publisher (along with a detailed explanation of revisions) for reconsideration.
Per Act 20, once the ELCC creates the list, it is submitted to DPI. DPI reviews the list and submits a final list to the Joint Committee on Finance.
Visit the following for more information:
- Information for Vendors and Publishers
- Early Literacy Curriculum Council (ELCC)
- ELCC Meetings (agenda, minutes, and recordings)
Once the ELCC completes its list, the ELCC submits the list to DPI. DPI has up to 30 days to review the list before submitting it to the Joint Committee on Finance. JCF has up to 14 working days to schedule a hearing. If no hearing is scheduled, the list is passively approved. The DPI cannot open submissions for reimbursement until the ELCC list is final. The DPI cannot guarantee reimbursement based on ELCC votes about curriculum, as the list is not final until after review by JCF.
12. Do we have to buy curriculum from the ELCC curriculum list?
Locally selected curriculum must, at a minimum, meet the requirements of Act 20. Districts and independent charter schools may make their own decisions about whether curriculum meets the requirements of Act 20. Purchasing from the ELCC list is not required.
The Early Literacy Curriculum Crosswalk Toolkit can support local analysis of curriculum.
13. What does the application for a partial reimbursement grant for early literacy curriculum include?
The application includes:
- basic information such as the name of the district and name of the person submitting the application;
- a drop-down menu to select which curriculum was purchased;
- the date the purchase was made and when the curriculum will be used;
- a drop-down menu to what was purchased (such as full curriculum, consumables only, and/or part of a curriculum package); and
- the total amount of the request for partial reimbursement.
The application also includes the following attestations:
- The superintendent and business officer (or local equivalent) are aware of and in agreement with this application.
- The total amount of the purchase reflects the exact costs of materials and/or consumables based on student enrollment the year the materials will be used
- The total amount of the purchase does not include tax.
- The materials purchased are for use in 5K through grade 3 and will be implemented with fidelity.
- The total amount spent reflects the exact costs of materials for universal instruction and student consumables; add-ons (such as professional development or training or supplemental materials, including those for intervention) are not reimbursable.
- The materials purchased match the publication date of the materials approved for purchase (such as purchasing the 2022 edition of CKLA for use in the 2025 – 2026 school year).
If materials are part of a package (such as Wit and Wisdom with Geodes [Great Minds, 2023] and Fundations® [Wilson Language Training®, 2020]], all elements of the package were purchased or elements of the package not already in use were purchased (such as already using Really Great Reading through a previous purchase and submitting for reimbursement for adding Geodes).
If materials were already in use, purchase is for student consumables (such as already using CKLA through a previous purchase and submitting for reimbursement for consumables for 2024 – 2025 and/or 2025 – 2026).
The person completing the application must indicate that the attestations are true for the district, independent charter school, or private school participating in private school choice programs for whom the application is being submitted.
The district, independent charter school, or private school participating in private school choice programs must maintain local evidence of the attestations according to their local records retention schedule. This evidence can be requested by DPI.
14. Are consumables reimbursable?
Consumables are reimbursable. Printing costs are not reimbursable.
15. Are digital subscriptions reimbursable grants?
Digital subscriptions that are part of curriculum on the ELCC list are eligible for a partial reimbursement grant. The digital subscription must be part of the curriculum as approved by the ELCC; supplemental materials, such as subscriptions that are added on to the curriculum, are not eligible for reimbursement.
16. We purchased curriculum from the ELCC list from a different partner than what is included on the list. Can we apply for a partial reimbursement grant?
Only purchases made through the partner included on the ELCC list are eligible for partial reimbursement.
For example, EL Education K-3 Language Arts available through Open Up Resources (2017) is on the 2024 – 2025 and 2025 – 2026 lists. Purchases through Open Up Resources are eligible for partial reimbursement; purchases through other partners (such as Imagine Learning) are not eligible for partial reimbursement.
17. Our curriculum meets/exceeds statutory requirements but is not on the ELCC list. Can we apply for a partial reimbursement grant?
Curriculum that meets/exceeds statutory requirements but is not on the ELCC list is allowable and acceptable. Partial reimbursement is only available for curriculum on the ELCC list.
18. In 2023, DPI created a list of recommended curricula that is different from the list approved by the Joint Committee on Finance for 2024 – 2025. We purchased a curriculum from DPI’s list. Can we submit for partial reimbursement?
Purchases from the ELCC curriculum list are eligible for partial reimbursement grants.
Curriculum on the DPI list meet the curriculum requirements of Act 20 but are not eligible for partial curriculum reimbursement grants.
19. To apply for a partial reimbursement grant, do we have to purchase and use the edition of the curriculum that appears on the ELCC list?
Partial reimbursement grants are available for the curriculum on the ELCC list. The purchase must be the exact edition that is included on the ELCC list.
When new editions of curriculum on the ELCC list are published, the publisher must submit the new edition to the ELCC for review.
21. We used federal funds to purchase curriculum from the ELCC list. Can we apply for a partial reimbursement grant?
Act 20 and Federal Funds includes detailed information about allowable costs for federal funds.
If using federal funds was allowable for the curriculum purchase, you may apply for a partial reimbursement grant only for non-federal funds used for the purchase.
22. In 2023, we purchased and began using a curriculum that is included on the 2025 – 2026 curriculum list. Can we submit for a partial reimbursement grant?
No. To be eligible for a partial reimbursement grant, curriculum purchases and use must happen after the curriculum is included on the ELCC list.
In the scenario in the question, a grant application could be made for the cost of consumables associated with the curriculum for 2025 – 2026, if applicable.
23. We purchased supplemental materials recommended by the publisher to support our use of a curriculum from the list (such as additional books). Is that purchase eligible for partial reimbursement?
Partial reimbursement grants are available for purchasing curriculum materials for universal instruction. Partial reimbursement grants do not apply to supplemental materials.
24. Are costs related to implementing materials from the ELCC list eligible for partial reimbursement grants?
Costs for purchasing curriculum and consumables are eligible for reimbursement. Additional costs (such as staff training, materials-based professional learning, or materials to support implementation – such as storage materials) are not eligible for partial reimbursement.
25. For 2024 – 2025, we purchased a curriculum from the ELCC list that includes consumables. We will submit a grant application for that purchase. Can we also submit a grant application for consumables only for 2025 – 2026?
Yes. Consumables are eligible for reimbursement.