ELA Q4 2026

We are in the midst of the planning season here at ARIN IU 28. Updates about offerings for the 2026-27 academic year are forthcoming. Stay tuned and check back for future trainings! (To register for trainings, visit ARIN's Course Registration site (opens in new window).)

To celebrate 2025 National Poetry Month in April, NCTE will share a daily poem and a daily poet selected by author Charles R. Smith Jr. (opens in new window), winner of the 2025 NCTE Award for Excellence in Poetry for Children, along with a classroom prompt. Be sure to follow us on social media (opens in new window) to get each poem as it drops, and check back here throughout the month for the cumulative, up-to-date list.

Visit here (opens in new window) for more information.

• Location: Philadelphia, PA

• Dates: November 19-22, 2026

• Theme: Ideas that Illuminate

• Register here (opens in new window)

In schools across the country, the lines between literacy and English language arts are increasingly blurred. Leaders in both fields are navigating evolving academic standards, assessment mandates, and culturally sustaining practices—all while supporting teachers and students with a shared goal of deep, meaningful engagement with texts and ideas. In middle schools and high schools, English teachers assist striving adolescent students with foundational literacy skills, while elementary teachers devote time not only to foundational literacy skills but also to literary elements and devices. Yet despite overlapping aims, English and literacy often operate in silos, with teachers in the same school district who have different professional identities, priorities, and pedagogical approaches.

This year’s Conference on English Leadership Annual Convention invites participants to explore the dynamic intersections, tensions, and opportunities that arise when we work to integrate leadership across literacy and English. How can leaders create coherence between literacy instruction and English teaching while honoring their distinctions? What strategies build collaborative cultures among elementary and secondary teachers, literacy coaches, curriculum designers, college professors, and instructional leaders? And how can school, district, and state leaders guide the work of literacy and English to strengthen learning, honor differences, and respond to today’s complex educational challenges?

Please reach out to cel@ncte.org with additional questions.

Since the annual national convention will be in Pennsylvania, PCTELA, who is co-hosting the convention, will forego a fall conference in 2026.

Look for information upcoming about the 2027 conference which will be held in the Pittsburgh area!

WPCTE Executive Director Carol Frow and WPCTE President Amy Bouch attended a

preliminary meeting along with officers from PCTELA and the NCTE Executive leaders

to begin the initial planning for our affiliates. Much is still to be determined, but we

know this will be an amazing opportunity for all Pennsylvania ELA teachers to have the

convention so close to us!

Proposals for the convention have already been submitted, but there will still be

amazing opportunities to get involved at this convention. Any teacher who is willing to

volunteer six hours will receive complimentary registration! That’s a saving of several

hundred dollars for that small amount of time helping out in the vendor fair with

authors or guiding attendees to their sessions. The work will not be hard, and it will

gain you free entry to the conference! What a great opportunity!

For those teachers who must seek funding/professional development time from your

districts early, be sure to apply for the dates (Nov. 19-22) and the approximate cost of

hotel stay and transportation. Let your districts know that you’ll not need the

registration fee since you will volunteer!

There’s a possibility that registration for the conference will open as early as March

2026, but if you plan to volunteer, do not register in advance. Stay tuned to upcoming

email blasts to learn more about volunteering with WPCTE in Philadelphia in November!

This is indeed exciting news!

We are excited to invite proposals for the PA Student-Centered Learning Summit taking place on June 17, 2026, from 9:00 AM to 3:00 PM at Indiana University of Pennsylvania (IUP).

Sessions will be 50 minutes and should align with student-centered learning practices. Presentations connected to the PASCL System Components (opens in new window) of the Blueprint (opens in new window) are highly encouraged.

Deadline to Submit Proposals: April 10, 2026

The PaTTAN Literacy Symposium webpage (opens in new window) describes a statewide professional learning event designed to support educators in improving literacy instruction through evidence-based practices. The symposium is a multi-day virtual conference that brings together national and state literacy experts, researchers, and classroom practitioners to share knowledge related to the science of reading and structured literacy. Participants engage in sessions that cover a wide range of topics—including reading instruction, writing, assessment, culturally responsive literacy, and support for diverse learners—across grade levels from elementary through high school. The event is intended for a broad audience of educators, such as teachers, specialists, administrators, and support staff, and emphasizes translating research into practical classroom strategies to improve student outcomes

This year's conference theme is Inspiring Literacy for a Brighter Future and we will be shifting our presentation strands to reflect AI, Diverse Learners, and the Active View of Reading model (opens in new window). Please make sure to include in the title, abstract, or description how your proposal aligns to the theme of the conference.

Program proposals (opens in new window) must be submitted by May 1, 2026. Proposals must be accompanied by a current resume/vita(e) for EACH presenter showing expertise in the topic of the proposal. These must be uploaded as a part of this form or emailed to the Program Chair (aileen.hower5@gmail.com) by May 1, 2026 for full consideration.

We will have fewer presentation slots this year, and will be prioritizing presentations by groups as well as those that address secondary education topics and Structured Literacy.

The Program Chair will send a formal invitation to all presenters for proposals that are accepted for the 2026 59th Annual KSLA Conference program by May 31, 2026.

The Keystone State Literacy Association (KSLA) Conference webpage (opens in new window) outlines an annual professional development event designed for educators and literacy professionals across Pennsylvania. The conference is a dynamic opportunity for classroom teachers, reading specialists, administrators, and other education stakeholders to engage in meaningful learning, collaboration, and networking. It features a diverse program of speakers and workshops led by researchers, practitioners, authors, and publishers, all focused on improving literacy instruction and student outcomes.

The Western Pennsylvania Council of Teachers of English will be hosting a Flash Fiction Writing Contest for all students in grades 1-12. Students are to craft a fictional pieces of 500 words or fewer.

Deadline: October 30, 2026, by 11:59 PM

Click here (opens in new window) for more information.

Expand your understanding of the Holocaust by listening to voices from across the globe and asking the question: How should we remember this history?

Memories of the Holocaust (opens in new window) April 15, 7-8PM, free

Learn how educators are helping students process and respond to the bigotry and hate they encounter in their school communities.

Standing Up to Bigotry and Hatred (opens in new window) April 29, 7-9PM

For PSEA members, free professional development is a click away. Simply log into your PSEA account, click the arrow below “For Members”, and select PEARL and the Center for Professional Learning. There are online courses, webinars, book clubs, micro-credentials, national board certification, and wellness programs.

The Online Training Tutorials are a series of videos designed to help students navigate the test platform (opens in new window). Choose the test (CDT, Firefly, PSSA, or Keystone) and subject area, then choose from the short tutorial topics on the left. In some cases, a colored box will appear to indicate which tutorials are applicable to a specific grade level. Publicly accessible versions of the PA Online Tools Training (OTTs) are available.

The online training tutorials provide teachers and students with the opportunity to experience the testing platform for CDTs, PSSAs, and Keystones before the test begins (opens in new window). Choose the test (CDT, PSSA, or Keystone), subject area, and grade level. Students and teachers can click through to experience the testing tools, navigation, and formatting available within the platform. For students using Video Sign Language, Color Chooser, Reverse Contrast, and Audio accommodations, choose the accommodated form.

Click here (opens in new window) to explore.

PDE Assessments

The Pennsylvania System of School Assessment (PSSA) and Keystone Exams are available for schools to administer online. In Spring 2026, all PSSA and Keystone test administrations will be conducted online, with the exception of students who require paper-and-pencil testing as an accommodation.

Firefly Update

Click here (opens in new window) to read about Firefly's expansion in 2025-26.

KEYSTONE SCHOLARS jumpstarts educational savings by providing a $100 scholarship for every child born to a PA family in 2019 and later for future education. The scholarship can be used between the ages of 18 and 29 for post-high school technical, collegiate, apprenticeship, and credentialing educational expenses.

Keystone Scholars has three primary goals:

1. Help parents maintain high expectations for their child’s future education.

2. Cultivate a future-focused identity in children.

Research shows that children with college savings in their name are three times more likely to

pursue postsecondary education and four times more likely to graduate.

3. Prompt parents to start saving as early as possible to give funds the longest time to grow.

You can encourage parents to claim their child’s account at pa529.com/keystone.

Only three pieces of information are needed:

o Child’s date of birth,

o Zip code on file when child was born, and

o State File Number from child’s PA birth certificate.

Once claimed, parents may open a companion PA 529 account to contribute their own savings! Families can start saving with as little as $1/month.

For more information, including resources and materials, please contact Karen McDermott, Manager,

Children’s Savings Accounts, at kmcdermott@patreasury.gov.

The AP Participant Grants cover AP Summer Institute tuition for teachers new to an AP subject. The grant request form will open March 2026. Please complete the interest form below if you would like to receive notification when it opens.

To be eligible for a grant, you must:

• Be teaching the AP course for the first time in the 2026-27 school year
• Not have attended an APSI or received College Board funding for the same AP course
• Not have received professional learning funding from your school, district, or state

AP Participants Grants cover the cost of tuition only and teachers may only be awarded one AP Participant grant.

Click here (opens in new window) for more information.

Structured literacy is defined as “systematic, explicit instruction that provides a strong core of foundational skills in English.” It integrates listening, speaking, reading, spelling, and writing, and emphasizes the structure of language across the speech sound system (phonology), the writing system (orthography), the structure of sentences (syntax), the meaningful parts of words (morphology), the relationships among words (semantics), and the organization of spoken and written discourse.

In the first-ever Highlighting Structured Literacy section, PDE invites you to read Secretary Rowe's Substack on structured literacy (opens in new window) what it means for schools and administration, and provides an in-depth overview to orient you on all things structured literacy in PA.

The lists and resources associated with Act 135 of 2024 are now available on the Structured Literacy webpage on PDE's website (opens in new window). The lists include evidence-based reading curricula, intervention materials, and professional development opportunities around Structured Literacy.

A list of approved universal screeners will be forthcoming, pending a review of Act 47 of 2025.

The 2026 Summer Institute will be held July 7-30 at the University of Pittsburgh! Sessions are held Monday-Thursday from 10am-3pm with parking covered for the duration of the program. Register here (opens in new window).

View the website (opens in new window) for more information.

It is FREE and open to all to be a member of the Western Pennsylvania Council of Teachers of English (WPCTE). Although our in-person events take place in the western Pennsylvania area, we offer many virtual events as well! Membership is available to anyone interested in literacy; it is not limited to only teachers or only western PA.

Click here (opens in new window) to enroll.

Meridian Digital Storytelling Competition (opens in new window) - Grades 5-12 - Due: April 10, 2026

Open Letters: Our Opinion Writing Contest (opens in new window)

- Ages 13-19 - Due: April 8. 2026

Creative Communications Spring Poetry Contest (opens in new window)

- Grades K-9 - Due: April 9, 2026

Young Playwrights Contest (opens in new window)

- Grades 7-12 - Due: April 15, 2026

Dear Poet 2026 (opens in new window)

- Grades 5-12 - Due: mid-April

Poetry and Spoken Word Competition (opens in new window)

- Ages 13-19 - Due: April 27, 2026

American Library of Poetry (opens in new window)

- Grades 3-12 - Due: April 30, 2026

Fighting Words Poetry Contest (opens in new window)

- Grades K - 12 - Due: May 11, 2026

Audio Stories: Our Podcast Contest (opens in new window)

- Ages 13-19 - Due: May 13, 2026

In honor of National Poetry Month, the NCTE Children’s Poetry Awards Committee (opens in new window) is sponsoring a special event to support teachers in using poetry to meet a wide variety of education goals. Join award-winning poets Sylvia Vardell and Janet Wong as they lead several authors in a webinar providing educators at all levels with ideas for engaging teachers and students in poetry.

Participants will learn

• how to guide students in gathering and analyzing a wide range of research, including authentic voices, historical and scientific facts, and personal narratives, to deepen their understanding of complex issues;
• how to support students as they evaluate sources, construct logical conclusions, and integrate research into their own writing; and
• how to explore the use of the texts, “wonderfuzz (fussy things they wonder),” and “thimblethoughts (tiny random facts that have personal meaning in their lives)” as inquiry tools to foster student curiosity, personal connections, and critical thinking while enhancing communication skills.

Vardell is a former co-chair of the NCTE Children’s Poetry Awards Committee. Wong is the 2021 NCTE Award for Excellence in Poetry for Children (opens in new window) winner and a former member of the NCTE Children’s Poetry Awards Committee. Both are seasoned presenters, poets, and publishers who bring a wealth of energy and experience to every event they lead. They and the featured author poets will provide a fun and practical experience for preK–12 teachers, as well as higher education educators, who are looking to deepen their practice through the use of poetry texts.

Authors Chris Baron, Renée M. LaTulippe, Padma Venkatraman, and Allan Wolf will join Vardell and Wong for this event.

Join us Thursday, April 24, 7:00–8:00 p.m. ET.

Register here (opens in new window)

Did you know PA educators play an important role in reviewing items for the PSSA and Keystone tests? Each summer, educators from all over the Commonwealth engage in setting ranges for open-ended questions, reviewing new test items and reviewing data from field-tested items.

If you are interested in participating, complete the Educator Application: PSSA & Keystone Exams Assessment Committee Reviews (opens in new window).

Your application will be evaluated, and your name will be placed in a pool of educators.

You will receive an availability survey in the winter, and committees will be formed in early spring.

Contact Dr. Beth Gannon, ELA Assessment Advisor, with questions at egannonrit@pa.gov.

Figjam (opens in new window)- If you need an alternative since Jamboard and Flipgrid are no longer available, FigJam is a free collaborative whiteboard space for your classroom. It has AI capabilities and can even be used for presentations. It also has templates for teachers as well as stamps and stickers that make it fun and creative.

Gamma (opens in new window) - This program starts free for teachers and uses AI to generate engaging slides in square, vertical, or traditional slide format. PDFs and Power Points can be uploaded into Gamma. Websites and videos are easily embedded. Gamma can also be used to build websites, interactive lessons, and social posts.

Curipod (opens in new window)- According to their website, it says, “Curipod is a slide show presentation-style tool that combines polls, word clouds, drawings, and more to offer a digitally interactive space for teachers and students.” It uses AI and can include quiz-like games and interactive learning. Data can be generated post lesson as well. It has both free and paid levels.

The ThinkTV PBS LearningMedia English Language Arts and Literacy page (opens in new page) is a comprehensive, user-friendly hub that provides educators and students with a wide range of free, classroom-ready digital resources. The site features curated collections of videos, lesson plans, interactive activities, and texts that support literacy skills such as reading, writing, speaking, and critical analysis, all aligned with educational standards and adaptable across grade levels. Users can easily filter content by topic, grade, and resource type, making it practical for differentiated instruction and targeted skill development.

As part of the larger PBS LearningMedia platform, the site emphasizes high-quality, trustworthy content drawn from public media and educational partners, allowing teachers to integrate engaging, standards-based materials into your instruction while also offering tools to build and share customized lessons.

The Harvard Library page (opens in new window) for the K–12 Toolkit for Teachers: Open Educational Resources (OER), Open and Free Resources/Tools serves as an introductory guide designed to help educators incorporate open educational resources into their teaching. This is a starting point for locating free, openly licensed materials, professional learning content, and digital tools that can be used in lesson planning and curriculum design. Many of the included resources carry Creative Commons licenses, meaning teachers can access, use, and adapt them as long as proper attribution is given. This also highlights the importance of understanding how to credit sources using frameworks like TASL (Title, Author, Source, License).

Teach online and have trouble connecting with other teachers during the work day? Join WPCTE Vice President Hannah Lewis for Cyber Teacher Coffee Hour on Zoom!

As of January 2025, these informal drop-in virtual lunch meetings will take place on the third Tuesday of each month (except in the event of a holiday) .

Click here (opens in new window) to enroll.

On March 19, Indiana's Amy Kukula and Penns Manor's Cristina McConnell shared with our network some awesome teaching strategies. In case you missed it, please find the presentations linked below in this newsletter.