Table of Contents Table of Contents ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 1

Introduction………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 5

Standards Map ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….. 10

Progression of Foundations Benchmarks ………………………………………………………………………………………. 11

Spiraled Standards in a Vertical Progression …………………………………………………………………………………. 13

Kindergarten …………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………. 26

Foundational Skills …………………………………………………………………………………………………………….. 26

Reading …………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….. 27

Communication ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….. 29

Vocabulary………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 32

Sample texts by benchmark …………………………………………………………………………………………………….. 33

1st Grade ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………. 35

Foundational Skills …………………………………………………………………………………………………………….. 35

Reading …………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….. 36

Communication ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….. 38

Vocabulary………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 40

Sample texts by benchmark …………………………………………………………………………………………………….. 41

2nd Grade……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 43

Foundational Skills …………………………………………………………………………………………………………….. 43

Reading …………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….. 44

Communication ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….. 45

Vocabulary………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 48

Sample texts by benchmark……………………………………………………………………………………………………… 49

3rd Grade ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 51

Foundational Skills …………………………………………………………………………………………………………….. 51

Reading …………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….. 51

Communication ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….. 53

Vocabulary………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 55

Sample texts by benchmark……………………………………………………………………………………………………… 57

4th Grade………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………. 60

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Foundational Skills …………………………………………………………………………………………………………….. 60

Reading …………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….. 61

Communication ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….. 62

Vocabulary………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 65

Sample texts by benchmark …………………………………………………………………………………………………….. 66

5th Grade………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………. 69

Foundational Skills …………………………………………………………………………………………………………….. 69

Reading …………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….. 69

Communication ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….. 71

Vocabulary………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 73

Sample texts by benchmark …………………………………………………………………………………………………….. 75

6th-8th Grade ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………. 78

6th Grade………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………. 78

Reading …………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….. 78

Communication ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….. 80

Vocabulary………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 82

Sample texts by benchmark……………………………………………………………………………………………………… 83

7th Grade………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………. 86

Reading …………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….. 86

Communication ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….. 88

Vocabulary………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 90

Sample texts by benchmark……………………………………………………………………………………………………… 91

8th Grade………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………. 95

Reading …………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….. 95

Communication ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….. 97

Vocabulary………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 99

Sample texts by benchmark……………………………………………………………………………………………………. 100

9th-12th Grade ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 104

9th Grade…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….. 104

Reading …………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 104

Communication ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 107

Vocabulary………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………. 109

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Sample texts by benchmark …………………………………………………………………………………………………… 110

10th Grade…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 114

Reading …………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 114

Communication ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 116

Vocabulary………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………. 118

Sample texts by benchmark …………………………………………………………………………………………………… 119

11th Grade…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 125

Reading …………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 125

Communication ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 128

Vocabulary………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………. 130

Sample texts by benchmark …………………………………………………………………………………………………… 131

12th Grade…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 136

Reading …………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 136

Communication ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 139

Vocabulary………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………. 140

Sample texts by benchmark …………………………………………………………………………………………………… 142

6-12 Foundational Reading Intervention Standards ………………………………………………………………………. 145

Appendix A: K-12 ELA Expectations for Students ………………………………………………………………………. 147

K-12 ELA Expectations ………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 147

Appendix B: Reading ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………….. 148

What is a Text?…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….. 148

Text Complexity ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………. 148

Literary Periods ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 165

Background Knowledge ………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 168

Civic Literacy Reading List ……………………………………………………………………………………………….. 168

Text Features……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….. 172

Text Structures …………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….. 174

Figurative Language …………………………………………………………………………………………………………. 175

Rhetoric…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 177

Archetypes ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………. 178

Types of Logical Reasoning ………………………………………………………………………………………………. 180

Fallacies in Reasoning (Informal) ……………………………………………………………………………………….. 181

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Appendix C: Communication ……………………………………………………………………………………………………. 183

Communicating through Writing ……………………………………………………………………………………………. 183

Writing Types ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….. 183

Narrative Techniques ………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 184

Elaborative Techniques ……………………………………………………………………………………………………… 185

Oral Communication …………………………………………………………………………………………………………….. 186

Elementary Oral Communication Rubric ……………………………………………………………………………… 186

Secondary Oral Communication Rubric ………………………………………………………………………………. 189

Conventions Progression by Grade Level ………………………………………………………………………………… 196

Appendix D: Vocabulary ………………………………………………………………………………………………………….. 198

Selecting Academic Vocabulary for Direct Instruction ……………………………………………………………… 198

Morphology ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 199

Base Words ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 199

Greek and Latin Roots ………………………………………………………………………………………………………. 200

Common Prefixes ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 202

Common Suffixes …………………………………………………………………………………………………………….. 203

Foreign Words and Phrases ……………………………………………………………………………………………………. 204

Context Clues………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………. 205

Word Relationships………………………………………………………………………………………………………………. 205

Appendix E: Reading Foundations …………………………………………………………………………………………….. 206

Introduction…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………. 206

Fluency……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….. 207

Dolch Word Lists ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 207

Fry Word Lists …………………………………………………………………………………………………………………. 208

Measures of Fluency …………………………………………………………………………………………………………. 209

Interventions for Secondary Students ……………………………………………………………………………………… 211

Learner Profiles………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 211

Learning Environment Considerations ………………………………………………………………………………… 211

Glossary of Terms ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………. 212

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Introduction On January 31, 2019, Governor DeSantis issued Executive Order 19-32, outlining a path for Florida to improve its education system by eliminating Common Core and paving the way for Florida students to receive a world-class education to prepare them for jobs of the future. The task from Governor DeSantis to Commissioner Corcoran was clear: Create literacy standards for our Florida students that will shape their education and secure their position as leading the charge to make Florida the most literate state in the nation. The outcome is Florida’s Benchmarks for Excellent Student Thinking (B.E.S.T.) Standards for English Language Arts (ELA), a product of Florida literacy experts, Florida educators, and vested stakeholders.

Florida’s B.E.S.T. Standards encourage educators to act on Douglass’s reminder of the ultimate purpose of education. His words confirm that education must be enlightening, noble, and good. He speaks from a tradition that holds education in the highest regard. The Latin root of the word education is educare, which means “to bring forth, to bring up.” Douglass understood that education is the way to bring forth our greatest capacities. Knowledge is the pathway to liberty, which is a fundamental value guaranteed by our government.

Florida’s B.E.S.T. Standards promote Douglass's noble view of education. The implementation of these standards will encourage schools, districts, and educators to adopt and build a rich, deep, and meaningful curriculum that “uplifts the soul.” It is important to note that these standards are only the framework. It is up to Florida educators to use these standards to build knowledge-rich curricula that will nurture students by immersing them in the study of great works of literature, history, and the arts. The goal of these standards is to restore teachers to their true calling: educating the hearts, souls, and minds of their students, bringing them “into the glorious light of truth.” In the words of John Adams, “Let us tenderly and kindly cherish, therefore, the means of knowledge. Let us dare to read, think, speak, and write.”

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What Matters: Cornerstones of Reading Comprehension These standards emphasize that literacy is not achievable merely through a skills-based approach to reading comprehension. Lessons designed to instill background knowledge and a deep respect for literary works that transcend time because of the truth of their content and the beauty of their craft are critical to building life-long learners.

Foundational Instruction Matters In the early grades, the standards emphasize explicit, systematic phonics instruction as the foundation of literacy. Decoding and fluency are essential to creating proficient readers. “Readers who have strong decoding skills can figure out unfamiliar words so quickly that the process requires no conscious effort,” says Dr. Holly Lane, Director, University of Florida Literacy Institute. When decoding is effortless, a reader’s limited working memory is freed up so the reader can focus on meaning.

Knowledge Matters Reading comprehension depends more on relevant background knowledge than on mastery of reading strategies. Knowledge acquisition should be the primary purpose of any reading approach, starting at the earliest grades. The systematic building of a wide range of knowledge across domains is a prerequisite to higher literacy. Knowledge builds upon knowledge. Reading comprehension develops as students engage with literary and informational text selections that are complex, rich, and meaningful.

The greatest reading comprehension tool is not a set of strategies or tools that are content-free; rather, it is a well-stocked mind. Critical thinking cannot be separated from the object of that thinking. We cannot think deeply, creatively, or critically about a subject if we have little knowledge of it. Thus, the key to developing real critical thinking skills in our students is to increase knowledge about a breadth of subjects by reading rich texts on the subjects.

Curriculum Matters If knowledge acquisition is a core component of reading comprehension, then how the content is organized and presented to students is the foundation of an effective curriculum. The specificity of these standards, along with the clarifications and appendices, will make it easier for educators, schools, and districts to build or select a coherent, cumulative, and knowledge-based curriculum that is vertically aligned across grades and horizontally aligned across subjects within a grade.

These standards are the foundation on which a robust curriculum will be built with a full appreciation of history, art, music, and other disciplines that were sidelined in favor of a focus on abstract reading strategies. These standards encourage a broader view of literacy that promotes knowledge-building across varied domains and subjects, making the integration of content and collaboration among teachers much easier to achieve.

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Leadership Matters Governor DeSantis, upon taking office, realized that for an education system to be successful, choice and excellence had to be the pillars of the system. Recognizing that our students and their families required and deserved more from their education, he issued the executive order to create the best standards in the nation. The Florida B.E.S.T. Standards are the pathway. In moving forward, the Florida Department of Education is committed to maximizing student potential and creating citizens well-poised to shape the future of Florida and the world.

Design of Standards The standards are designed to be user-friendly, so every stakeholder will understand what students are expected to master. Taken together, the benchmarks, clarifications, and appendices represent the expected outcomes for the students of Florida and carry the full weight of the standards.

Florida’s B.E.S.T. Standards for ELA are built on the following premises:  English Language Arts is not a discrete set of skills, but a rich discipline with meaningful, significant content, the knowledge of which helps all students actively and fully participate in our society.

 The standards are clear and concise so they are easily understood by every stakeholder.  The texts students read are meaningful and thought-provoking, preparing them to be informed, civic-minded members of their community.

 Standards should not stand alone as a separate focus for instruction, but should be combined purposefully.

The benchmarks for the standards are mastery goals that students are expected to attain by the end of the year. To build mastery, students will continue to review and apply earlier grade-level benchmarks and expectations. If skills are not mastered, students will be given instruction and practice opportunities to address skill gaps from previous grades.

The reading and writing standards have been written in such a way that they progress together and students are able to use the texts they are reading as accompanying texts for their writing. As a part of that focus, rhetoric will be introduced earlier, now during 6th grade, so that students will have an understanding of the appeals – logos, pathos, and ethos – when starting argumentative writing. It is vital that students have the tools of understanding how argumentation works as they are learning to write arguments. Foundational reading standards are included for secondary students who have a reading deficiency and need targeted instruction. These standards will apply to elective intensive reading and intensive language arts course codes, not core ELA courses. The goal is for targeted skill instruction, outlined by the standards, to make proficient readers of all of Florida’s students, no matter their grade level.

Throughout this year-long process of evaluating, listening, rethinking, and ultimately, rewriting Florida’s standards, the Florida Department of Education repeatedly engaged numerous stakeholders, inclu