Dear Publishers and Content Developers of English Language Arts/English Language Development Instructional Materials for Transitional Kindergarten through Grade Eight:

2026 English Language Arts/English Language
Development Instructional Materials
Follow-up Adoption (Publisher Bulletin 2)

If you are interested in participating in California’s 2026 English Language Arts/English Language Development (ELA/ELD) Instructional Materials Follow-up Adoption, you may be eligible for a reduction in the planned participation fees if you meet specific criteria. California Education Code Section 60227, which requires a participation fee, provides that the State Board of Education (SBE) may reduce the fee for a small publisher. For the purposes of this follow-up adoption, a small publisher is defined as one that meets all of the following criteria:

• Independently owned or operated
  
  
• Not dominant in its field of operation
  
  
• Has 100 or fewer employees, together with its affiliates
  
  
• Has average annual gross receipts of $10 million or less over the previous three years

If you believe your company meets these criteria and wish to apply for a fee reduction, please submit your request along with the following information to
ELA-ELDfollowupadoption@cde.ca.gov no later than 5 p.m., Friday, October 31, 2025:

• A tax filing statement of earnings for the most recent three fiscal years
  
  
• A statement verifying the number of full-time employees excluding contracted employees
  
  
• A statement verifying that the small publisher is independently owned or operated and is not dominant in its field for the subject matter being submitted
  

This information (but not the submitted documents) will become public and will be considered by the SBE for action at its January 14–15, 2026, meeting.

State regulations establish the participation fee at $8,000 per program, per grade level (California Code of Regulations, Title 5, Section 9517.1 ). The specific fees for the submission of partial programs, for which the SBE anticipates adopting guidance at its November 5–6, 2025, meeting, are yet to be announced. Please note that your application for a fee reduction does not represent a commitment to participate. If you are considering participating, and believe you qualify, you should apply.

For more information about the 2026 ELA/ELD Instructional Materials Follow-up Adoption, including the schedule of significant events, frequently asked questions, and more, please visit the California Department of Education Instructional Materials web page.

If you have any questions regarding this information, please contact David Almquist, Publisher Liaison, Instructional Materials and Access Unit, by email at dalmquis@cde.ca.gov.

Sincerely,

Dr. Mike Torres, Director
Curriculum Frameworks and Instructional Resources Division

MT:da