45Minute Impossible: Why the New Texas Reading List Doesn't Math
Texas is facing an instructional crisis. Under the new HB 1605 mandates, the sheer volume of the proposed K-12 reading list has created a mathematical "zero-margin" schedule for our classrooms. For high schoolers in a standard 45-minute period, simply reading the words on the page—with no time for discussion or writing—consumes up to 60% of the school year. When you account for the academic complexity of texts like The Odyssey or The Count of Monte Cristo, the "raw reading" time alone makes it impossible to meet state composition and research standards.
Teachers are being forced into a "coverage trap," sacrificing deep analysis and writing for a "books read" quota. This post breaks down the "Time Tax" across all grade levels, revealing that after reading, testing, and mandatory writing, educators are left with nearly zero days for actual instruction. It’s time to prioritize depth of understanding over the length of a mandated list.
To accurately calculate the reading time for the Texas High School (9-12) Mandated List, we must adjust the reading rates based on the Lexile level and complexity of the specific texts included in the TEA draft.
While a student might read a contemporary young adult novel at 250 words per minute (WPM), the mandated list includes dense canonical literature, Shakespearean drama, and primary historical documents. For these "complex" texts, comprehension typically requires a slower, more deliberate rate of 100–150 WPM.
High School Time Estimates
Calculations based on a 45-minute block with 100% "eyes-on-text" (no discussion/writing) at academic reading rates (115–150 WPM).
Grade Level Anchor Word Count Full Requirement (Incl. Supp. +25%) Days to Finish (45-Min Block) % of School Year English I 350,000 437,500 77.8 Days 43% English II 200,000 250,000 41.2 Days 23% English III 300,000 375,000 55.6 Days 31% English IV 450,000 562,500 108.7 Days 60%
Calculations based on a 45-minute block with 100% "eyes-on-text" (no discussion/writing) at academic reading rates (115–150 WPM).
| Grade Level | Anchor Word Count | Full Requirement (Incl. Supp. +25%) | Days to Finish (45-Min Block) | % of School Year |
| English I | 350,000 | 437,500 | 77.8 Days | 43% |
| English II | 200,000 | 250,000 | 41.2 Days | 23% |
| English III | 300,000 | 375,000 | 55.6 Days | 31% |
| English IV | 450,000 | 562,500 | 108.7 Days | 60% |
The Real-World Instructional Impact
The English IV Crisis: In 12th grade, the full requirement consumes 108.7 days—effectively 60% of the year—just for raw reading. This leaves only 71 days for college applications, senior research projects, and all required composition work.
The Instruction Gap: These totals represent "raw reading" only. When you add a standard instructional cycle (vocabulary, rhetorical analysis, and Socratic seminars), the time required exceeds 200 days, confirming the list is mathematically impossible to teach for mastery in a 180-day calendar.
The Writing Squeeze: With English I requiring nearly 78 days of raw reading, a teacher trying to maintain a weekly writing workshop (losing 1 day/week) would see the reading completion date pushed into late April, leaving no time for final projects or exam prep.
A Task of Endurance: For students with lower reading stamina, this volume—approaching 2 million words over 4 years—risks turning English class into a task of endurance rather than a space for critical thinking and literacy growth.
The English IV Crisis: In 12th grade, the full requirement consumes 108.7 days—effectively 60% of the year—just for raw reading. This leaves only 71 days for college applications, senior research projects, and all required composition work.
The Instruction Gap: These totals represent "raw reading" only. When you add a standard instructional cycle (vocabulary, rhetorical analysis, and Socratic seminars), the time required exceeds 200 days, confirming the list is mathematically impossible to teach for mastery in a 180-day calendar.
The Writing Squeeze: With English I requiring nearly 78 days of raw reading, a teacher trying to maintain a weekly writing workshop (losing 1 day/week) would see the reading completion date pushed into late April, leaving no time for final projects or exam prep.
A Task of Endurance: For students with lower reading stamina, this volume—approaching 2 million words over 4 years—risks turning English class into a task of endurance rather than a space for critical thinking and literacy growth.
Call to Action: It’s Time to Choose Depth Over Lists
The math is undeniable: we cannot "list-check" our way to literacy. By mandating a volume of text that consumes nearly the entire school year just for raw reading, we are effectively legislating the removal of critical thinking, deep writing instruction, and personalized support from our classrooms.
Here is how you gotta help:
Share the Data: Use the charts above to show your local school board and campus leadership the mathematical reality of these mandates.
Contact TEA and your State Representatives: Urge the Texas Education Agency to prioritize instructional depth over sheer volume. Remind them that literacy is built through mastery, not just mileage. As for TEA to recommend the minimum to meet the expectations of the law. Then call your STATE folks and let them know what that silly 1605 really means in practice.
Advocate for Teacher Autonomy: Support policies that allow educators to select the right texts at the right time for their specific students, rather than being tethered to a rigid, year-long calendar.
Our students deserve to do more than just finish a book—they deserve the time to understand it. Let’s work together to ensure the Texas school day serves the needs of the learner, not just the requirements of a list.
The math is undeniable: we cannot "list-check" our way to literacy. By mandating a volume of text that consumes nearly the entire school year just for raw reading, we are effectively legislating the removal of critical thinking, deep writing instruction, and personalized support from our classrooms.
Here is how you gotta help:
Share the Data: Use the charts above to show your local school board and campus leadership the mathematical reality of these mandates.
Contact TEA and your State Representatives: Urge the Texas Education Agency to prioritize instructional depth over sheer volume. Remind them that literacy is built through mastery, not just mileage. As for TEA to recommend the minimum to meet the expectations of the law. Then call your STATE folks and let them know what that silly 1605 really means in practice.
Advocate for Teacher Autonomy: Support policies that allow educators to select the right texts at the right time for their specific students, rather than being tethered to a rigid, year-long calendar.
Our students deserve to do more than just finish a book—they deserve the time to understand it. Let’s work together to ensure the Texas school day serves the needs of the learner, not just the requirements of a list.
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