tea-style-guide.pdf

Style Guide

Version: 2.05

TEA Style Guide

Table of Contents

Introduction to TEA Style .......................................................... 3

Making Content Accessible

...................................................... 4

Plain Language ............................................................................................. 5

508 Accessibility .......................................................................................... 6

Writing Style and Usage ............................................................ 7

Awareness and Representation ..............................................................7

Academic and Legislative Terms .............................................................9

Abbreviations .............................................................................................14

Capitalization .............................................................................................15

Dates and Times ........................................................................................17

Numbers .....................................................................................................18

Punctuation ................................................................................................20

Text Formatting Guidance ......................................................................25

Captions, Credits, and Citations ............................................................29

Languages Other than English ...............................................................30

Introduction to TEA Style

TEA Style Guide

Introduction to TEA Style

This TEA Style Guide establishes writing, editing, formatting, and design standards for all content

produced on behalf of TEA. The guidance applies to content distributed in any format, including

documents, web content, slide presentations, videos, social media, etc.

There are two main options for navigating this PDF to nd specic information:

¢ Click the relevant section in the Table of Contents to jump directly to it.

¢ Use the “Find” keyboard shortcut (ctrl-F on a PC, command-F on a Mac) to search for a

keyword or phrase anywhere within the PDF.

Use the TEA Style Guide in conjunction with the TEA Brand Book, which includes additional

guidance on brand identity, voice and tone, key audiences, logo requirements, approved fonts and

colors, and other visual guidance.

For writing guidance not addressed in this style guide, refer to The Chicago Manual of Style.

(TEA sta have automatic access to The Chicago Manual of Style Online when logged in to the network

in the oce or remotely via VPN.)

Additional recommended companion resources:

• The Plain Language Action and Information Network

• Section 508.gov (accessibility information)

• 21st Century Integrated Digital Experience (IDEA) Act

• 18F U.S. Government User-Centered Development Guides

Specialized content areas may give preference to other approved style guides as appropriate to the

work (e.g., the Student Assessment division follows the Student Assessment Publications Guide; TEA

Media Relations follows Associated Press style).

Have a style question?

Is something missing from this guide? Did you nd an error or inconsistency? Please submit

a Communications Help Desk ticket. Vendors or external audiences should contact their TEA

representative.

Need communications or graphic design support?

Email [email protected] or additional resources or to submit a request for service, or call

512-463-3900 for urgent assistance.

TEA Style Guide

Making Content Accessible

All TEA employees and vendors have a responsibility to ensure the content they produce or review is

accessible—meaning it should adhere to guidelines and best practices for readability, plain language,

and Section 508 accessibility.

Write at a grade level appropriate for your audience.

Use a resource such as Hemingwayapp or Readable (both have a basic free readability check and also

oer paid subscription features) to check the readability and grade level of your content.

Consider the format or channel.

Is it a PDF document, e-newsletter, website content, a social media post, a webinar, or something else?

Best practices vary depending on the format and distribution method. Learn and follow best practices

for accessibility, readability, usability, writing style, length, and structure to correspond with each

specic format.

Format text with readability and accessibility in mind.

Some general best practices include:

• Use only TEA-approved fonts, as identied in the TEA Brand Book. Nest headings

appropriately. Consider type size, spacing, and line length or column width, all of which impact

readability.

• Avoid use of all caps except for acronyms/initialisms. (Refer to “Capitalization” section.)

• Use colored text sparingly. Choose colors carefully and check the contrast if layering text on

top of a colored background.

• Limit use of reverse type (white text on a dark background) to headings or very short

passages.

• Do not use color as the sole means for conveying information.

• Reserve underlined text for hyperlinks. Reserve italics only for certain titles of works and uses

specied in this guide or The Chicago Manual of Style.

• Use descriptive, meaningful text for hyperlinks. Do not use generic phrases such as “click

here,” “read more,” or “more info.” A descriptive link explains/sets an expectation for where

the user will go if they decide to click.

• Do not use tables except for data, and format them accessibly. Tables should not be used for

text or image layout.

• Write captions/labels that help readers understand graphics and charts.

• Do not use the words “above” or “below” to reference parts of the content; these visual cues

are not meaningful for someone using a screen reader. Instead, use words such as “previous,”

“preceding,” or “following,” or state the specic location.

TEA Style Guide

Plain Language

All TEA communication directed to external audiences should be clear, concise, and straightforward.

Plain language makes it easier for the public to read, understand, and use government

communication.

Avoid jargon and corporate buzzwords. Do not assume your audience is familiar with specialized

terminology. Include a simple denition, explanation, or link to more information when using terms

that might not be familiar to all readers. Avoid corporate speak and catch phrases like “new and

improved” or “paradigm shift.”

Keep sentence structure as simple as possible. Avoid unnecessary linguistic complexity. Use

active voice rather than passive voice. Avoid compound tenses (e.g., past perfect and future perfect).

Do not chain together multiple prepositional phrases within a sentence.

Follow the guidelines on plainlanguage.gov:

• Write for your audience.

• Organize the information.

• Choose your words carefully.

• Be concise.

• Keep it conversational.

• Design for reading.

• Follow web standards.

• Test your assumptions.

TEA Style Guide

508 Accessibility

Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Actrequires government agencies to develop, procure, maintain, and

use information and communications technology that is accessible to people with disabilities.

Every TEA employee and vendor has a responsibility to ensure their documents, web pages,

videos, and other digital contentis compliant.

Accessibility isn’t just the law. It’s the right thing to do.

Accessible digital content provides a better user experience foreveryone,includingindividuals with

dierent cognitive, learning, language, visual, hearing, and physical abilities.

Learn how to make your content and documents accessible before posting, sharing, or

distributing. Watch TEA

accessibility training videos and explore other TEA accessibility resources,

including checklists and testing tools. Vendors or external audiences should contact their TEA

representative if resources are needed.

Make accessibilitypart of yourroutine.

Get in the habit of running the built-in accessibility

checker on all types of documents. Includeaccessibility reviewsin allproject timelines.

Addressaccessibility early in the processto avoidmajorlast-minutechanges.

Get accessibility help. Forexpert-level accessibility reviewsorimmediatehelp resolvingan

accessibilityerror, email [email protected].

TEA Style Guide

Writing Style and Usage

In addition to adhering to this style guide, all written content should align with the voice and tone

established in the TEA Brand Book.

For style and usage guidelines not addressed in this style guide, TEA follows The Chicago Manual of

Style.

All TEA employees automatically have access to an institutional subscription for The Chicago Manual of

Style Online when logged in to the network (in the oce or remotely via VPN). Employees experiencing

diculty accessing the complete online manual should submit a TEA Help Desk request for assistance.

Preferred online dictionaries:

• Lexico (free abbreviated version of Oxford English Dictionary)

• Merriam-Webster

In addition, refer to the Student Assessment Publications Guide when producing content related to

assessments.

Awareness and Representation

Content should reect all populations represented in Texas public schools. No one character or

person, group of characters or people, or geographic location should be presented favorably or

unfavorably in either graphics or text.

Be mindful of potentially sensitive topics, and always consider audiences and stakeholders with a

variety of backgrounds and viewpoints.

Refer to Chicago Manual of Style (CMOS) guidance on avoiding biased language.

Disabilities

Terms related to disabilities (blind, deaf, etc.) are lowercased in body text. Only refer to a person’s

disability if it is relevant to the story.

When writing about disabilities, refer to the American Psychological Association website for general

guidance on preferred terminology or the National Center on Disability and Journalism Disability

Language Style Guide for specic word choice recommendations.

In general, default to person-rst language, which means referring to a “person with a disability”

instead of a “disabled person” (e.g., student with autism, teacher with color blindness, child with

dyslexia). When referring to an individual, ask for and use their preferred language because some

people with disabilities prefer identity-

rst language (e.g., amputee, deaf person, etc.).

TEA Style Guide

Writing Style and Usage

Only use “deaf” to describe a person with complete hearing loss and “blind “when a person has

complete loss of sight. Do not use the terms “hearing impaired,” “visually impaired,” “learning

impaired,” etc. Instead, use phrases such as “hard of hearing,” “limited vision,” or “learning disability”

(refer to list of acceptable words in this section).

Avoid made-up words like “handicapable” or “diversability” unless used in reference to a specic

movement.

Down syndrome has no “s” and no apostrophe; capitalize Down and lowercase syndrome.

Acceptable words and phrases:

• blind

• deaf

• deafblind

• deaf-mute

• disability

• hard of hearing

• learning disability

• limited hearing/vision

• low vision

• neurotypical/neurodiversity (reserve for audiences familiar with these terms)

• non-disabled

• partial hearing loss

• partially deaf/sighted

The following words and phrases are not recommended:

• able-bodied

• abnormal

• dierently abled

• diversability

• handicap/handicapped

• handicapable

• impaired

• suers from

• wheelchair bound

TEA Style Guide

Academic and Legislative Terms

Gender-Specic Pronouns and Terms

Refer to the CMOS list of techniques for gender-neutral writing. Choosing between “he” or “she” as

the singular pronoun is a common dilemma. These pronouns should be used sparingly. Use of “they”

is an acceptable alternative, or even better, rewrite the sentence to avoid using a pronoun. Keep job

titles gender neutral (e.g., “chair” or “chairperson” instead of “chairman;” “spokesperson” instead of

“spokesman”). Avoid words with problematic feminine suxes (-ess or -ette).

Parent vs. Family vs. Guardian

The word “family” or “guardian” is generally preferred instead of “parent” to make the information

inclusive of all family types and situations. However, some state or federal statutes may refer

specically to “parents,” in which case this term should be used to be consistent with the language in

the regulations.

Racial and Ethnic Terms

Names of ethnic and national groups are capitalized. Adjectives associated with these names are also

capitalized. Capitalize Black or White when used as a racial descriptor. Do not hyphenate terms such

as African American or Italian American.Refer to CMOS 8.38 for more examples. It is acceptable to

use identity-rst language when describing someone’s race, ethnicity, or nationality (e.g., “an Asian

American student” instead of “a student who is Asian American”).

Academic and Legislative Terms

Academic Degrees

Degrees should be lowercased when referred to generically (e.g., bachelor of arts, master of science,

juris doctor). An academic degree may be capitalized when referring to a specic degree program

in an institutional setting or when it appears on a business card, diploma, directory, or resume (e.g.,

Bachelor of Arts, Master of Science, Juris Doctor).

Use an apostrophe when referring to a bachelor’s degree or master’s degree; do not use an

apostrophe when referring to an associate degree.

Lowercase the area of study (e.g., bachelor of arts in history) unless part of an ocial degree title (e.g.,

Master of Public Health, Bachelor of Journalism).

Follow CMOS rules for abbreviating academic degrees and do not use periods.

Academic Subjects and Grades

Grade Levels

Grade levels are lowercased, and the preferred format is“grade”plus the numeral in most cases

(e.g.,grade1, grade 12, grades K–5). When stating a grade band, use an en dash, not a hyphen (e.g.,

grades 6–8, not grades 6-8). When the ordinal form is needed in running text, spell it out as rst,

second, third, etc. (not 1st, 2nd, 8th, etc.).

Prekindergarten is not hyphenated. It may be abbreviated as pre-k on second reference or when the

short form is needed due to space constraints or design considerations for a title, table, or graphic

treatment.

TEA Style Guide

Academic and Legislative Terms

Terms denoting student status (e.g., freshman, sophomore, junior, senior) are lowercased.

Letter Grades

Letter grades are capitalized, and no apostrophe should be used when plural.

The student made all As this semester.

The campus received a B rating.

Subjects

Academic subjects are not capitalized (e.g., math, chemistry, physics) unless they form part of a

department name or an ocial course name or are proper nouns (e.g., English, Latin).

Yes, an English class is required.

She will take an archaeology class next semester.

My cousin works in the UT Department of Archaeology.

Education Terms

Curriculum vs. Instructional Materials

These terms are not used interchangeably at TEA. Curriculum is state standards organized in a specic

scope and sequence over the course of a school year (often used interchangeably with the term

“scope and sequence”). Instructional materials are used to teach the curriculum.

Education Service Center (ESC)

Spell out education service center on rst reference. Do not capitalize unless using the proper name

of a specic one (e.g., Region 13 Education Service Center). Texas has 20 education service centers

across the state. They provide various support services to school districts to help them operate more

eciently, improve student performance, and implement legislative initiatives.

Educational Materials and Textbook (EMAT)

EMAT is the name of the online system Texas schools use to order instructional materials. It is known

only by the acronym and does not need to be spelled out. (Occasionally it has been referred to as the

Educational Materials and Textbook [EMAT] system in past communications.)

English Language Prociency Standards (ELPS)

Capitalize each word and spell out English Language Prociency Standards on rst reference. “The

ELPS” (as it is often referred to whether singular or plural) outline English language prociency level

descriptors and student expectations for English learners. School districts are required to implement

ELPS as an integral part of each subject in the required curriculum.

English learner (EL)

Spell out on rst reference; only the word English is capitalized. English learner is preferred over

English language learner.

Individualized Education Program (IEP)

Spell out on rst reference and do not capitalize. An individualized education program (IEP) is a legal

TEA Style Guide

Academic and Legislative Terms

document developed for a student deemed eligible for special education under the Individuals with

Disabilities Education Act. The IEP includes a student’s present levels of academic achievement and

functional performance, participation in state and district-wide assessments, transition services,

annual goals, special factors, special education, related services, supplementary aids and services,

extended school year services, and least restrictive environment.

504 Plan

Always use the complete term. Do not shorten to “504” and do not capitalize plan. Named for a federal

civil rights law, Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, a 504 plan lists the accommodations a

student with a disability will receive (e.g., extended test time, note-taking aids, audiobooks, etc.) The

purpose of the plan is to remove barriers to learning and allow the student equal access to education

curriculum.

Local Education Agency (LEA)

Spell out local education agency on rst reference and do not capitalize. A local education agency is

a public authority legally constituted with administrative control, direction, or to perform a service

function for public schools.

Open Education Resources (OER)

Spell out on rst reference. Do not add a hyphen between “open” and “education” unless it is used in a

context that creates ambiguity. Open education resources (OER) refers to the license associated with

instructional materials that have been made freely accessible in perpetuity to school districts.

Reading Language Arts (RLA) vs. English Language Arts (ELAR)

The term reading language arts (RLA) has become the preferred term because it is encompassing of

ELAR as well as Spanish Language Arts and Reading (SLAR) in grades K–6 (the grades with established

SLAR TEKS).

State Adopted

Lowercase and only use a hyphen when the term serves as a compound modier and the hyphen

is needed for clarity (e.g., The district uses state-adopted science materials. The state adopted the

materials in 2019.) The State Board of Education determines by majority vote whether materials

are adopted or rejected. Following this action, TEA establishes contracts with publishers of adopted

materials to ensure their availability to districts for the following eight years at an agreed-upon cost.

For additional information, refer to “Proclamations” section of this guide.

Special Education (SPED)

Always spell out special education on external communication; the acronym SPED is reserved for

internal use only at TEA. Refer to an individual as “a student receiving special education services.” Refer

to the entries in this guide for “individualized education plan (IEP)” and “504 plan.” Cite a decision by a

special education hearing examiner with this format: Student v. ABC Indep. Sch. Dist., No. 123-SE1234

(Tex. Educ. Agency Jan. 23, 2019). Cite a Texas federal case with this format: Example: Parent v ABC

Indep. Sch. Dist., 123 F. Supp 2d. 234 (S. Dist. Tex.). Cite a federal appellate case with this format:

Parent v. ABC Indep. Sch. Dist., 123 F3d. 234 (5th Cir).

State Board of Education (SBOE)

Capitalize the rst letter of each word. Spell out on rst reference. When referring to the SBOE as “the

board” do not capitalize.

TEA Style Guide

Academic and Legislative Terms

State of Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness (STAAR)

Spell out on rst reference and capitalize the rst letter of each word. It is acceptable to rst use

the abbreviation STAAR in a title or subtitle if the term is familiar to the specic audience and is also

spelled out in full on the rst reference in the body copy.

Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS)

Commonly referred to as “the TEKS” (pronounced teeks or occasionally tex). Spell out on rst

reference and capitalize the rst letter of each word. It is acceptable to rst use the abbreviation

TEKS in a title or subtitle if the term is familiar to the specic audience and it is spelled out in full on

the rst reference in the body copy. It is acceptable to refer to the standards as “the TEKS” whether

singular or plural since this is how it is commonly used in the eld. The TEKS are state standards for

what students should know and be able to do in each subject area. The State Board of Education has

legislative authority to adopt the TEKS for each subject of the required curriculum and periodically

reviews and revises the TEKS for each subject area. The scope of each review for each subject can be

either a full revision or a streamlining of existing standards. 

Legislative Terms

Bills, Plans, and Policies

Lowercase unless naming a specic one (e.g., House Bill 3). Capitalize bills or joint resolutions that

have been signed into law. Also capitalize formal accepted titles of plans, policies, acts, programs, and

similar documents or agreements. When referencing a bill, include the following information in order:

a label indicating the legislative branch that initiated the bill (House Bill or Senate Bill), the unique bill

number, and the legislative session during which the bill was considered (see the “legislative sessions”

entry in this section). Use the full citation the rst time the bill is mentioned. Throughout the rest

of the document, abbreviate the bill labels as HB and SB and omit the legislative session. Example:

House Bill (HB) 1, 78th Texas Legislature, Second Called Session, 2003; HB 1; Senate Bill (SB) 13, 72nd

Texas Legislature, 1991; SB 13.

Government Bodies and Departments

Capitalize the full names of legislative and deliberative bodies, departments, bureaus, and oces.

Legislative Sessions

Lowercase unless referring to the name of a specic one. Include the following information in order:

the number of the session, the year, and the number of the special session (if applicable). Do not

simply state “regular session.” The 140-day session held between January and May of each odd-

numbered year is the regular session. All other sessions are called special sessions and are numbered

consecutively. Even if the special session occurs in a dierent year than the regular session, state the

year of the regular session.

77th Texas Legislature, 2001

78th Texas Legislature

Fourth Called Session, 2003

TEA Style Guide

Academic and Legislative Terms

Proclamations

Lowercase the word proclamation, unless referring to the name of a specic one (e.g., The State

Board of Education issued Proclamation 2020.) Proclamations are named for the year the materials

are available in the classroom. The State Board of Education issues a proclamation to call for new

instructional materials. A proclamation lists the subject areas scheduled for review at a particular

time. It contains a schedule of adoption procedures, requirements, the Texas Essential Knowledge

and Skills, and instructions for providing electronic les for braille and large type materials for the

production of accessible formats.

Texas Administrative Code (TAC) and Texas Education Code (TEC)

TheTexas Administrative Code(TAC) is a compilation of all state agency rules in Texas.The Texas

Education Code includes all laws and rules passed by the state legislature that apply to most

educational institutions supported in whole orpart by state tax funds.

Follow these rules when referencing the TAC or TEC:

• Order a legal reference from general to specic: Texas Education Code, §13.048; Texas Civil

Statutes, Article 6252-13(a), §6(c)

• Use this format when referencing the Texas Administrative Code, United States Code, and

Code of Federal Regulations, respectively: 19 TAC §74.1; 32 USC, §21.11; 34 CFR, §19.1

• Order TAC references from general to specic. Example: subsection (b)(1)(A); paragraph (1)(A)

(iii); subparagraph (A)(iii)(I)

• When referring from one subdivision to a similar subdivision within the same immediately

higher subdivision, make the reference with respect to the immediately higher subdivision

using the phrase “of this (name of the higher subdivision).” Example: subsection (d) of this

section; paragraph of this subsection; subparagraph (A)(iii)(I) of this paragraph

• When referring from one section of TAC to a subdivision of TAC outside of that section but

within the same title, make the reference with respect to the TAC title using the phrase “of this

title relating to [title of subdivision]).” Example: Chapter 74 of this title (relating to Curriculum

Requirements); Chapter 74, Subchapter A, of this title (relating to Required Curriculum);

§74.11 of this title (relating to High School Graduation Requirements).

• When referring to a subdivision of TAC in another TAC title, include the following information

in order: the number of the title, the word “TAC,” the subdivision designation, and the phrase

“(relating to [title of the subdivision]).” Example: 1 TAC §91.24 (relating to How to Submit

Executive Orders, Opinions, and Exempt Filings).

• In rule text, as in any other document, do not use the words “above” or “below” to refer to

other parts of the document. Instead, use appropriate variations of words such as “previous,”

“preceding,” or “following.”

§ Section Symbol

When referencing a single section of the Texas Administrative Code or Texas Education Code, place

one section symbol (§) before the section number. When referencing three or more sections in a

series, place two section symbols in front of the rst section number only. When referencing a range

of three or more consecutive sections, place two section symbols in front of the rst number and

place an en dash between the numbers.

TEA Style Guide

Abbreviations

§74.1

§74.1 and §74.2

§§74.1, 74.2, and 74.11

§§74.1–74.3

Abbreviations

Acronyms and Initialisms

Refer to the “Academic and Legislative Terms” section of this guide for acronyms/initialisms commonly

used at TEA. For additional guidance, refer to CMOS 10.2–10.9.

The plural form of an acronym or initialism should not have an apostrophe (e.g. guidance for ESCs).

Adding an apostrophe makes the acronym plural (e.g., TEA’s new insurance plan).

In most cases, an acronym/initialism should only be used if it has been spelled out on a previous

reference. Exceptions:

• It is acceptable to rst use an acronym in a title or subtitle if it is widely familiar to the specic

audience and it is spelled out in full on the rst reference in the body copy.

• An acronym may be used in a table or chart for aesthetic reasons even if it is the rst

reference on the page/document—as long as it is spelled out in rst reference in the body

copy.

• Some widely familiar abbreviations do not need to be spelled out (e.g., URL, FBI, DIY, GPS,

FDA, NASA, etc.).

Addresses and Locations

Street names should not be abbreviated in running text. If abbreviating as part of a postal address,

follow the rules in CMOS 10.33–10.34.

Names of states and territories should be spelled out with the city set apart by commas. Two-letter

postal code abbreviations may be used in tables, bibliographies, or mailing addresses.

Our building in downtown Austin, Texas, is just a short walk

from the Texas State Capitol.

Place names with “Fort,” “Mount,” or “Saint” should be spelled out, unless space limitations require

abbreviating. Then use Ft., Mt., or St.

United States should be spelled out in most cases. The abbreviation US (no periods) can be used in

adjective form (e.g., US dollars) or when needed because of space constraints in a table or graphic

treatment.

TEA Editorial Style Guide

Capitalization

Country names should not be abbreviated in running text but may be abbreviated in a table or list.

The abbreviation should be clearly identied in proximity to its use (e.g., in a caption, footnote, or body

text). Use the abbreviations in CMOS 10.31.

Company Names

Company names should be spelled out in full in running text; however, some full company names

include an abbreviation or an ampersand (e.g., Walker Jones & Co.). When in doubt, check the

company’s website to nd out the ocial name.

Professional Titles

Abbreviate titles when they are used before a full name: Dr., Gov., Lt. Gov., Mr., Mrs., Ms., Rep., Rev.,

Sen. Abbreviate junior or senior after an individual’s name; do not use a comma (e.g., John F. Kennedy

Jr.).

Texas Education Agency (TEA)

Spell out on rst reference within a document. Only add “the” before TEA when usage in a sentence

requires it; otherwise, it is not necessary. Reference the TEA Brand Book for guidelines on using the

TEA name and logo alone or in relation to aliates or sub brands.

Capitalization 

In general, CMOS calls forsparing use of capital letters, known as “down style.” This means lowercase

is the default in most cases unless a word is a proper noun.

The following quick-reference list includes terms and phrases that are frequently encountered in our

work at TEA. Refer to “Academic and Legislative Terms” for more capitalization guidance, including

academic subject areas, degrees, governmental bodies, bills, and statutes.

Docapitalize:

• Academic subjects that are also proper nouns: English, Spanish

• African American, Hispanic, Asian, Black, White, and other ethnic and racial groups

• Names of specic fund, plan, or program: Permanent School Fund

• Names of specic school districts or education service centers: Houston Independent School

District, Region 20 Education Service Center

• State of Texas

• Texas Legislature

• TEA division, department, and unit names: Instructional Materials Division, Curriculum,

Standards and Student Support Services

Do notcapitalize:

• academic or professional titles unless they precede someone’s name

• academic subject areasthat are not otherwise a proper noun:math, science, social studies

• supporting standard

TEA Editorial Style Guide

Capitalization

• email or web addresses (e.g., [email protected]ortea.texas.gov/texas-schools)

• education service center, unless part of the proper name of a specic ESC

• federal

• grade levels (e.g., grade 8 or eighth grade)

• internet

• local education agency

• nation, national

• readiness standard

• state, unless referring to the State of Texas

• student expectation

• web, website, web page

All Caps

Do not capitalize entire words or sentences. Use lowercase except when uppercase is clearly required.

Do not use all caps to emphasize individual words; apply bold format instead (not underline or italics,

which are reserved for specic purposes).

Names of Places, Monuments, and Geographic Areas

Capitalize entities that appear on maps, as well as the adjectives and nouns derived from them. When

referring to a specic governmental body, the words state, city, and the like are usually capitalized.

Words denoting political divisions such as republic, state, and precinct are lowercased when preceding

a name.

She works for the Village of Tanglewood Forest.

That is a City of Austin ordinance.

Washington State

the state of Washington

ProfessionalTitles

Capitalize professional, academic, military, civil, and religious titles only when preceding a name;

otherwise, they should be lowercase.

Jasmine Smith, vice president of nance, will lead the meeting.

The presentation will be delivered by Vice President of Finance

Jasmine Smith.

John Williamsis the commissioner of education.

Texas Education CommissionerJohn Williamswill meet with you now.

TEA Style Guide

Dates and Times

Racial, Ethnic, and National Groups

Names of racial, ethnic, and national groupsshould becapitalized, such as African American, Black,

Latino, Chicano, Brown, Asian American, Caucasian, White, etc. Adjectives associated with these names

are also capitalized. Refer to “Awareness and Representation” for additional guidance.

Seasons of the Year

Lowercase winter, spring, summer, and fall in body text, even when referring to a specic semester or

quarter of the school year.

It’s time to enroll for the spring 2019 semester.

fall 2020–21

rst quarter of 2019

Dates and Times

For additional date and time guidance not addressed in this section, refer to CMOS Chapter 9.

Days, Months, and Years

Express years in numerals unless they begin a sentence. Use cardinal numbers for specic dates. Do

not use ordinals (e.g., October 12th) for dates. Place a comma after the year when the month-day-year

format appears in a sentence. Only use numeral date styles (e.g., 12/7 or 5/10/2020) in calendars,

tables, or charts where space constraints warrant it.

TEA will issue new guidance in 2021.

Twenty twenty-one will be a good year.

May 26, 2008, is the last day of school.

On November 5, students will take the assessment.

Decades and Centuries

Decades can be spelled out and lowercased or expressed in numerals. Do not use an apostrophe

between the year and “s.” If omitting the rst part of the year, use an apostrophe to indicate the

missing digits. Spell out and lowercase particular centuries; numerals may be used for a century or a

range.

the 1980s

the ’80s

the eighties

TEA Style Guide

Numbers

the twenty-rst century

the eighth and ninth centuries

the 1800s

Time of Day

Use numerals when emphasizing the exact time something happens (with zeros for even hours). Spell

out noon and midnight. Lowercase a.m. and p.m. with periods. The word “to” is preferred when stating

a time range, but a hyphen (not an en dash) is acceptable for short formats (e.g., calendar or list of

multiple events). In running text, spell out the time when expressing even, half, or quarter hours.

The teacher has oce hours from 11:30 a.m. to noon.

The webinars are set for 11:00 a.m.-12:30 p.m., 1:30-3:00 p.m., and

3:15-4:00 p.m.

Visit the museum anytime between 9:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m.

Her day begins at ve o’clock in the morning.

The meeting continued until half past three.

Numbers

For additional number guidance not addressed in this section, refer to CMOS Chapter 9.

General Numbers

CMOS usually recommends spelling out whole numbers zero through one hundred. However, many

publications follow a widely accepted rule of only spelling out numbers below 10 and using numerals

for 10 and above. Either rule is acceptable but should be followed consistently for all numbers

appearing within a particular document, website, or other body of work. Also:

• Do not start a sentence or list item with a number. Either use the word form or rewrite the

sentence.

• Use commas when numbers are larger than three digits (except years and addresses).

• Spell out thousands and hundreds, except when used for monetary amounts.

• Spell out million and billion.

• When using a decimal for an amount less than one, do not add a zero in front of the decimal.

Do include at least two places after the decimal.

Eighty-seven people attended the class.

Volunteers handed out 10,000 no. 2 pencils.

The district employs 3,427 teachers.

TEA Style Guide

Numbers

The city grew from two million in 1974 to seven million in 1992.

The estimated world population is 7.8 billion people.

He thought the answer to the problem was .05, but it was actually .10.

Money

Monetary amounts can be spelled out or expressed numerically. Only add zeros and a decimal point

to an even dollar amount when it appears in context with a fractional dollar amount. Do not add a

decimal when using the cents symbol. Do not use a zero before the decimal for an amount less than

one dollar.

Kids 12 and under can enter for seventy-ve cents.

A train ticket costs $3 for adults.

The bus fare used to be 75¢, but now it is $1.00.

Prices ranged from $0.85 up to $12.00.

They quickly spent all thirty-seven dollars.

The grant provides $1.5 million in program funding.

Ordinals

When stating numbers as ordinals, follow the same rules as regular numbers for spelling them out. Do

not use superscript for the letters used for ordinals (“st,” “th,” or “nd”).

First grade students will watch the performance.

We enjoyed the view from the twenty-fth oor balcony.

Nathan was in 135th position out of 150.

Page Numbers

When referencing a xed page or chapter within the same body of work, spell out “page” or “chapter”

and use a numeral to identify the location. When expressing a range of page numbers, use an en

dash, not a hyphen. For detailed source citation rules, refer to CMOS Chapter 14.

The lesson is on page 12 of the workbook.

Please read pages 75–110.

Before the exam, students should complete practice test (page 23).

Refer to chapter 4 for a complete list of titles.

TEA Style Guide

Punctuation

Percentages

Percentages are usually expressed in numerals, except when they start the sentence. The word

percent is usually spelled out; however, the symbol % is common in scientic or statistical content (no

space between the numeral and %). Either symbol or spelling it out is acceptable, but be consistent

throughout a document or body of work. Note that the adverb “percent” is not interchangeable with

the noun “percentage.”

Fewer than 5 percent of the employees use this parking lot.

Twenty-two percent agree, 61 percent disagree, and 17 percent

are neutral.

Tomorrow we expect to reach 70–75 percent completion.

The auto loan has an interest rate of 2.6 percent.

Only 20% of the students attended the event.

The new policy resulted in a 20%–25% increase.

Telephone Numbers

Format telephone numbers with the area code in parentheses. Extensions should only be included

for internal communications when the audience is limited to TEA sta (e.g., an internal newsletter). For

international numbers, use spaces rather than hyphens as separators, and do not use parenthesis.

Include a plus symbol, which stands in for the international prex, immediately before the country

code.

(512) 463-9000

+52 55 0000 0000 (for a number in Mexico City, Mexico)

+66 2 000 0000 (for a number in Bangkok, Thailand)

Punctuation

Refer to CMOS Chapter 6 for detailed punctuation guidance.

Apostrophe

Add apostrophe and “s” to all singular nouns and names, even if they already end in “s.” If the noun is

plural, add only an apostrophe (except irregular plurals like children).

My boss’s vacation begins tomorrow.

Texas’s education system serves many students.

TEA Style Guide

Punctuation

The teacher collected the students’ assignments.

Children’s literature is important.

Closing Punctuation (Period, Question Mark, Exclamation Point)

Use only one space after a period, question mark, or other closing (end of sentence) punctuation.

Only use exclamation points sparingly and with a strong rationale. In a quote or parenthesis/brackets,

closing punctuation belongs inside the quotation marks or closing parenthesis/brackets.

Colon

Use a colon to introduce a list at the end of a complete sentence. Capitalize the rst word after a

colon only if it is followed by a complete sentence. Otherwise, the rst word is lowercase.

Comma

Appositives

Use commas around appositives that are simply providing extra information, but do not use commas

around appositives that are necessary to the meaning of the sentence.

The painter Pablo Picasso was famous for his use of cubism.

His daughter, Paloma Picasso, is famous for her jewelry designs and

signature fragrances.

Commas with Conjunctions

Use a comma in a series (known as a serial comma or Oxford comma) before the conjunction in lists

of three or more items. Do not use a comma when there are only two items. Do use a comma with

a coordinating conjunction that connects two independent clauses. Do not use a comma when a

dependent clause follows the word “but.”

The students looked forward to planting kale, carrots, and herbs.

Marie slept through her alarm, but she still made it to class on time.

The bus never came, so we took a taxi.

He remembered everything but his phone when rushing out the door.

Introductory Phrases

Use a comma after an introductory adverbial phrase when misreading is likely without the comma.

Use a comma after a dependent clause that comes before the independent clause.

On the other hand, the extra rain will benet the plants.

With only ve minutes left, Monique rushed through the nal steps.

Before sitting down to dinner, the committee took a vote.

TEA Style Guide

Text Formatting Guidance

If it is below 45 degrees, you should wear the heavy coat.

Because the movie was sold out, there was no parking left.

I.e., E.g., and Etc.

Use a comma after “e.g.” (equivalent to “for example) and “i.e.” (equivalent to “that is”) within a

sentence. Use a comma before “etc.” or “et cetera” and equivalents.

That and Which

A restrictive relative clause, often introduced by“that”(or by“who/whom/whose” and occasionally

“which”), should not be set o by commas. Also, these pronouns should generally be omitted if a

sentence is just as clear without them (e.g., “the book I just nished” vs. “the book that I just nished”).

Nonrestrictive relative clauses introduced by “which” (or “who/whom/whose”) are set o from the rest

of the sentence by commas.

Jackson ate all the cookies that appeared on his plate.

Diego knows this is the one assignment that could turn his grade

around.

The rst workshop, which was well attended, covered ve topics.

Diary of a Wimpy Kid, which she nished this morning, is due back on

June 16.

Too and Either

The adverbs“too”and“either”used in the sense of “also” generally do not need to be preceded by a

comma.

She nished the essay and the extra credit too.

Sabrina prefers vanilla; her brother does too.

They don’t want to go bowling or to the movies either.

Dashes and Hyphens

Em Dash

Use an em dash to set o an amplifying or explanatory element in the middle of a sentence. It can

function as an alternative to parentheses or a colon—especially when an abrupt break in thought is

called for. Do not add a space before or after the em dash. To insert an em dash, use one of these

keyboard shortcuts:

• Type two hyphens and some systems will automatically replace with an em dash as you type.

• On a PC, hold ALT and type 0151 on the number keypad (turn on number lock).

• On a Mac, hold shift+option and hit the hyphen button.

TEA Style Guide

Punctuation

• If none of these shortcuts work, nd the menu option to insert a symbol (location in the menu

varies in dierent versions of Word).

Finalists Cynthia and Randall—both known for creating beautiful

cakes—had an equal chance of winning the baking contest.

She outlined a plan for the team to attend monthly trainings and hold

quarterly workshops—a strategy they hoped would improve morale.

En Dash

An en dash is used between two numbers to imply “up to and including” or “through.” Do not add a

space before or after the en dash. To insert an en dash, use one of these keyboard shortcuts:

• On a PC, hold ALT and type 0150 on the number keypad (turn on number lock).

• On a Mac, hold option and hit the hyphen button.

• If none of these shortcuts work, nd the “insert a symbol” menu option in Word (location of

this menu varies depending on the version).

That rule was charged during the 2010–11 school year.

Please refer to pages 75–110.

Here are the gures for 2001–10.

The curriculum was approved for grades K–2.

Students were divided into age groups 5–8 and 9–12.

Hyphens

Use hyphens sparingly and only to provide clarity with compound terms. When in doubt, look it up!

Check the dictionary or refer to the CMOS Hyphenation Guide for a list of common examples.

Hyphenate compound adjectives only if required for clarity.

Ryan works for the fastest-growing company in Austin.

Simone led the high-level discussion.

Do not hyphenate a compound adjective after a linking verb.

The school serves at-risk students.

The school has many students at risk of dropping out.

TEA Style Guide

Punctuation

Use a hyphen to create compound modiers when the rst word of the modier is the adverb “well.”

The well-dressed gentleman entered the room.

Ellipsis

An ellipsis is a series of three dots that signals the omission of a word, phrase, or more from a quoted

passage. An ellipsis can also indicate faltering speech or incomplete thoughts. For interruptions or

abrupt changes in thought, use an em dash instead. CMOS prefers three spaced periods (rather than

the single ellipsis symbol that can be inserted). Do not use an additional period when an ellipsis ends

a grammatically incomplete quotation.

“But . . . but . . . that’s not what I meant!” cried Steven.

The essay began with, “The best day of my life was when . . .”

Parentheses and Brackets

Brackets

Brackets can be used to indicate text that was inserted into a quoted passage by someone other than

the writer, usually for clarication.

“They [members of the Parent Teacher Association] voted in favor of

the change.”

Parentheses

Use parentheses to set o material from the surrounding text. Like dashes but unlike commas,

parentheses can set o text that has no grammatical relationship to the rest of the sentence. When

a parenthetical is a complete sentence, the closing punctuation mark is placed inside the closing

parenthesis.

Next time Steph will try a dierent ingredient (maybe green beans or

broccoli) to see if the recipe turns out better.

Joe and I ran back to class in the rain. (Oh, how I wish I had worn

boots.) We made it right on time.

Quotation Marks

Use double quotation marks to surround quoted words, phrases, and sentences. Closing punctuation

(periods, exclamation points, question marks) and commas go inside quotation marks. Use single

quotation marks for quotations within quotations.

“Phyllis, your outt is so cute,” she said.

TEA Style Guide

Text Formatting Guidance

“Don’t be ridiculous!” Jerome cried. “That would be like starting all

over again.”

Semicolon

Use a semicolon instead of a period between two sentences with very closely related ideas or in a

series when one or more units contain commas.

Call me back after lunch; I will know the answer by then.

The conference attracted attendees all the way from Dallas, Texas;

Portland, Oregon; and New Haven, Connecticut.

Text Formatting Guidance

Bold, Italics, Underline

See “Titles of Works” for additional text formatting rules.

Bold can be used to add emphasis to a particular word or phrase in a sentence or to dierentiate

between text sections or levels of headings to indicate text hierarchy.

Italics is generally reserved for specic uses (e.g., applicable titles of works).

Some of the acceptable uses of italics according to CMOS:

• Italicize isolated prexes, suxes, or words and phrases from another language, unless they

appear ina standard English-language dictionary.

• Italics generally should not be used just to dierentiate text or to indicate text hierarchy. Use

other text characteristics, such size, color, and font weight rst. It is permissible to use bold

and italics to further emphasize something in a block of bold text.

• When a word or term is referring to itself, it can be italicized or put in quotation marks.

Underline should be reserved almost exclusively for hyperlinked text, especially in online documents

and on web pages.

Titles of Works

Capitalize and italicize the titles of all:

• Albums

• Blogs

• Books

• Documents, including PDF, PowerPoint, Word, etc.

• Journals

• Movies

TEA Style Guide

Text Formatting Guidance

• Magazines

• Newspapers

• Operas

• Plays

• Radio/TV shows

• Teaching guides, handbooks, workbooks

• Webinars

• Works of art

Titles contained within larger works should appear in quotations:

• Articles within a journal

• Chapters within a book

• Episodes within a series

• Posts within a blog

• Sections within a document

• Songs within an album

Refer to the “Getting Started” section of the Dyslexia Handbook.

The teacher frequently referenced The Chicago Manual of Style.

His article “Early voting shows record turnout” was published in The

Austin American-Statesman.

“Peak Performance” is widely considered one of the best Star Trek:

The Next Generation episodes of all time.

Hyperlinks, URLs, and Email Addresses

Email Addresses

When stating a full email address, do not capitalize any letters. Avoid line breaks in email addresses as

much as possible; if unavoidable, break the line between elements. When adding punctuation around

an email address treat it as a single word. See Hyperlinks for guidance when linking an email address

in text.

Questions? Contact [email protected].

Submit your application to [email protected].

Hyperlinks

Adhere to Section 508 accessibility standards for all hyperlinks. Hyperlinks can be embedded into any

content, including Word, PowerPoint, and PDFs, that will be shared or posted electronically.

TEA Style Guide

Text Formatting Guidance

Keep in mind with content that is long-lasting or evergreen, hyperlinks may need to be updated over

time to avoid frustrating the user with broken links or outdated/expired content. Consider this when

choosing what to link.

Do not use generic phrases such as “click here,” “read more,” or “more info” for hyperlink text. Do not

include any surrounding punctuation as part of the hyperlink.

To adhere with Section 508 accessibility standards, as well as usability best practices, hyperlinks

should consist of descriptive, meaningful text that explains/sets an expectation for where the user

will go if they choose to click. Be concise, but include whatever words are necessary to make the link

meaningful; there is no maximum allowable limit for link text.

The universal style for hyperlinks (including URLs and email addresses) is blue and underlined; some

websites use blue only without the underline. If there is a strong rationale to support an exception, it

must still comply with 508 accessibility standards. The chosen format should be applied consistently

throughout the entire document or website.

URLs

If a document is expressly intended for printing, the entire URL may need to be displayed. However,

URLs that include long strings of letters and numbers are not readable or useful, and they may

frustrate individuals using screen readers because the whole link will be read aloud. In that case, a

better solution is to hyperlink meaningful text (refer to “hyperlinks” section of this guide) or use an

online tool to create a shortened URL.

Always include the full URL in formal text citations for electronic resources.

When displaying the URL, do not include http:// or https:// and do not place the URL inside of

brackets. Words in a URL usually should not be capitalized, except when a capital letter is part of a

case-sensitive resource identier. URLs should not contain spaces.

In running text, avoid beginning a sentence with a URL. Avoid line breaks in URLs as much as possible;

if unavoidable, break the line between elements. When adding punctuation around a URL, treat it as a

single word.

Lists and Outlines

Items in a list should consist of parallel elements. Where similar lists are close together, consistent

treatment is essential.

To ensure accessibility compliance with Section 508, do not use indents and tabs for list formatting

and alignment. Instead, use list formatting tools built into the application (e.g., Word, PowerPoint, etc.)

A vertical list is best introduced by a grammatically complete sentence, followed by a colon.

Only use introductory numerals or letters if they serve a purpose to indicate the order of items in a list

(e.g., in which order tasks should be done, chronology or relative importance among the items, or to

facilitate text references).

TEA Style Guide

Text Formatting Guidance

Bullet Lists

TEA style is to capitalize the rst letter of each item in a bullet list (or list with any other symbols/

markers in front of each item) even if it is not a complete sentence. Only use closing punctuation if the

items are complete sentences.

Ordered Lists

If the items in a vertical list are numbered, a period follows the numeral. Capitalize the rst letter

of each list item even if it is not a complete sentence. Only use closing punctuation if the items are

complete sentences.

Outlines and Multi-Level Lists

For detailed formatting guidance on outlines and lists with multiple levels, refer to CMOS 6.132. For

the use of roman numerals and letters in a list, seeCMOS 6.132.

Run-In Lists

When numerals or letters are used to mark the divisions in a run-in list (a list that is part of the body

text), enclose them in parentheses.The items are separated by commas unless any of the items

require internal commas, in which case all the items will usually need to be separated by semicolons.

For the duration of the screen time study, students were asked to

limit: (a)television, (b)video games, (c)social media, and (d)texting.

Compose three sentences to illustrate analogous uses of (1)commas,

(2)em dashes, and (3)parentheses.

Tables

Tables should be used only for data. They should not be used as a layout tool for text layout or design.

As a state agency, TEA must comply with Section 508 accessibility guidelines. Improper use oftables

is one of the top issues that prevents a document from passing accessibility review prior to posting or

sharing.

If a table contains full sentences or paragraphs, this text should be removed from the table and

reformatted as body copy. Consider organizing the text with other formatting options such as using

nested subheadings or a vertical list.

When using a table for data, format it accessibly (see Section 508 guidelines for full details). The top

row should be designated as a header row. Do not use merged or split cells. Every column should

have the same number of rows; every row should have the same number of columns. Check that

reading order makes sense when read top to bottom, left to right.

TEA Style Guide

Captions, Credits, and Citations

CMOS provides extensive details for formatting citations, captions, and source credits in Chapters 3, 4,

14, 15, and 16. Follow guidance in these chapters except when formal permission has been granted;

follow the grantor’s requests for special wording or placement (within reason).

Captions for Graphic Elements

A caption appears outside, usually below, an illustration or photograph unlike a legend, key, or label,

which typically appears within an illustration. It may consist of a word or two, an incomplete or a

complete sentence, several sentences, or a combination.

Captions should be capitalized in sentence style. When titles appear in captions, apply the same rules

apply as in body text for capitalization, italicizing, or adding quotation marks.

No punctuation is needed at the end if the caption is an incomplete sentence. If a caption is a

complete sentence, or includes a mix of phrases and complete sentences, use closing punctuation. If

most captions within the same body of work are complete sentences, use closing punctuation on all

captions for consistency.

Student eld trip to The University of Texas, fall 1982

Dripping Springs High School sophomore Melissa Richardson

designed the new Permanent School Fund logo in 2019.

For illustrations included in appendices, follow this caption/citation format:

Fig. 1 Raising the Flag on Iwo Jima, Winter, 1945 (Photograph by Joe Rosenthal. In Joe Rosenthal and

the ag-raising on Iwo Jima. By The Pulitzer Prizes. New York: Columbia University, 2019, 12.)

Credit Lines

Refer to CMOS Chapter 3 for detailed guidance on various types of source credits for photographs,

illustrations, or text passages. The credit line should typically include: author name, title, publication

details, and (occasionally) copyright date, as well as any page or gure number if applicable.

Credit lines or source credits placed near the image, photograph, or text should be capitalized like a

regular sentence.

When a credit line accompanies a caption, place the credit line at the end of a caption.

When crediting a photographer or illustrator, the name may appear in small type parallel to the

bottom or side of a photograph.

Provide a credit when using data or adapting an illustration from another source for reasons of

professional courtesy and for readers’ information.

If most or all of the images or illustrations in a work are from a single source, that fact may be stated in

a note, preface, or acknowledgments or on the copyright page, unless permission dictate credit must

be given directly with the image.

TEA Style Guide

Languages Other Than English

Map by Joseph Smith

Photograph by Lacey Henderson

Photograph courtesy of Smithville Independent School District

Legislators attend a groundbreaking ceremony for the new building

on May 8. Courtesy of Jasmine Singletary.

Reproduced by permission from Ansel Adams,The Negative(New

Haven, CT: Yale University Press, 1995), 27.

Reprinted by permission from Johnson (2017, g. 4).

Citations (Notes and Bibliographies)

Follow CMOS when using notes or bibliographies for formal citations in academic materials. CMOS

also addresses in comprehensive detail formats for citing various types of sources in line with text and

linking to an online source. Refer to the Chicago-Style Citation Quick Guide for general guidance. Refer

to CMOS Chapter 14 for complete guidance.

Languages Other than English

Refer to CMOS Chapter 11 for general guidance that applies to all languages and some specic

guidance (including capitalization and diacritic marks) for Arabic, African languages, Chinese, French,

German, Hebrew, Italian, Japanese, Latin, Russian, and Spanish.

Non-English Words in English Content

Italics are used for isolated words and phrases from another language, especially if they are not listed

in a standard English-language dictionary or are likely to be unfamiliar to readers. If such a word or

phrase becomes familiar through repeated use throughout a work, it can be italicized only on its rst

occurrence.

Besides titles of works that are meant to be italicized, proper nouns from other languages are

generallynotitalicized, even on rst mention. This extends to named places and structures,

institutions and companies, brand names, and other categories.

Capitalization should follow predominant usage in the original language.For titles of works from other

languages, a simple guideline that applies to most situations is to capitalize only the words that would

be capitalized in normal prose—the rst word of the title and subtitle and all proper nouns or any

term that would be capitalized under the conventions of the original language.

TEA Style Guide

Languages Other Than English

Spanish Translations

According to Texas Administrative Code §206.51, state agencies should consider providing content

in other languages and make reasonable eorts to ensure limited English-prociency users can access

certain information on the agency’s website.

In Texas, Spanish is the most frequently spoken language other than English. Acceptable Spanish

language references include:

• Digital.gov Spanish Language Style Guides and Glossaries

• Head Start Style Guide for Translations in Spanish

Google translate and other online translation programs should not be used for translations because

they may not be accurate.

When translating content into Spanish, refer to the latest TEA List of Translated Terms, which is

maintained by the TEA Spanish translation team. The capitalized terms on this list are typically treated

as proper nouns when used in relation to assessments; when used in general running text they may

be lowercase. Follow the capitalization indicated for the Spanish translation, even if it diers from the

English capitalization.

Give careful attention to acronyms; the Spanish language reader may also need to know and

recognize the acronym in English.

SSES, por sus siglas en inglés

All content that has already been translated into English from another language (most frequently

Spanish) should be submitted to the TEA translation team for review before it is disseminated.