The CSU Expository Reading and Writing Task Force has developed a curriculum and professional development materials for an expository reading and writing course to be offered to high school students in their junior or senior year. The course is designed to prepare students for college-level English and it is aligned with the California English-Language Arts Content Standards. The course assignments emphasize the in-depth study of expository, analytical, and argumentative reading and writing. This course not only satisfies the 4th year high school "a-g" English requirement, but also will address critical reading and writing problems identified by the CSU English Placement Test Development Committee.

The Center for the Advancement of Reading, part of the CSU Office of the Chancellor, has been charged with overseeing the professional development opportunities for high school English teachers in collaboration with the Curriculum and Steering Committee of the California County Superintendents Educational Services Association. Between 2004 and 2007, approximately 2,200 English teachers attended workshops and piloted course modules in their classrooms. The course is now available to English teachers as a yearlong 11th or 12th-grade course or as a one semester course. Individual modules are available for use as parts of existing 11th- and 12th-grade English courses or AVID programs.