2027–2027 National & Statewide Poetry Out Loud Changes — FAQ
When will the 2026–2027 Poetry Out Loud anthology be available?
The national Poetry Out Loud anthology will be updated for the new competition season and will officially go live on September 1, 2026.
Students should wait until the updated anthology is live before making their final competition selections. All poems used for the 2026–2027 competition season must be eligible through the current national Poetry Out Loud anthology.
Where can I find the new anthology?
The full 2026-2027 anthology is available on the national Poetry Out Loud website. Educators and students can search poems, download the PDF, and explore new filters as they are added throughout the fall.
Are there still poem requirement categories like past years?
Yes. The national Poetry Out Loud program requires students to select poems that meet specific category requirements as they advance in the competition.
At the state and national finals, students must have three poems prepared, students must include:
One poem that is 25 lines or fewer
One poem published before 1930
One poem may be used to meet both criteria, and may be the student’s third poem.
We strongly suggest preparing 3 poems at all levels.
How many poems does a student need to prepare?
Students must have three poems prepared, all selected from the new anthology.
What is changing with the NJPOL Regional Competitions?
For the 2026–2027 season, Region 6 will not operate as a separate region. Its counties have been incorporated into Regions 4 and 5.
Region 4 will include:
Bergen, Hunterdon, Morris, Passaic, Somerset, Sussex, and Warren Counties.
Region 5 will include:
Essex, Hudson, and Union Counties.
Schools in these counties should use their newly assigned region when reviewing competition information, deadlines, and Regional Competition details.
Are there changes to the other NJPOL regions?
The full regional structure for 2026–2027 is:
Region 1: Burlington, Camden, Gloucester, and Mercer
Region 2: Atlantic, Cape May, Cumberland, and Salem
Region 3: Middlesex, Monmouth, and Ocean
Region 4: Bergen, Hunterdon, Morris, Passaic, Somerset, Sussex, and Warren
Region 5: Essex, Hudson, and Union
There will be five Regional Competitions statewide this season.
Are the competition rules or evaluation criteria different?
You’ll see that the six evaluation criteria are the same, and that no major changes were made to the spirit of these criteria. Instead, Poetry Out Loud Nationals has focused on updating for clarity and consistency to address the following:
Consistency across POL materials. The content is restructured to be able to use the same exact evaluation criteria in the Guide for Teachers and Organizers, the Judge’s Guide, and on the POL website. This will help ensure that students, teachers, organizers, and judges at all levels of competition share a common understanding of how recitations are evaluated.
Stronger emphasis on authenticity. One of the major points of feedback we kept hearing was the need to offer clearer guidance about performance intensity and overly theatrical choices in recitations. The new criteria, particularly the Interpretation category, places a stronger emphasis on authenticity and restraint.
More objective and specific evaluation language. To help ensure that the evaluation criteria are interpreted similarly at all levels of competition, we focused a lot on making sure that each evaluation criterion included observable behaviors.
An updated scoring rubric will be included in this year’s Judge’s Guide. If you have any questions about these updates, please email us!
How will NJPOL support educators this season?
The NJPOL team will continue to provide resources and guidance throughout the year, including educator communications, competition materials, Regional Partner support, Poetry Ourselves resources, and information to help schools prepare for Regional and State Competitions.
Questions throughout the season are always welcome. Our goal is to make sure educators and students feel informed, prepared, and supported throughout their Poetry Out Loud experience.
What is changing with Poetry Ourselves?
Poetry Ourselves will return for the 2026–2027 season with a new, more flexible format designed to make the program easier for educators to bring directly into their classrooms.
Rather than participating in a scheduled live workshop, educators will be able to sign up to receive a pre-recorded Poetry Ourselves workshop, along with accompanying materials and activities. This format will allow schools to engage with the workshop on their own schedule while giving students an opportunity to explore poetry beyond recitation and develop their own voices as writers.
Additional information about registration, workshop materials, and participation will be shared during the season.