This article examines how elementary public school teachers in South Texas are implementing a balanced literacy approach in light of the expectations of accountability for student performance. For more than three decades, Texas schools have felt, and continue to feel, the pressure of accountability. Therefore, it becomes essential to investigate the ways in which teachers have responded to this expectation while implementing a balanced literacy approach in English Language Arts and Reading (ELAR) classes. This research study reveals the results of more than 500 teacher responses to a survey concerning the implementation of this approach and the instructional practices that the teachers use to address accountability. The findings show that most teachers did read-aloud and independent reading components every day, and that shared and interactive writing components were implemented the least. On a related note, teachers expressed the need for more training in writing instruction. This paper also examines the test-taking instructional practices implemented in the classroom.