Because of an interest in the concept of opportunity to learn (OTL) in the English language arts from the perspective of students, the authors surveyed over 1,800 students in grades 9-12. OTL was defined as perceptions of access and exposure to reading and writing content, as well as curriculum tasks and materials. The findings uncovered three specific problems related to OTL that teachers and researchers should be aware of in assessing the merits of student literacy achievement. Current accounts of OTL must recognize (1) a systems problem, (2) an offerings problem, and (3) an acknowledgement problem. Knowledge of these problems underscores the need to place OTL in context when offering a clear picture of how well educators are meeting, or are positioned to meet, the goals of literacy improvement. English language arts educators and researchers are called on to restore the language of OTL in day-to-day dialogue. (Contains 2 tables.)