Math & reading standards and testing in Kentucky
Updated June 2026
Kentucky uses its own Kentucky Academic Standards for reading and math, independently revised. Students in grades 3-8 take the Kentucky Summative Assessment each spring.
Does Kentucky hold kids back in 3rd grade for reading?
No. Kentucky has no statewide test-based 3rd-grade retention gate; promotion is local.
Standards
Kentucky Academic Standards
Kentucky sets its own grade-level expectations rather than using Common Core, though the core math and reading skills are similar grade to grade.
The key test
The Kentucky state test
Kentucky Summative Assessment (KSA) covers both math and reading in grades 3-8.
Reading the results
Spring.
Four levels: Novice, Apprentice, Proficient, Distinguished.
On grade level means Proficient or Distinguished on the KSA reading assessment.
What's distinctive about Kentucky
Kentucky's Novice/Apprentice/Proficient/Distinguished scale is among the most recognizable state-specific naming.
Practice the skills, by grade
Whatever Kentucky calls its test, the underlying math and reading skills are grade-level. Practice them directly:
Practice the skills behind the test
Kentucky writes its own standards. What a third grader has to do does not change: multiply, find the main idea, read a paragraph and say what it meant. KangarooKiddo drills those skills in daily sessions of a handful of questions that end on their own. You see where your kid actually stands, they earn rewards you set up and approve.
Source: Kentucky Department of Education. Verified for the 2025-26 school year; policies can change, so confirm with your school.