Math & reading standards and testing in Maine
Updated June 2026
Maine's standards, the Maine Learning Results, are based on the Common Core State Standards. Students in grades 3-8 take the Maine Through Year Assessment, given in multiple windows during the year.
Does Maine hold kids back in 3rd grade for reading?
No. Maine has no statewide test-based 3rd-grade retention mandate; promotion is local.
Standards
Maine Learning Results
Aligned to the Common Core State Standards, so grade-level skills match what most of the country teaches.
The key test
The Maine state test
Maine Through Year Assessment (MTYA) covers both math and reading in grades 3-8.
Reading the results
Spring (NWEA-based Through Year Assessment).
Four levels: Well Below, Below, At, Above State Expectations.
On grade level means At or Above State Expectations on the state ELA assessment.
What's distinctive about Maine
Maine uses an NWEA-built Through Year assessment that blends interim and summative testing.
Practice the skills, by grade
Whatever Maine calls its test, the underlying math and reading skills are grade-level. Practice them directly:
Practice the skills behind the test
Maine teaches the Common Core 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: Maine Department of Education. Verified for the 2025-26 school year; policies can change, so confirm with your school.
Nearby states: Connecticut · Massachusetts · New Hampshire · New Jersey
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