Math & reading standards and testing in Massachusetts
Updated June 2026
Massachusetts uses its Curriculum Frameworks, which build on the Common Core with state additions and are among the most rigorous in the nation. Students in grades 3-8 and 10 take the MCAS each spring.
Does Massachusetts hold kids back in 3rd grade for reading?
No. Massachusetts has no 3rd-grade retention gate; promotion is local, and MCAS is no longer a graduation requirement after a 2024 ballot change.
Standards
Massachusetts Curriculum Frameworks
Aligned to the Common Core State Standards, so grade-level skills match what most of the country teaches.
The key test
The Massachusetts state test
MCAS covers both math and reading in grades 3-8, 10.
Reading the results
Spring.
Four levels: Not Meeting, Partially Meeting, Meeting, Exceeding Expectations.
On grade level means Meeting or Exceeding Expectations on MCAS ELA.
What's distinctive about Massachusetts
MCAS is among the most rigorous state tests; a 2024 ballot measure removed it as a graduation requirement, though it is still given in grades 3 to 8.
Practice the skills, by grade
Whatever Massachusetts calls its test, the underlying math and reading skills are grade-level. Practice them directly:
Practice the skills behind the test
Massachusetts 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: Massachusetts Department of Education. Verified for the 2025-26 school year; policies can change, so confirm with your school.
Nearby states: Connecticut · Maine · New Hampshire · New Jersey
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