Math & reading standards and testing in New York
Updated June 2026
New York revised Common Core into its own Next Generation Learning Standards, with adjusted grade-level expectations. Students in grades 3-8 take the New York State Tests each spring in ELA and math.
Does New York hold kids back in 3rd grade for reading?
Limited. New York has no statewide mandatory retention law; some districts use Level 1 as a promotion flag, but a single state-test score cannot be the sole basis for retention.
Standards
Next Generation Learning Standards
New York 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 New York state test
NYS Tests (NYSTP) covers both math and reading in grades 3-8.
Reading the results
Spring, typically April to May.
Levels 1 to 4: Below Standard, Partially Proficient, Proficient, Exceeds Proficiency.
On grade level means Level 3 (Proficient) or Level 4 on the grades 3 to 8 ELA test.
What's distinctive about New York
New York prohibits using a single state-test score as the sole basis for promotion or retention.
Practice the skills, by grade
Whatever New York calls its test, the underlying math and reading skills are grade-level. Practice them directly:
Practice the skills behind the test
New York 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: New York Department of Education. Verified for the 2025-26 school year; policies can change, so confirm with your school.
Nearby states: Connecticut · Maine · Massachusetts · New Hampshire
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