Math & reading standards and testing in North Carolina
Updated June 2026
North Carolina uses its own Standard Course of Study for ELA and math after revising the Common Core framework. Students in grades 3-8 take the End-of-Grade (EOG) tests each spring.
Does North Carolina hold kids back in 3rd grade for reading?
Yes. Under Read to Achieve, 3rd graders who do not show reading proficiency on the EOG (Level 3+) must be retained unless they pass the retest, show a portfolio, or qualify for another good-cause exemption.
Standards
NC Standard Course of Study
North Carolina 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 North Carolina state test
End-of-Grade (EOG) covers both math and reading in grades 3-8.
Reading the results
Spring EOG, plus a Beginning-of-Grade (BOG3) baseline in fall.
Levels 1 to 5; Level 3 is grade-level proficient, Levels 4 to 5 are college-and-career ready.
On grade level means Level 3 or above on the Grade 3 Reading EOG; failing without an exemption can mean retention.
What's distinctive about North Carolina
North Carolina gives a fall Beginning-of-Grade reading test (BOG3) in addition to the spring EOG, and a BOG3 Level 3 can count toward proficiency.
Practice the skills, by grade
Whatever North Carolina calls its test, the underlying math and reading skills are grade-level. Practice them directly:
Practice the skills behind the test
North Carolina 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: North Carolina Department of Education. Verified for the 2025-26 school year; policies can change, so confirm with your school.