Math & reading standards and testing in North Dakota
Updated June 2026
North Dakota adopted its own Content Standards for ELA and math after moving on from Common Core. Students in grades 3-8 take the NDSA each spring in both subjects.
Does North Dakota hold kids back in 3rd grade for reading?
No. North Dakota has no 3rd-grade retention gate; promotion is local.
Standards
North Dakota Content Standards
North Dakota 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 Dakota state test
NDSA covers both math and reading in grades 3-8.
Reading the results
Spring (ND A+, replacing the NDSA).
Four levels: Novice, Partially Proficient, Proficient, Advanced.
On grade level means Level 3 (Proficient) or above on the state ELA assessment.
What's distinctive about North Dakota
North Dakota is transitioning to a new statewide summative (ND A+) while keeping a four-level Novice-to-Advanced scale.
Practice the skills, by grade
Whatever North Dakota calls its test, the underlying math and reading skills are grade-level. Practice them directly:
Practice the skills behind the test
North Dakota 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 Dakota Department of Education. Verified for the 2025-26 school year; policies can change, so confirm with your school.