Math & reading standards and testing in Ohio
Updated June 2026
Ohio uses Ohio's Learning Standards for ELA and math, revised from Common Core. Students in grades 3-8 take Ohio's State Tests each spring, including the Grade 3 reading guarantee assessment.
Does Ohio hold kids back in 3rd grade for reading?
No (effectively repealed). Ohio ended mandatory retention under the Third Grade Reading Guarantee starting 2023-24; parents can opt their child into promotion, so retention is no longer required.
Standards
Ohio's Learning Standards
Ohio 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 Ohio state test
Ohio's State Tests (OST) covers both math and reading in grades 3-8.
Reading the results
Spring, plus K to 3 reading diagnostics.
Five levels: Limited, Basic, Proficient, Accelerated, Advanced.
On grade level means Proficient (scale score 700) or above on grade 3 ELA; not reaching it no longer forces retention.
What's distinctive about Ohio
Ohio kept the Reading Guarantee's diagnostics and reading plans but removed the retention mandate in 2023.
Practice the skills, by grade
Whatever Ohio calls its test, the underlying math and reading skills are grade-level. Practice them directly:
Practice the skills behind the test
Ohio 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: Ohio Department of Education. Verified for the 2025-26 school year; policies can change, so confirm with your school.