Math & reading standards and testing in Rhode Island
Updated June 2026
Rhode Island uses the Common Core State Standards. Students in grades 3-8 take the RICAS, modeled on the rigorous Massachusetts MCAS, each spring in ELA and math.
Does Rhode Island hold kids back in 3rd grade for reading?
No. Rhode Island has no 3rd-grade retention gate; promotion is local.
Standards
Rhode Island Core Standards
Aligned to the Common Core State Standards, so grade-level skills match what most of the country teaches.
The key test
The Rhode Island state test
RICAS covers both math and reading in grades 3-8.
Reading the results
Spring.
Four levels: Not Meeting, Partially Meeting, Meeting, Exceeding Expectations.
On grade level means Meeting or Exceeding Expectations on RICAS ELA.
What's distinctive about Rhode Island
Rhode Island adopted Massachusetts's MCAS-based test (RICAS) to hold students to the same rigorous standard.
Practice the skills, by grade
Whatever Rhode Island calls its test, the underlying math and reading skills are grade-level. Practice them directly:
Practice the skills behind the test
Rhode Island 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: Rhode Island 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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