Math & reading standards and testing in South Dakota
Updated June 2026
South Dakota's Content Standards for ELA and math are based on the Common Core State Standards. Students in grades 3-8 take the Smarter Balanced assessments each spring.
Does South Dakota hold kids back in 3rd grade for reading?
No. South Dakota has no 3rd-grade retention gate; promotion is local.
Standards
South Dakota Content Standards
Aligned to the Common Core State Standards, so grade-level skills match what most of the country teaches.
The key test
The South Dakota state test
Smarter Balanced covers both math and reading in grades 3-8.
Reading the results
Spring.
Four levels: Below Basic, Basic, Proficient, Advanced.
On grade level means Proficient or Advanced on the state ELA assessment.
What's distinctive about South Dakota
South Dakota gives a Smarter Balanced-based test but reports it under Below Basic to Advanced labels.
Practice the skills, by grade
Whatever South Dakota calls its test, the underlying math and reading skills are grade-level. Practice them directly:
Practice the skills behind the test
South Dakota 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: South Dakota Department of Education. Verified for the 2025-26 school year; policies can change, so confirm with your school.