Math & reading standards and testing in Tennessee
Updated June 2026
Tennessee replaced Common Core with its own Tennessee Academic Standards. Students in grades 3-8 take the TNReady portion of the TCAP each spring in ELA and math.
Does Tennessee hold kids back in 3rd grade for reading?
Yes. Under Tennessee's 2021 law, 3rd graders must score Meets or Exceeds on TCAP ELA to be promoted automatically; Approaching or Below requires intervention (summer camp or tutoring) or a retake, or retention.
Standards
Tennessee Academic Standards
Tennessee 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 Tennessee state test
TCAP / TNReady covers both math and reading in grades 3-8.
Reading the results
Spring, with a grade-3 ELA retake.
Four levels: Below, Approaching, Meets, Exceeds Expectations.
On grade level means Meets or Exceeds on TCAP ELA; Approaching or Below in 3rd grade triggers intervention requirements.
What's distinctive about Tennessee
Tennessee uniquely lets students avoid retention by completing a summer learning camp and/or high-dosage tutoring, not only by retesting.
Practice the skills, by grade
Whatever Tennessee calls its test, the underlying math and reading skills are grade-level. Practice them directly:
Practice the skills behind the test
Tennessee 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: Tennessee Department of Education. Verified for the 2025-26 school year; policies can change, so confirm with your school.