Math & reading standards and testing in West Virginia
Updated June 2026
West Virginia revised Common Core into its own College- and Career-Readiness Standards. Students in grades 3-8 take the WVGSA each spring in ELA and mathematics.
Does West Virginia hold kids back in 3rd grade for reading?
Yes (phasing in). Under the Third Grade Success Act, retention for 3rd graders below grade level begins with the 2026-27 cohort, with team recommendation and listed exceptions; it is not yet a gate in 2025-26.
Standards
WV College- and Career-Readiness Standards
West Virginia 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 West Virginia state test
WVGSA covers both math and reading in grades 3-8.
Reading the results
Spring.
Four levels: Does Not Meet, Partially Meets, Meets, Exceeds the standard.
On grade level means Meets or above on the state ELA summative; the retention requirement starts with 2026-27 third graders.
What's distinctive about West Virginia
West Virginia's Third Grade Success Act is a newly enacted retention law that phases in for the 2026-27 cohort rather than immediately.
Practice the skills, by grade
Whatever West Virginia calls its test, the underlying math and reading skills are grade-level. Practice them directly:
Practice the skills behind the test
West Virginia 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: West Virginia Department of Education. Verified for the 2025-26 school year; policies can change, so confirm with your school.