2026-2027 K-3 Reading and Math Diagnostic Assessment

Department approves diagnostic assessments for K-3 reading and mathematics

Under a recent change to Ohio law, the Department of Education and Workforce must:

  • Revise its current approved list of K-3 reading diagnostic assessments to include no more than five reading diagnostic assessments.
  • Adopt a K-3 reading diagnostic.
  • Develop an approved list of K-3 mathematics diagnostic assessments to include no more than five mathematics diagnostic assessments.

The list of approved diagnostic assessments for K-3 reading and K-3 mathematics are outlined below.

K-3 READING DIAGNOSTIC ASSESSMENTS

The following assessments are approved and adopted as K-3 reading diagnostics, beginning in the 2026-2027 school year.

Approved

  • i-Ready Assessment
  • NWEA MAP Growth
  • Acadience Reading K-6 / Acadience Reading K-6 (formerly DIBELS Next)
  • Star CBM
  • Exact Path

Adopted

  • mCLASS DIBELS 8th Edition

K-3 MATHEMATICS DIAGNOSTIC ASSESSMENTS

The following assessments are approved as K-3 mathematics diagnostics, beginning in the 2026-2027 school year:

  • Star Math
  • Exact Path Mathematics
  • Aimsweb Plus
  • mCLASS Math
  • NWEA MAP Growth Math

Under Ohio law, beginning in the 2026-2027 school year, districts and schools must only use the approved assessments listed above for the K-3 reading diagnostic assessment and K-3 mathematics diagnostic assessment. These assessments must be administered to all K-3 students by Sept. 30 each school year.

Please direct questions to ThirdGradeGuarantee@education.ohio.gov and Mathematics@education.ohio.gov.