Grades K-8

• KRA (Kindergarten)

• State Diagnostic Assessments in grades K-3

• Ohio's State Tests (Grades 3-8)

• Gifted screening assessments (Grades 2 and 6)

High School 

• Ohio's High School End-of-Course (EOC) Exams

• ACT (Grade 11)

• While not required by the state, CPS also administers the PSAT to all 10th and 11th grade students

As part of Ohio State law, third grade students have to reach a certain score on a state-approved reading assessment to be promoted to fourth grade (referred to as the Third Grade Reading Guarantee).

Third-grade students must meet a promotable score on the state reading test to move on to the fourth grade. In 2023-2024 the minimum score for advancement is 690 on the Third Grade ELA OST or a score of 48 on the Reading subtest of the Third Grade ELA OST. The score must be attained either in the fall, spring, or summer administration of the Third Grade ELA Ohio State Test. 

Cincinnati Public Schools also administers the iReady Reading assessments. This assessment can also be used to achieve a promotable score as defined by the state of Ohio when administered in the winter, spring, or summer. The minimum score for advancement on iReady Reading assessments is 515. 

Unless your child attains a promotable score on at least one of the assessments described above by the end of third grade, your child will be retained under the State of Ohio Third Grade Reading Guarantee legislation. However, beginning in the 2023-2024 school year, a student’s parent or guardian, in consultation with the student’s reading teacher and principal, may request that a student be promoted to fourth grade regardless of the student’s score on Ohio’s State Test for grade 3 English language arts. Students promoted to fourth grade through this exemption must continue to receive intensive reading instruction until the student is able to read at grade level. If you have any questions, please contact your child’s teacher.

View and download a letter to families: Third Grade ELA Ohio State Test 
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Students in grades K-12 participate in a series of assessments throughout the school year in reading, mathematics, science and social studies. These assessments are timed to parallel the teaching of the district's curriculum and are tools to alert teachers to students' academic strengths and weaknesses. Students also participate in nationally normed benchmark assessments (iReady and/or MAP Growth assessments) to measure achievement and growth 2-3 times throughout the school year.

All CPS sixth grade students will be administered the Walnut Hills Entrance Exam at their home school in the Fall. If students do not receive eligible scores, families can choose to have their students retested at their home school in the winter. Students may test up to twice a year for eligibility for enrollment in Walnut Hills High School. Non CPS students and CPS students in grades 7 and above, can participate in Saturday WHEE testing opportunities.

For more information: https://www.cps-k12.org/whee

Graduation requirements have changed significantly in the past few years.

Information about Ohio's new graduation requirements can be found: https://www.cps-k12.org/graduationrequirements