On Arkansas's ACT Aspire tests, Grade 9 Science is reported on a scale from 400 to 449 (2018, 2019 and 2021 to 2023), and each score falls into one of 4 performance levels. Reaching Ready, at 430 or above, is the state's proficiency line.
| Level | Score range | What it means | Statewide 2023 |
|---|---|---|---|
| In Need of Support | 400–423 | The lowest level, well below the state standard | 47% |
| Close | 424–429 | Approaching the state standard | 21% |
| Ready | 430–435 | Meeting the state standard (the proficiency line) | 19% |
| Exceeding | 436–449 | The highest level, above the state standard | 13% |
Statewide in 2023, about 32% of the students counted for Grade 9 Science reached Ready or Exceeding. The bar above shows the share at each level (left = lowest). 2023 is the most recent year with Grade 9 Science results.
These numbers are the Arkansas public-school students with results at their school. From 2018 to 2023 every student in grade 9 and grade 10 took ACT Aspire in English language arts, math and science. From 2024 every student in grade 9 and grade 10 takes the ATLAS English language arts test, and students take the Algebra I, Geometry and Biology tests in the year they take the course, in any grade: middle-school students who take Algebra I early are included, counted at their middle school. Arkansas reports each grade separately and leaves out any group of fewer than 10 students, so a school's course total can miss a few students.
More on who is counted, and how: see how we count.
A score's meaning depends on where it lands in the ranges above, and on how it compares to other students who took the same test. Our free tool turns a Grade 9 Science score into an estimated percentile versus the school, district, county and the whole state, so you can see where a score stands, not just its level.
Look up a Grade 9 Science percentile →