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Minnesota Grade 8 Science: what your child's MCA score means

On Minnesota's MCA, Grade 8 Science is reported on a scale from 800 to 899, and each score falls into one of 4 performance levels. Reaching Meets (at 850 or above) is the state's grade-level, on-track benchmark.

Score ranges by performance level

LevelScore rangeWhat it means
Does Not Meet800–839The lowest level, well below grade-level expectations
Partially Meets840–849Approaching grade-level expectations
Meets850–862Meeting grade-level expectations (the state proficiency line)
Exceeds863–899The highest level, above grade-level expectations

How Minnesota students scored (2024)

40%30%26%

Statewide in 2024, about 31% of Grade 8 students reached Meets or Exceeds in Science. The bar above shows the share at each level (left = lowest).

Is a particular score good?

A score's meaning depends on where it lands in the ranges above, and on how it compares to other students. Our free tool turns a score into an estimated percentile versus the child's school, district and the whole state, so you can see exactly where a score stands, not just its level.

Look up your child's exact percentile →

Other grades & subjects

Grade 8, other subjects:

Science, other grades:

State Test Scores is an independent tool, not affiliated with or endorsed by any state education department or agency. Percentiles are statistical estimates from public performance-level data (Minnesota Department of Education (MCA)), not official rankings.
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