Test Scores

Nationwide Tests

Nationwide tests allow you to compare the performance of Utah students to the rest of the nation. Click on a link below or scroll down to see an explanation of each nationwide test, an overview of test results, and links for finding more info.

IMPORTANT NOTE - The NAEP (National Assessment of Education Progress) is the gold standard in the US for measuring and comparing student performance.

ACT
American College Test

• Purpose: To assess high school students' ability to complete college-level work. Almost all US colleges and universities require high school students to either submit their ACT or SAT score as part of their application.
• Grades Tested: Any grade
• Subjects Tested: Math, science, reading, writing, and English
• Reporting Levels: Results are reported at the state and national levels by grade, ethnicity, gender, and test subject
• Required: No, although it may be required to attend a specific college or university
• Test Website:
  • For Students: www.actstudent.org/
    
  • For Test Results: www.act.org/news/data.html
  • Utah's ACT Website: www.schools.utah.gov/assessment/reports.aspx (see links in the right column)

ACT Test Results Overview

Although the ACT test provides useful information, the results for one state cannot be compared to other states like the NAEP or Iowa tests since the students taking the ACT are not a representative sample of the entire state or nation. In some states, only a select few take the test, while in others, all students must participate.

Average ACT Scores, 2003 to 2008

Table Notes:

• Score Scale: 0 to 36. 50% of students score 21 or higher. The top 1% score above 33. The bottom 1% score below 12.

In the class of 2009, 68% of Utah graduates took the American College Test or ACT. Of those, 25% were ready for college English, Algebra, Social Science, and Biology.

College Readiness, 2003 to 2008

• College Readiness: The ACT reports College Readiness Benchmark Scores, a measure of how well students are prepared for college coursework. A benchmark score is the minimum score needed on an ACT subject-area test to indicate a 50% chance of obtaining a B or higher or about a 75% chance of obtaining a C or higher in the corresponding credit-bearing college courses, which include English Composition, Algebra, Social Science and Biology. These scores were empirically derived based on the actual performance of students in college.

For more info...

• ACT National and State Test Scores, 1994 to Present>>
  • 2009 ACT Profile Report for Utah>> Link opens a 32-page PDF file with comprehensive details on Utah's ACT test scores.
  • 2009 College Readiness Report for Utah>> Link opens a PDF file
  • 2009 Average ACT Test Scores by State>>
  • 2008 College Readiness by State>>

Related News

• Utah holding steady in ACT scores>> Deseret News - August 19, 2009
• Utah outperforms nation on ACT>> Salt Lake Tribune - August 19, 2009

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AP
Advanced Placement

• Purpose: To provide high school students with college credit based on their score on AP Tests associated with specific AP courses
• Grades Tested: 11th and 12th grade
• Subjects Tested: Various
• Reporting Levels: Results are reported at the state and national levels by grade, ethnicity, gender, and course
• Required: No.
• Test Website:
  • For Students: www.collegeboard.com/student/testing/ap/about.html
  • For Test Results: www.professionals.collegeboard.com/data-reports-research/ap
  • Utah's AP Website: www.schools.utah.gov/assessment/reports.aspx (see links in the right column)

AP Test Results Overview

Although the AP test provides useful information, the results for one state cannot be compared to other states like the NAEP or Iowa tests since the students taking the AP are not a representative sample of the entire state or nation.

AP Scores, Class of 2006
% of Seniors who Scored 3 or Higher

Top Scoring States, Class of 2006
% of Seniors who Scored 3 or Higher

Graph Notes

• Score Scale: 0 to 5. Most colleges and universities require a minimum score of 3 on the AP Test to receive college credit.
• % of Seniors who Scored 3 or Higher: This percentage is of all public school seniors in the class of 2006 and not just of those who took an AP Test. In other words, 20.8% of all public school seniors in the class of 2006 scored 3 or higher on an AP Test at some point in their high school career.
• Test Subject Categories: For a complete list of which courses comprise each test subject category, see the footnotes on page 7 of this PDF file.

AP Participation, Class of 2006
% of Seniors who Took an AP Test

Graph Notes

• Test Subject Categories: For a complete list of which courses comprise each test subject category, see the footnotes on page 7 of this PDF file.

For more info...

• AP Data Reports>>
  • 2007 AP Profile Report for Utah>> Link opens a PDF file.
  • 2007 AP Report to the Nation>>
  • 2007 AP Top States>> Link opens a PDF file.

Related News

• Utah teens outscore nation in most AP test subjects>>  Deseret News - February 5, 2009
• Utah outpaces nation on AP tests>>  Salt Lake Tribune - February 5, 2009

Iowa
Iowa Test of Basic Skills

• Purpose: To evaluate the achievement of Utah students on important educational objectives and critical thinking skills in relation to the achievement of students across the US.
• Enactment Date: 2004 in Utah
• Grades Tested: 3rd, 5th, and 8th grades
• Subjects Tested: Math, science, reading, language arts, and social studies
• Reporting Levels: Results are reported at the individual, school, and state level by grade, ethnicity, gender, and other student demographics
• Required: Yes, for all public school students
• Test Website:
  • Official Iowa Website: http://www.education.uiowa.edu/itp/itbs/index.htm
  • Utah's Iowa Website: www.schools.utah.gov/assessment/info_iowa.aspx

Iowa Test Results Overview

The Iowa test is a nationally norm-referenced test, meaning test results show how students compare to a nationwide average. Test results are presented as a percentile on a scale of 0 to 100. The 50th percentile represents the national average. A percentile rank of 60%, for example, means that the students' score was better than 59% of the students taking the test.

Iowa Test Percentile Ranks, 2007

Iowa Test Percentile Ranks by Demographic Groups, 2007

• Score Scale: Percentile ranks from 0 to 100. A percentile rank of 50% is the national average.

For more info...

• Iowa Test Results, 2004 to 2007>> (see middle column)
  
  • 2007 Iowa Test Scores Statewide>> Link opens a 26-page PDF file with comprehensive details on Utah's Iowa test scores.
  • 2007 Iowa Test Scores for School Districts and individual Schools>> Link opens a 749-page PDF file. To find a specific district or school, hold "Ctrl" and "F" at the same time on your keyboard. Then type the name of the district or school you're looking for and hit "Enter".

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NAEP
National Assessment of Educational Progress

• Purpose: Known as "The Nation’s Report Card,” NAEP is used by researchers and policymakers as the standard for measuring student achievement across the US.
• Enactment Date: 1969 nationally. In 1992, the NAEP began showing results for each state.
• Grades Tested: 4th, 8th, and 12th grade.
• Subjects Tested: Utah participates in the math, science, reading, and writing tests. Arts, civics, economics, foreign language, geography, US history, and world history tests are also administered but only at the national level.
• Reporting Levels: Results are reported at the state and national levels for the 4th and 8th grade tests in math, science, reading, and writing. All other tests results are only reported at the national level.
• Required: All schools receiving federal funds must participate in the math and reading tests at the 4th and 8th grade level every 2 years. State participation in other tests remain voluntary. Utah public schools participate in the math, science, reading, and writing tests.
• Test Website:
  • Official NAEP Website: www.nces.ed.gov/nationsreportcard/
  • Utah's NAEP Website: www.schools.utah.gov/assessment/info_naep.aspx

NAEP Test Results Overview

How Utah Compares:
When comparing Utah's overall test scores and achievement levels to the rest of the US, Utah is within the national average. However, when test results are broken down by ethnicity, Utah is significantly below the average on almost every test.  This is due to the disproportional number of white students in Utah's education system compare to other states.

See how Utah compares to the rest of the U.S.

The links below take you to an interactive map on the NAEP website that lets you easily compare Utah to the rest of the U.S.

• Math Comparison Map>>
• Reading Comparison Map>>
• Science Comparison Map>>
  
• Writing Comparison Map>>

See how Utah compares to similar states

•  See how Utah compares to states with similar demographics>>

Overall Trends:
As the tables below show, 4th and 8th grade test scores have risen significantly since 1992 both nationally and in Utah. However, 12th grade scores have remained the same since 1971. Learn more>> 12th grade test results are only available on the national-level and not the state-level.

Understanding NAEP Scores and Achievement Levels:

• Score Scales: 0 to 500 for math and reading. 0 to 300 for science and writing.
• Achievement Levels: There are 3 levels: Basic, Proficient, and Advanced. Each level measures what students should know and be able to do at each grade assessed. The cut off score to reach each level varies between tests and grades. Learn more>>
• Proficient: This achievement level represents solid academic performance. Students reaching this level have demonstrated competency over challenging subject matter, including subject-matter knowledge, application of such knowledge to real-world situations, and analytical skills appropriate to the subject matter. Learn more about what constitutes a Proficient score>>

NAEP Math
% of Students at or above Proficient

NAEP Reading
% of Students at or above Proficient

NAEP Science
% of Students at or above Proficient

NAEP Writing
% of Students at or above Proficient

For more info...

• Utah's NAEP Profile>>
  • Utah's 2007 Math Reports: 4th Grade>> | 8th Grade>>
  • Utah's 2007 Reading Reports: 4th Grade>> | 8th Grade>>
  • Utah's 2005 Science Reports: 4th Grade>> | 8th Grade>>
  • Utah's 2007 Writing Report: 8th Grade>>

• Compare Utah's scores to other states
  • Math Comparison Map>>
  • Reading Comparison Map>>
  • Science Comparison Map>>
    
  • Writing Comparison Map>>

• The Nation's Report Card>>
  • Mathematics Report Card>>
  • Reading Report Card>>
  • Science Report Card>>
  • Writing Report Card>>

• Look up Questions from NAEP Tests>>
• NAEP Data Explorer>>

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SAT
Scholastic Achievement Test

• Purpose: To assess high school students' ability to complete college-level work. Almost all US colleges and universities require high school students to either submit their ACT or SAT score as part of their application.
• Grades Tested: 6th and 9th grade
• Subjects Tested: Math, reading, and writing
• Required: No, although it may be required to attend a specific college or university
• Test Website:
  • For Students: www.collegeboard.com/student/testing/sat/about.html
  • For Test Results: www.professionals.collegeboard.com/data-reports-research/sat
  • Utah's SAT Website: www.schools.utah.gov/assessment/reports.aspx (links to test results are in the right hand column)

SAT Test Results Overview

Although the SAT test provides useful information, the results for one state cannot be compared to other states like the NAEP or Iowa tests since the students taking the SAT are not a representative sample of the entire state or nation.

Average SAT Scores, 2003 to 2007

Table Notes:

• Score Scale: 0 to 800. 50% of students score 500 or higher in reading, 510 or higher in math, and 490 or higher in writing. The top 1% score above 750 on all tests. The bottom 1% score below 250 on all tests.

For more info...

• SAT Data Reports>>
  • 2007 SAT Profile Report for Utah>> Link opens a 19-page PDF file with comprehensive details on Utah's ACT test scores.
  • 2007 SAT National Profile Report>> Link opens a PDF file.
  • Past SAT Data Reports, 1996 to Present>>