The middle school math examination serves as a checkpoint for high school preparation. Performance on this exam can help predict high school success in math.

In 2023, 38% of 8th graders were proficient on the exam, down substantially from 48% in 2019, prior to the Covid pandemic. Females and males were about on par, with 38% of females and 38% of males at proficiency.

Proficiency was lower among economically disadvantaged students, at 28%. White and Asian students had higher proficiency rates (46% and 65%, respectively) compared to Black/African American and Hispanic or Latino students (17% and 31%, respectively). All rates were several points lower than they had been in pre-pandemic 2019.

Proficiency was highest at Haas Hall Academy (84%). In Springdale and Little Rock, the state's two largest districts, 34% and 23% of 8th graders were proficient, respectively.

Studies point to a variety of factors believed to contribute to disparities in test scores and other measures of student achievement. School systems in the United States are highly segregated, and students of color disproportionately attend schools with high proportions of low-income students who may not have benefited from early learning opportunities at the same rate as other students. Schools also have different levels of resources ranging from qualified/experienced teachers to advanced courses to facilities and technology, and schools with large Black and Latino populations often have lower levels. In addition, teachers across all school systems tend to be disproportionately white, and teaching practices and curriculum may not be culturally relevant to students of color.

As assessments vary among states, it is not possible to include comparable data for the nation or other areas in this indicator. Economically disadvantaged students are those who are eligible to receive free or reduce price lunches.