Grade 8 is the second and last NC grade that tests science — Earth & Space Science leads the test — and 2024-25 was the first year on new (2023) standards, with scores dropping to 60% grade-level proficient.
Real NC EOG format. Aligned to NC Standard Course of Study for Science. Detailed explanations on every answer.
An unbalanced force is applied to a stationary object. According to Newton's First Law, what happens?
Grade 8 science is the second and final grade where North Carolina tests science (the other is grade 5), so it's an important science checkpoint before high school. And like grade 5, it reflects a big change: North Carolina's new science standards (2023), first tested with a new multistage-adaptive EOG in 2024-25. Grade-8 science proficiency dropped from about 70% (2023-24) to 60% (2024-25), so spring 2026 (year two) should be understood against the newer, harder standards — not compared naively to older scores.
North Carolina reports on a 1-to-5 scale; "on grade level" is Grade Level Proficient (GLP), Level 3 or above. In 2024-25, 60.0% of NC eighth graders were grade-level proficient in science. Unlike grade 5, the grade-8 test is Earth-and-space heavy: Earth & Space Science is the largest category (~42-50%), followed by Life Science (~33-41%) and Physical Science (~16-22%). The new standards integrate Science & Engineering Practices.
The test is given online via NCTest.
Grade Level Proficient (GLP) = Level 3+ = on grade level. 2024-25 was the FIRST year on NC's new (2023) science standards + new adaptive test — scores dropped from ~70% (2023-24), so don't compare old and new years directly. Science is tested only at grades 5 and 8.
Source: NC DPI 2024-25 EOG results (released Sept 2025), all-students GLP (60.0%)
Grade 8 science on the NC EOG is assessed against North Carolina's new (2023) Science Standard Course of Study, with Earth & Space Science the largest category. The new standards integrate Science & Engineering Practices. The percentage ranges are from NCDPI's published test specifications.
| Reporting Category | What's Tested |
|---|---|
| Earth & Space Science (~42-50%) | The largest grade-8 category: Earth's place in the universe, Earth's systems, and Earth and human activity. |
| Life Science (~33-41%) | Structures and processes of organisms, ecosystems, and biological evolution. |
| Physical Science (~16-22%) | Matter and its interactions. |
Prioritize Earth & Space Science — it's the largest grade-8 category (~half the test), unlike grade-5 science.
Prepare for the new (2023) standards — scores dropped in year one, so use current-standard material.
Practice reasoning about phenomena — the new standards integrate Science & Engineering Practices.
Review across the two-year gap — because science isn't tested in grades 6 or 7, eighth graders can arrive rusty.
North Carolina's new (2023) science standards, and it's Earth-heavy at grade 8: Earth & Space Science (the largest — Earth's place in the universe, Earth's systems, human activity), Life Science (organisms, ecosystems, evolution), and Physical Science (matter). Items integrate Science & Engineering Practices.
North Carolina adopted new science standards in 2023, and 2024-25 was the first year on those standards with a new multistage-adaptive test. Grade-8 science proficiency dropped from about 70% (2023-24) to 60% (2024-25). Spring 2026 is year two — prepare for the newer, harder, more reasoning-focused standards.
No. The NC EOG tests science only at grades 5 and 8 — none in grades 3, 4, 6, or 7.
'On grade level' means Grade Level Proficient (Level 3+). Level 4+ is College-and-Career Ready.
EOGs are given in the final 10 instructional days of the school year; your district sets exact dates.
Same NC EOG test, different grades and subjects. Pick the page that matches your child's situation.
No credit card. Unlimited practice aligned to NC Standard Course of Study for Science.