SBAC for 6th, 7th & 8th Grade: Practice Tests & Guides
Middle school is a pivotal time in your child's academic journey. Strong performance on SBAC tests not only tracks their progress but also builds the foundation for high school success and college readiness. That's why TestPrep-Online offers a Family Membership that supports all your children with comprehensive SBAC practice tests designed for 6th, 7th, and 8th graders.
Note: the SBAC Practice Pack is NOT included in our Premium Membership.
About the SBACs for 6th, 7th, and 8th Grade
The SBAC Test for grades 6, 7, and 8 is the second stage of year-end assessments administered by the board of Smarter Balance Assessment Consortium. SBAC exams are designed to track student progress as well as to gauge student readiness for future college and career paths. Students take the SBACs once more in grade 11 to test college readiness.
The exam includes two sections: an English Language Arts (ELA) section and a Math section. Both sections contain a series of content claims. Content claims are lists of predetermined skills that the SBAC board believes are crucial components for college and career readiness. All SBAC tests are aligned with the Common Core Curriculum.
Because the junior high years will be your child’s last exposure to the SBAC Tests until 11th grade, proper preparation is crucial to his or her success in the future. Learning about the test, as well as exposing your child to SBAC test practice questions and methods, can ensure your child excels on the test in 11th grade.
SBAC English Language Arts (ELA)
The SBAC ELA Test is composed of two different testing methods: the performance task (PT) and the computer adaptive test (CAT).
- The performance task asks students to read a few passages and collect research based on the texts. Students must then complete a writing task, such as a personal narrative or an essay that is either argumentative, explanatory, informational, or opinion-based. Students must demonstrate their research skills by composing a well-organized, purposeful, and evidence-filled piece. Students are also assessed based on their use of proper writing conventions. Testing time is approximately two hours.
- The CAT section is a computerized test that asks students a series of multiple-choice questions. Test items assess student ability across the four predetermined content claims: reading, writing, listening, and research. The test is adaptive, meaning that difficulty increases or decreases depending on past answers. This test is untimed, but it takes students on average an hour and a half to two hours to complete.
For more information about the ELA section of the SBACs, and for more SBAC practice, visit ourSBAC ELA page.
Question 1 (6th Grade) - Spelling Recognition
Click on the two sentences that contain spelling errors.
TestPrep-Online Tutor's Tip:
"I always tell my students to slow down and look carefully at longer words with double letters or suffixes. Words ending in '-able' (like 'remarkable') and '-ful' (like 'powerful') are common spelling challenges. Try saying the word slowly and thinking about how each part sounds - this helps you catch errors that your eyes might skip over when reading quickly!"
Reading Comprehension Question - 7th Grade Level
A student is composing a narrative for her English assignment about someone who demonstrates persistence. Read the story draft and answer the question below.
When Maya was young, she would sit in the bleachers during the high school basketball games, watching her older sister lead the team to triumph. This became a cherished routine for many years; every Tuesday evening at the community gym, she could be spotted in the stands. Throughout her elementary years, success came naturally to the high school squad. As Maya progressed to middle school, the team started struggling more often, but their competitive spirit remained strong.
Now Maya was attending high school. No longer observing from the bleachers, she would be competing on the court. The neighborhood had significantly transformed. Major companies had relocated away from the area, and the high school student body shrank from 1,100 to 350. The pool of skilled basketball players had also diminished, but Maya's commitment to the team stayed constant.
Each week she stepped confidently onto the basketball court. She participated in every match during her high school years, but unfortunately, the team had a disappointing record. In her final year, Maya served as team captain and worked tirelessly to prepare the squad and herself. Every basket made was cheered as if it were a championship victory. The true "success" was her loyalty to the team, not the final score displayed.
What is a more precise word to replace the underlined word "had"?
TestPrep-Online Tutor's Tip:
"When you're looking for more precise word replacements, think about the emotion or experience behind the action, not just the basic meaning. In this passage, Maya's team wasn't just "having" losses—they were struggling through them while maintaining their spirit. Words like "endured," "weathered," or "suffered through" capture that emotional journey much better than simple verbs like "had" or "got." This technique will make your own writing much more powerful and help you ace similar questions!"
8th Grade SBAC Reading Question
Why Schools Should Require Community Service
Every high school should mandate that students complete volunteer work before graduation. Requiring community service helps students develop into more caring and responsible citizens. When teenagers work at food banks, tutor younger children, or help at animal shelters, they learn valuable life skills. Students discover how to work with different types of people and solve real-world problems. Community service teaches empathy and shows students how they can make a positive difference. Many colleges look favorably on applicants who have volunteer experience on their applications. Some students complain that they already have too much homework and extracurricular activities. However, even a few hours per month can provide meaningful benefits. Students often find that helping others makes them feel good about themselves and gives them a sense of purpose. Research shows that communities with active youth volunteers have lower crime rates and stronger neighborhood connections.
Question: Which sentence should be removed because it does not strengthen the main argument?
TestPrep-Online Tutor's Tip:
"When writing persuasively, be careful about how you present opposing viewpoints. While acknowledging counterarguments can strengthen your essay, you need to immediately and convincingly refute them. If you mention an objection but your response seems weak or unconvincing, you've actually helped your opponents make their case! A good rule of thumb: if you can't thoroughly dismantle a counterargument, don't bring it up at all. Focus on building the strongest possible case for your side instead."
"Middle schoolers are at a critical academic stage. I've seen firsthand how targeted SBAC practice can boost both skills and self-esteem. When students know what to expect—and how to tackle it—they perform their best."
— Ariav, SBAC Test Expert for TestPrep-Online
SBAC Math
Like the ELA Test, the SBAC Math Test is comprised of two separate testing methods: the performance task and the computer adaptive test.
- The performance task provides students with a multi-step, complex, and real-life scenario that they must solve using appropriate mathematical conventions. Students are assessed based on their demonstration of the four predetermined mathematical content claims. Skills that fall under the content claims include mathematical procedure application, problem-solving, reasoning skills, and modeling and data analysis. For a more detailed understanding of content claims and even more SBAC practice, visit our SBAC Math page.
- The CAT section assesses the same content claims as the PT section, but students must demonstrate their mathematical knowledge by answering the multiple-choice questions. The exam is adaptive and untimed. The test items on the CAT section for 6th–8th gradeevaluate student knowledge of the following areas:
- Ratios and proportional relationships
- The number system
- Expressions and equations
- Geometry
- Statistics and probability
Problem 1: Finding Percentages (6th Grade)
Calculate 40% of 60. Select all correct methods:
TestPrep-Online Tutor's Tip:
"I tell my students to always ask themselves: "Does my answer make sense?" 40% should give you less than half of your original number. If 40% of 60 gave you 240, that would mean you somehow got four times your original amount – that's impossible!
When in doubt, stick to the two reliable methods: convert to either 40/100 or 0.40, then multiply. Both will get you to the right answer every time."
Problem 2: Order of Operations with Fractions and Decimals (8th Grade)
Select all expressions equivalent to 2/3(1.5 + 3/4 - 3):
TestPrep-Online Tutor's Tip:
"When working with mixed numbers and decimals, I convert everything to the same form first - either all decimals or all fractions. This prevents mistakes! Also, remember PEMDAS: always do what's in parentheses first, then multiply."
Problem 3: Linear Functions and Tables (8th Grade)
Which table represents the function y = 2x + 3?
TestPrep-Online Tutor's Tip:
"When checking if a table matches a function, I pick 2-3 x-values and substitute them into the equation. If even one point doesn't match, the table is wrong! I always start with x = 0 because it's usually the easiest to calculate - it immediately tells me the y-intercept."
Ready to transform test anxiety into test confidence? Join thousands of families who've chosen TestPrep-Online for SBAC success.
SBAC Scores
SBAC scores are reported using two methods: scale scores and achievement levels. Scale scores are raw scores represented by a numerical value ranging between 2000 and 3000. These scores are then assigned achievement levels, which rank students from 1 to 4. For a detailed breakdown of scale scores compared to achievement levels, visit the SBAC Scores section of our SBAC Practice page.
SBAC Practice Tests for 6th, 7th, and 8th Grade
Though scores in 8th grade are merely used to track student progress, by 11th grade, students must score an achievement level of 3 or higher to be considered college and career ready.
FAQs
Absolutely! Our Family Membership allows up to 3 children to practice with separate progress tracking for each student. It's perfect for families with multiple middle schoolers or those planning ahead for younger siblings.
Most students benefit from 20-30 minutes of practice, 3-4 times per week. Our adaptive system adjusts to your child's pace and identifies areas that need more focus, making practice time efficient and effective.
Yes! The skills your child builds now—critical reading, mathematical reasoning, and analytical writing—directly transfer to the 11th-grade SBAC. Early preparation creates a strong foundation for future success.
