BHS 2026 MCA/ACT Scores Report Higher Proficiency Averages than the Overall State Benchmark
2026 results show a noticeable increase in BHS student performance, particularly among the class of 2027
After years of gradual changes in test performance, Buffalo High School saw a noticeable bump in MCA and ACT scores this spring, with several scores rising above the Minnesota state average.
The MCA is a state- required assessment measuring student performance in reading, mathematics, and science, while the ACT provides a measure of college readiness. Many students take these tests without realizing the impact their scores have beyond a number on their transcript. Both the MCA and ACT are used by administration and teachers to evaluate student understanding and make instructional decisions. Furthermore, parents and community members look at the scores and compare them to other districts around the state to help decide where they want to send their children to school.
“Our science, math, and English teachers are looking closely at [MCA/ACT scores] and trying to make decisions on what they need to do instructionally,” Assistant Principal Ed Cox said. “The outside world looks at it too. It sounds silly, but people literally “school shop,” and these scores are one of the things that they look at when they’re trying to decide where to live.”
BHS has seen its MCA scores trend upward in recent years; the 2026 results marked a more noticeable increase, particularly among the class of 2027.
“The class of 2027 has averaged about roughly 15% above the state in all three of the MCA categories over the years. But in that, I’d also want to share that, in general, we’re seeing an overall improvement as well,” Cox said. “For a while we were kind of right around the state average and then all of a sudden, boom we hit 15.4%.”
These recent improvements in scores overall put Buffalo High School’s performance in the top half of schools statewide. The percentage of students testing at or above the Minnesota proficient levels is particularly notable in the Reading test, as 58% of students are at or above that benchmark (compared to the 51% MN state average).
Last spring’s ACT scores also reported a nice uptick in average test scores. The student average was reported between 21 and 25 composite scores, which is notably higher than the state average of 20.7. On the different sections of the ACT (Reading, English, Science, Math), the scores from the class of 2027 were reported to be about the same in Reading and English as in years prior; however, Science scores are up by about 18%, and Math is up by about 17%. Although these numbers may seem small, an 18% higher average translates to each student’s score improving by roughly 3 to 4 points, which, on a 36-point scale, is a huge achievement.
As students at BHS continue to take these standardized tests year after year, one question remains: are the 2026 results, particularly the performance of the class of 2027, an outlier, or are they a part of a larger upward trend in testing performance?
