The kind of ninth-grade essay typically emphasizes foundational skills in academic writing. These essays are designed to help students develop critical thinking, research, and analytical abilities. They often focus on expository or argumentative writing, requiring students to present a clear thesis, support their claims with evidence, and organize their thoughts logically. According to the Common Core State Standards, ninth-grade students are expected to write arguments to support claims in an analysis of substantive topics or texts, using valid reasoning and relevant and sufficient evidence. This standard underscores the importance of argumentative essays in the ninth-grade curriculum, as they help students learn to construct persuasive arguments and engage with complex texts.

Data from the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) reveals that in 2019, ninth-grade students who scored at or above the basic level in writing were more likely to have strong writing skills across various genres, including argumentative essays. For instance, 44% of ninth-grade students who scored at or above the basic level in writing could write an argumentative essay that was clear, coherent, and focused on the prompt, compared to only 16% of students who scored below the basic level. This indicates that a focus on argumentative essays in the ninth-grade curriculum can significantly enhance students' overall writing proficiency.