N.J. standardized test scores show students still struggling, and other takeaways from board of education meeting
Students fared better overall on the NJSLA exams than last year, but still fell short of pre-pandemic levels.
New Jersey released its annual statewide standardized test scores Wednesday, with good and bad news on how public school students are performing in math, language arts, and science.
The state Department of Education presented the statewide results to the Board of Education for third through ninth graders who took the New Jersey Student Learning Assessments, or NJSLA, in math, language arts, and science last spring.
While the results were not unexpected and follow trends nationally for students recovering after the pandemic disrupted learning, board members expressed concern about a significant achievement gap among Black and Latino students, who lag their peers in all subjects. The gap is narrowing slightly, the results showed.
The percentage of students achieving proficiency or above improved slightly from last year, but still fell short of scores in 2019, the last year before the pandemic. Language arts increased by 0.9%, to 52.2%, while math scores went from 37.6% to 39.6%. There was a slight increase in science, to 24.8%.
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The results showed a staggering 45.3% achievement gap between the lowest-performing and highest-performing student groups. A little more than 35% of Black students achieved proficiency, while 80.9% of Asian students met expectations in language arts. The gap was even wider in math.
“Is there anything that we have not tried as of yet?” asked board member Arcelio Aponte. “It’s frustrating to me that year over year we struggle to close this gap.”
In its presentation, the Department of Education cited new literacy programs, high-impact tutoring, and assistance to help districts improve science and math instruction. The state announced a $42 million federal grant Wednesday to expand or build preschool facilities in 22 districts, including Cinnaminson, Palmyra, and Pennsauken in South Jersey.
Aponte asked board President Kathy Goldenberg to appoint a special task force or committee to study the achievement gap. Another board member, however, suggested that such a move could interfere with efforts by the Department of Education.
Acting Education Commissioner Kevin Dehmer said the department would work with the 13-member board. “I think it’s an interesting recommendation,” he said.
There were also some gains in some subjects by grade. Between 95,000 and 100,000 students took the assessment at every grade level.
In language arts, ninth graders had the biggest gain, improving to 58% meeting expectations, compared with 52% in 2023. Seventh and eighth graders had a slight decline.
District results were provided months ago to district officials and presented at local school board meetings.
» READ MORE: Camden schools make modest gains in state test scores, and other takeaways from a special advisory board meeting
Other takeaways from the meeting
While only 19% of eighth graders met expectations in math, 30,000 eighth graders are taking Algebra I, a higher-level math course, and are not required to take the test, which skews results.
Science scores were virtually unchanged from the previous year.
The state also released its New Jersey Graduation Proficiency Assessment, which showed gains for juniors who took the test last spring. A 45-year-old state law mandates a high school exit exam, although there have been calls to scrap it. New Jersey is among 11 states that mandate an exit exam to graduate from high school. Students who fail the exam can still graduate through an alternative assessment or a portfolio appeals process. In language arts, 82.5% of test takers passed and were deemed ready to graduate, compared with 80.5% in 2023, while 55.6% passed the math portion, up from 55%.
Neil Burti, former principal of Carusi Middle School in Cherry Hill, was recognized by the state board for an award from New Jersey Principals and Supervisors Association in March, naming him its Visionary Secondary Principal of the Year. Burti has since been named Cherry Hill’s director of secondary education.
The board heard a first reading on a proposed state regulation amendment that would allow school districts to grant an excused absence for students to participate in a civic event during school hours. If it is adopted, students in grades six through 12 could miss up to one day per school year to attend an approved event that addresses an issue of public concern.