NJ’s Achievement Gap Closing, Middle Grades Steady

Governor Says Financial Restructuring Necessary for Stability

State Supreme Court Rules in Counsel Fee Case

Nominating Committee Lists Applicants for NJSBA Office

Matthew Boxer Sworn in as State’s First Comptroller

Group Launches New Program to Support New Jersey Colleges and Universities

Talking About Funding

Training Focuses on Salary Guides

Last Chance for New Board Member Orientation

Best Practices in Shared Services Detailed in School Leader

Calendar

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New Jersey public schools continue to close the achievement gap, although more attention is needed in the middle school grades, according to the latest round of student assessments.

The federal No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB) requires states to test students annually in reading and math in grades 3 through 8, and again in high school. The spring of 2007 marks the second year that New Jersey administered exams in all of the grades required to be tested under NCLB.

Students in grades 3 to 7 take the New Jersey Assessment of Knowledge and Skills (NJ ASK). The next test is the Grade Eight Proficiency Assessment (GEPA), and the final one is the High School Proficiency Assessment. Students are scored as partially proficient, proficient, or advanced proficient.

The 2007 New Jersey Statewide Assessment Reports show continued progress, particularly in the early grades. State officials point to a correlation between structured preschool programs and the assessments in the third and fourth grades.

Achievement Gap Narrowing of the achievement gap is more distinct in the earlier elementary grades. For instance, the proportion of all fifth-graders who scored proficient or higher in the literacy assessments rose from 85.9 percent in 2006 to 88.8 percent last year. However, increased scores in literacy among black students were more marked, going from 69.7 percent proficient or higher in 2006 to 75.7 percent last year. Hispanic students’ scores also rose on the same test, from 75.1 percent to 79 percent.

Similar trends are reflected in math assessments at the elementary grades.

Middle School Results Although there are some exceptions, students’ scores hold fairly flat by grades 6 and 7. The GEPA results show language arts scores also holding steady over the past several years, while math scores continue to edge upward among all student racial/ethnic groups.

Because of stagnant test scores in some areas of middle-school assessment, New Jersey joined the Schools to Watch middle grades improvement program last year. New Jersey is one of 16 states to participate in the program, which aims to establish a network of schools that serve as models for others. It stresses a thorough review of the school, a focus on academics, and an understanding of the needs of young adolescents.