Eighth grade students now have to attain a higher mark in order to prove their proficiency in the areas of math and language arts. The State Department of Education has raised the passing level on the New Jersey Assessment of Student Knowledge (ASK) test from 33 percent to 56 percent.
Eighth-graders take the assessment in the spring to test the knowledge gained since the fifth grade in the areas of math and English. Students who are not proficient must take HSPA preparation courses their freshman year and again in eleventh grade before the second proficiency test issued their junior year.
For Northern Valley Regional High School, officials say raising the bar could mean more students will take HSPA courses causing a redistribution of teachers.
"It might result in a significant number of students not being proficient," said Interim Director of Guidance Louis Centolanza.
Centolanza said this may be problematic because the required HSPA courses take the place of electives.
"We deal with the re-teaching. We don’t have significant numbers now [of students failing] but this will grow … as you raise the standard," said Centolanza. He said the district will not know the test results until sometime later in August.
Superintendent Jan Furman said, depending on these test results, a redistribution of math or English teachers could be required.
"I can’t tell [yet] if it will mean additional math teachers. Students who normally would not be in a HSPA class to focus on the eleventh grade math test, there could be more of those," she said.
Furman said the "cycle 1" reports of the test results were just received and the math and English supervisors are reviewing them.
"The analysis is being worked on now. The next step has to be, OK, what does the analysis show and what does it mean for math and language art classes," she said. She added that she has talked with area superintendents and "many schools will be shuffling staff."
Rich Vespucci, a spokesperson for the Department of Education, said that raising the standard for student achievement in the eighth grade will "lead to identifying students for intervention and assistance earlier in their school careers."
He said that requiring New Jersey students to pass these tests for graduation gives a statewide expectation of standard performance.
"Whether it’s a high school in Ridgewood or Newark I know a student has had certain courses. There is a certain expectation a diploma signifies … [We] know what to expect from that student."
However, Centolanza pointed out the limitations of the test.
"Up until June 1 what [the state was] saying was 33 percent is proficient. Now half is good enough to pass. Is that indicative of a rigorous and demanding program?" he said.
"We don’t entrust the faculty to make that declaration. We want an independent test to make that declaration but teachers see a student 180 days. Kids’ lives are being determined based on a couple of hours on a test."
E-mail: wilde@northjersey.com or call 201-894-6706
