Testing of New Jersey students began during the 2014-15 school year in a program called Partnership for Assessment of Readiness for College and Careers (PARCC), designed to help children prepare for college and careers.
District and school PARCC results for 2017-18 have been released. Tests were conducted for English (grades 3-11) and mathematics (grades 3-8, algebra I, algebra II, and geometry). Scores are grouped into five levels:
Level 5 – Exceeded Expectations
Level 4 – Met Expectations
Level 3 – Approached Expectations
Level 2 – Partially Met Expectations
Level 1 – Did Not Yet Meet Expectations
The two highest (“passing”) levels, 4 and 5, include scores from 750-850. According to NorthJersey.com, the majority of high school students in New Jersey did not post passing scores in math at any level in 2018, nor did the majority of juniors in English (www.northjersey.com/story/news/education/2018/10/19/parcc-scores-2018-nj-makes-small-gains/1699397002).
Jefferson’s ranking within the number of schools participating in the test, along with its overall score on each test, are shown below.
Critics have deemed PARCC excessively time-consuming, forcing educators to “teach to the test” rather than focus on other important topics. In the years since its implementation, thousands of parents have opted their children out of testing.
Governor Phil Murphy opposes PARCC. According to the New Jersey Department of Education (DOE), he instituted a process to develop a new generation of statewide assessment. Making the transition in phases is expected to ensure a smooth implementation as well as compliance with state and federal mandates. The DOE is recommending short-term changes now, with plans to engage stakeholders throughout the current school year on longer-term proposals.