It’s back-to-school time: new sneakers, the return of traffic, and that hopeful feeling of “it’s gonna be a great year.”
But will it? State tests show that more than half of New Jersey 3rd graders are not proficient in math. We’re told polite phrases for this, like “approaching proficiency,” “almost proficient” – but let’s get to the point: it means the child is behind and isn’t ready to start the school year. And it gets worse as students grow older: the 6th graders are even further behind than the 3rd graders. And only 40% of New Jersey students are meeting expectations in Algebra.
In the midst of this, parents still haven’t received last year’s state test scores, even though the test is digital and students took it in April. Even the New Jersey DMV moves faster than that! You wouldn’t wait five months while your driver’s license is “approaching being printed.”
Why is the test score so important? Because despite these dire test results, 80% of our students are awarded As and Bs. If fewer than half the kids are performing on grade level, why do 80% get As and Bs? Let’s do the math on that.
That state test is the one statewide yardstick showing parents whether their children have grade-level skills. Report cards can mix in attendance, effort, and extra credit. Homework and quizzes can vary from classroom to classroom. The state test is ONLY about how much math they know.
