When are students tested? 1
4th grade
8th grade
11th grade
12th grade
What subjects are tested? 1
Language Arts Literacy
Reading
Writing
Mathematics
Science
Plans to eventually add: Social Studies, Visual and Performing
Arts, Health and Physical Education, World Languages.
What types of questions are used? 1
Multiple choice
Short written response
Extended written response
How are test results used? 1
High school graduation (exit requirement)
Student diagnosis
Identification of students at risk
Improvement of instruction
School accreditation
School performance reporting
Warnings to schools
School takeovers
What tests are used? 1
New Jersey Grade 8 Early Warning Test
New Jersey High School Proficiency Test (grades 11, 12)
Special Review Assessment (currently until 2000)
Projected for 1998: Elementary School Proficiency Assessment
Projected for 1999: grade 8 proficiency assessment
Projected for 2000: high school graduation test
Are students with disabilities exempt?
2, 3
Exemptions given to students whose IEPs (goals and objectives) do not
include proficiencies measured by the Proficiency Test.
Exemptions given to students who would be adversely affected by taking
the test, as determined by child study team.
IEP can state alternative proficiencies and alternative assessments
to qualify for state-endorsed
diploma.
What accommodations are available so
that students with disabilities can participate? 2
List of accommodations approved by state Department of Education, as
recommended by
child study team.
How are scores of students with disabilities
reported? 2
School, district, and statewide reports separate ("disaggregate") scores
of students with disabilities from scores of students without disabilities.
Footnotes:
1 Source: PEER Project Survey to expand and update information from Annual Survey of State Student Assessment Programs: Data on 1995-96 Statewide Student Assessment Programs. (Fall 1996). Council of Chief State School Officers.
2 Source: PEER Project review of state policy documents. Documents provided by the National Center on Educational Outcomes (NCEO). Information confirmed and updated by the PEER Project through direct communication with state officials.
3 NOTE: The IDEA Amendments of 1997 require that all students be included in statewide assessments.
New Jersey Department of Education
Office of Special Education Programs
100 RiverviePlaza, P.O. Box 500
Trenton, NJ 08625-0500
609- 633-6833
609-984-8422 Fax
www.state.nj.us/education
Contact: Barbara Gantwerk, Director
bgantwer@doe.state.nj.us
Jerry DeMauro, Director, Office of Assessment
New Jersey Parent Center on Disability
Statewide Parent Advocacy Network (SPAN)
35 Halsey Street, 4th Floor
Newark, NJ 07102
973-642-8100
1-800-654-SPAN
973-642-8080 Fax
autind@aol.com
www.geocities.com/Athens/Parthenon/7235
Contact: Diana MTK Autin