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The switch to end of course testing fol- shows the proficiency rates on high Table 2. Percentage of Students
lowed the state Board of Education’s school PARCC assessments (Table 1) from SDoC Meeting PSAT/SAT/
adoption of the Common Core State fall far below the rates obtained by stu- ACT Cut Scores
Standards in 2010. In the 2014-15 dents on the other assessments (Table
school year, end of course assess- 2). Comparing the results of Table 1 Test % #
ments created by the Partnership for and Table 2, it is clear that Chatham Passing students
Assessment of Readiness for College students do significantly better on the SAT Reading 97.3% 519
and Careers (PARCC) were first rolled alternative assessments than they do SAT Math 95.2% 519
out, and New Jersey was one of 14 on the PARCC assessments. ACT Reading 99.4% 638
states (plus the District of Columbia) to The School District of the Chathams is
administer them. The PARCC assess- an affluent district, so it is not surpris- ACT Math 99.7% 638
ments in ELA were given to students ing to see students succeed on these PSAT Reading 92.3% 545
in grades three through 11. In math- standardized tests. Likewise, it is PSAT Math 92.8% 545
ematics they were given to students not surprising that over 90% of our
in grades three through eight and to graduating students enroll in four-year
students in Algebra I, Geometry and institutions following graduation each Perhaps the most alarming aspect of
Algebra II (or, alternatively Mathemat- year. So if over 90% of the students the state’s transition to the PARCC
ics I,II and III). from Chatham can demonstrate col- assessments is how poorly students
have done on these assessments
As the PARCC tests were rolled out, lege preparedness through not only statewide (Table 3). The NJDOE is
the state of New Jersey permitted their performance on the PSAT/SAT/ fond of pointing out the positive trend
students who were to graduate in ACT but by being accepted to 4-year in students “meeting expectations”.
2016, 2017, 2018 and 2019 to use a institutions, why do the PARCC ELA However, even the most recent data
variety of tests to satisfy the gradu- 10 and Algebra 1 results demonstrate demonstrate a passing rate that is sig-
ation requirement (Hespe, 2015). only 70% and 76% proficiency? This is nificantly below New Jersey’s current
These included one of the high school a huge discrepancy that I believe says high school graduation rate of 90.5%
PARCC assessments, or common more about the shortcomings of the (Yaple, 2018). Before the appellate
standardized tests such as the SAT, PARCC assessments, which were de- court’s ex deus machina, the state was
ACT, PSAT, ASPIRE or Accuplacer. signed so that students could demon- laying the groundwork for a testing
The state published “cut scores,” strate college readiness, than it does requirement that would cut its gradua-
or scores that students needed to about our students. And I have little tion rate in half!
obtain on these tests to demonstrate confidence that the PARCC results
proficiency in ELA and mathematics. will improve significantly once they are Table 3. Statewide Proficiency
Furthermore, students could use an rebranded as the NJSLA this fall. The Trends in PARCC Assessments
ELA score from one assessment and point here is that there is little proof ELA 10 Algebra 1
a mathematics score from a differ- that the PARCC assessments really
ent assessment to meet the testing show that students are ready for col- 2015 37% 36%
requirement. (One interesting side lege and careers, as they say they do. 2016 44% 41%
note: the “cut scores” the NJDOE uses Post-secondary institutions have been 2017 46% 42%
to determine preparedness for gradu- using standardized test scores as one
ation are different than the “college measure of student preparedness for 2018 52% 46%
readiness benchmarks” for the PSAT/ many years. Why does New Jersey
SAT/ACT the state uses on the NJ (or any state for that matter) need new So where do we go from here?
School Performance Report.) high school assessments? The appellate court decision does not
As we arrive at the end of this tran- mean the demise of the end of course
sitional testing requirement period, Table 1. Percentage of Students assessment. It only stopped the state
we have the opportunity to look back from SDoC Passing PARCC from using these tests as a graduation
and analyze how well the high school Assessments since 2015 requirement. Currently, New Jersey is
PARCC assessments match up to PARCC Test % Passing # of one of only 12 states that requires high
other well-established standardized students school graduates to pass an exit exam
tests. If PARCC assessments are truly (Gewertz, 2018). In my opinion, the best
quality assessments, students should ELA 9 81% 1015 course of action would be to amend
pass the high school PARCC assess- ELA 10 70% 343 the law to eliminate any testing require-
ments at similar rates when compared ELA 11 81% 140 ment that stands in the way of a student
to the other alternative assessments, receiving a diploma. There is a lot of
which New Jersey has allowed stu- Algebra 1 76% 1114 evidence to support this course of action
dents to substitute for the graduation Geometry 85% 607 (Kohn, 2000). In the short term, New
requirement. However, an analysis of Algebra 2 70% 257 Jersey already has a proposed legisla-
the data from my school district (The tion (A672/S558) that would suspend
School District of the Chathams), the testing requirement for the classes

Educational Viewpoints -61- Spring 2019