There is good and bad news in this year’s newly released standardized test scores for New Jersey public school students.
The good news is the average test scores on the science portion of the tests rose above pre-pandemic levels for the first time this year.
The bad news is the average New Jersey student continued to test below pre-pandemic proficiency levels in math and English language arts in the fourth year of testing since COVID school closures disrupted learning, according to new results released last week by the state Department of Education.
But the 2024-25 scores on the New Jersey Student Learning Assessments — known as the NJSLA — vary widely by school. (Look up your school’s average scores in the chart below.)
In math, 41.7% of all students tested at or above expectations statewide on the tests given last spring. About 53.1% of students tested at or above expectations in English Language Arts, known as ELA. More than 26% of science test takers were at or above expectations.
Statewide, students have continued to improve in math and ELA, but scores have not returned to or exceeded 2019 levels. The test was not offered in 2020 or 2021.
How do I tell if my school did well on the tests?
The chart below lists the average test scores in each grade and subject for every school in New Jersey that administered the tests.
The math and ELA exams are scored between 650 and 850 for all grades and courses.
For ELA and math, students need to score above 750 to meet the expectations for their grade level, and above 790 to have exceeded them, according to an interpretive guide published by Pearson, the test administrator.
For science, the scores range from 100 to 300. Students need at least 200 points to be considered proficient, and at least 243 to reach advanced proficiency.
Who takes the tests?
Public school students in grades 3 through 9 take the ELA test, and students in grades 3 through 8 take the math test. Science tests are given in grades 5, 8 and 11.
Ninth grade students and students in lower grades enrolled in Algebra 1 or 2 or geometry classes take exams in those subjects instead of a grade-level math exam.
How did my child do on the tests?
Families should have already received letters or emails from their schools with each student’s individual results on the NJSLA exams given last spring.
The 2024-25 school year was the last year the NJSLA exams were given in the traditional standardized test format. Starting in the spring, students will take an “adaptive” version of the test that will include a computer selecting questions based on each student’s previous responses.
Look up your school’s scores in the chart below. Scroll to the right to see all grades and subjects.
