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Philadelphia Inquirer - N.J. adopts tougher math, language standards The New Jersey Board of Education yesterday adopted tougher achievement standards for the state math and language-arts tests that third and fourth graders take.
Press of Atlantic City –
New scoring makes 3rd-, 4th-grade tests harder to pass
State wants expectations raised for all grade levels
State wants expectations raised for all grade levels
TRENTON - The state Department of Education plans to raise the minimum passing scores on state NJASK tests given to third- and fourth-graders this spring, making it harder for students to pass the test.
The new higher passing score will lower the statewide passing rate for both grades by more than 20 percent in language arts and 10 percent in math.
DOE officials will present the new passing scores to the state Board of Education at today's meeting. The change mirrors a similar increase last year in the passing scores for state tests given to students in grades five through eight.
The Department of Education's stated goal is to raise expectations at every grade level and identify students in need of extra help earlier in their academic careers.
State officials declined to comment before the meeting, saying a full presentation would be made to the board. A presentation prepared for the meeting, and temporarily posted on the DOE Web site, outlined the proposed changes.
Third-graders in 2009 will have to have 50 percent of the language arts test questions correct to pass, up from 40 percent in 2008. In math, they will need 52 percent correct to pass, up from 42 percent in 2008.
Fourth-graders will have to get 54 percent of language arts questions correct to pass, up from 44 percent in 2008. In math, the fourth-graders will need 50 percent correct, up from 42 percent in 2008.
The report says that with new scoring, the percentage of students passing the tests statewide in 2009 will drop. The passing rate on the third-grade language arts test will drop from 86 percent in 2008 to 62 percent. The fourth-grade language arts test passing rate will drop from 82.6 percent to 63 percent.
In math, the third-grade statewide passing rate will drop from 86.7 percent in 2008 to 75 percent in 2009. The fourth-grade passing rate in math will drop from 84.8 percent to 74 percent.
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Posted on Thu, Jul. 16, 2009 Philadelphia Inquirer/philly.com -N.J. adopts tougher math, language standards The New Jersey Board of Education yesterday adopted tougher achievement standards for the state math and language-arts tests that third and fourth graders take. The tests, first administered this year, are more challenging than previous versions. Higher performance standards were put in place for grades five through eight last year. The standards are "raising the bar" on performance expectations, Education Commissioner Lucille Davy said. She predicted that more children who need help would be identified at a younger age. All the new tests have not yet been graded, Davy said, but a sample of results provided by the state showed 24 percent fewer third graders and more than 19 percent fewer fourth graders scoring proficient or better on the language-arts tests. In math, almost 12 percent fewer third graders and nearly 11 percent fewer fourth graders scored proficient or better. Davy attributed those results to the higher standards and the new tests. -Rita Giordano |