A memo from the New Jersey Department of Education
Date: June 5, 2019
To: Chief School Administrators, Charter School and Renaissance School Project Leads
Route To: Principals and School Staff
From: Linda P. Eno, Ed.D., Assistant Commissioner, Division of Academics and Performance
Update Regarding High School Graduation Assessment Requirements:
Classes of 2019, 2020, 2021, and 2022
Today, the New Jersey Department of Education (NJDOE) received an amended Consent Order from the Appellate Division of the Superior Court of New Jersey memorializing an agreement between the NJDOE and the Education Law Center addressing the high school graduation assessment requirements for the Classes of 2019, 2020, 2021, and 2022. The path to graduation that was established for the Classes of 2019 and 2020 through the initial Consent Order dated February 15, 2019 has been extended to apply to the Classes of 2021 and 2022. Please note that these are the same requirements that were in place for the Classes of 2017 and 2018, and therefore schools, educators, students and parents are familiar with these rules.
Classes of 2019 through 2022
The amended Consent Order establishes the following pathways for the Classes of 2019, 2020, 2021, and 2022 to meet the high school assessment graduation requirements in both English Language Arts/Literacy (ELA) and mathematics:
- Demonstrate proficiency on NJSLA (footnote 1) / PARCC (footnote 2) ELA 10 and/or Algebra I; or
- Demonstrate proficiency in ELA and/or mathematics by meeting the designated cut score on one of alternative assessments such as other high school-level NJSLA/PARCC assessments, the SAT, ACT, or ACCUPLACER as defined in the Graduation Assessment Requirements chart; or
- Demonstrate proficiency in ELA and/or mathematics by submitting, through the district, a student portfolio appeal to the NJDOE.
Refer to the Graduation Assessment Requirements chart for full details on the proficiency levels/cut scores for the Class of 2019 through 2022.
Note: Special Education students, whose Individualized Education Plans (IEPs) specify an alternative way to demonstrate proficiencies, will continue to follow the graduation assessment requirements set forth in their IEPs.
2019-2020 Statewide Assessments Testing Schedule
For additional information regarding the 2019-2020 administration of the New Jersey Student Learning Assessment and other New Jersey statewide assessments, please see the 2019-2020 Statewide Assessments Testing Schedule.
Contact Information
For questions or concerns, please reach out to assessment@doe.nj.gov.
c: Members, State Board of Education
Lamont O. Repollet, Ed.D., Commissioner
Garden State Coalition of Schools
NJDOE Staff
Statewide Parent Advocacy Network
NJ LEE Group
1 New Jersey Student Learning Assessment
2 Partnership for Assessment of Readiness for College and Careers
