New Jersey students showed steady improvement on statewide test scores this year, with science scores surpassing pre-pandemic levels for the first time. The results, released by the state Department of Education, also show modest improvements in reading and math across nearly every grade in the state.
More than half of New Jersey students met grade-level expectations in English language arts (ELA), while just over 40% reached proficiency in math. However, science is where NJ’s top educational standards really showed. emerged as a bright spot, with roughly 27% of test takers meeting expectations, which might seem low, but is higher than pre-pandemic rates in 2019.
Statewide, small but meaningful gains were seen in ELA for grades 3 through 9. Math scores improved in nearly every bracket, although they remain slightly below levels achieved before school closures in 2020.
Education leaders say the results highlight the impact of new programs and strides made in classrooms across New Jersey. Early literacy initiatives, updated curricula and adaptive learning tools are helping students make measurable gains, maintaining New Jersey’s spot as one of the top education states in the nation.
While gaps persist between student groups, the statewide trend shows real progress. The Department of Education emphasized that improving scores serve as a guide for continued gains and resource allocation.
Of note: the 2024-25 assessments were the last in the traditional standardized format.
Starting this spring, students will take an adaptive version of the tests. This means questions will be tailored to individual performance, allowing for more personalized measures of learning and improvement. The idea is that the new testing format will further contribute to progressing test scores.
The results suggest that New Jersey students are regaining educational ground lost during the pandemic, moving steadily toward higher levels of proficiency and better outcomes.
The New Jersey Digest is a new jersey magazine that has chronicled daily life in the Garden State for over 10 years.