New Jersey has administered statewide assessments since the 1970s, and over the years the testing program has evolved. It began as a measure of basic skills, and after 1996 it has assessed the state's academic standards. In 2002, after the federal government enacted the No Child Left Behind Act, every state was required to test students in mathematics and English language arts (ELA) in grades 3 through 8 and at least once in high school. That mandate is still in effect under the Every Student Succeeds Act of 2015.
The current NJ Student Learning Assessments (NJSLA) are computer based and aligned to the NJ Student Learning Standards.
The English language arts assessments focus on reading critically across a range of texts; writing effectively when analyzing text; and building and presenting knowledge through research and the integration of ideas.
The mathematics assessments focus on conceptual understanding and application of math content, expressing mathematical reasoning and modeling real-world problems. While the English language arts assessments are grade-level specific, the mathematics assessments include grade-level and subject-specific assessments. Some students may take Math-7 or Math-8 where others may take the Algebra I or Geometry assessments depending on the course in which they are currently enrolled.
NJ Department of Education - NJSLA
The New Jersey Department of Education resource page for NJ Student Learning Assessments.
