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State Testing: Start Strong

State Testing Schedule and Information: Start Strong

The New Jersey Department of Education is requiring all NJ public school districts to administer the Start Strong tests.  GRMS and GRHS will administer the required Start Strong tests on September 12, 13, and 14.  

Testing Schedule for September 12, 13, and 14

Date
Assessment
Grades Tested 
Testing Time
September 12 
Math
6, 7, 8, 9, 10
  • 8:00 am - 9:50 am 
  •  2 hour delay for grades 11 and 12 (9:50 am arrival time)
September 13
 ELA
6, 7, 8, 9, 10
  • 8:00 am - 9:50 am
  •  2 hour delay for grades 11 and 12 (9:50 am arrival time)
September 14
Science

Math and ELA 
 Make-ups
6, 9, 12

 7, 8, 10
  •  8:00 am - 9:50 am
  •  2 hour delay for grades 7, 8, 10, and 11 (9:50  am start time)


All students taking the Start Strong assessments will continue to report to school by 7:50 am.  Each of the tests are designed for 60 minutes to finish.  Due to the number of students we have testing, the number of rooms being used, and the number of rooms being utilized for accommodations, the two hour window has established to give all students the most amount of time to complete the test and account for any technical difficulties we may experience.

The Start Strong testing time requires that we (like last year) alter the rotation schedule for the students.  Please refer to the schedule changes below for September 12, 13 and 14.

Daily Class Rotations

September 12 is a Day 3 starting at 9:50 AM
September 13 is a Day 4  starting at 9:50 AM
September 14 is a Day 1  starting at 9:50 AM




Testing Room Protocols

  • Students may not have a cell phone or Smartwatch on their person while testing.  All cellphones and Smartwatches will be collected prior to testing.
  • Students may not use a laptop or any device(s) if they complete the assessment(s) prior to the stop time.
  • Students may not use a hand-held calculator for any test unless required by an IEP.
  • Food is not permitted in any testing room.

 

Testing Information

Testing Time
State tests are strictly timed, and no additional time may be permitted (with the exception of an extended time accommodation specified in an approved IEP, 504 plan, or ELL plan).

New Jersey Graduation Proficiency Assessment (NJGPA)
Students must take and demonstrate proficiency in grade 11 on the NJGPA, which includes content aligned to the grade 10 New Jersey Student Learning Standards (NJSLS) in ELA, and the NJSLS in Algebra I and Geometry. If after completing the NJGPA a student does not demonstrate proficiency on the ELA or mathematics section, the student may retake the NJGPA in the following summer or fall. A student with disabilities whose IEP states that they are not eligible for the alternate assessment (Dynamic Learning Maps) must take the NJGPA in grade 11. 

New Jersey Student Learning Assessment (NJSLA)
All students enrolled in grades 5, 8, and 11 must take a state science assessment, either the NJSLA–Science or the DLM, regardless of whether they are enrolled in a science course. For high school students, grade level is determined by credit total and not homeroom assignment. All students enrolled in grades 3–9 and 11 (Science) in the New Jersey public school system are expected to participate in the NJSLA, with some exceptions (see below).  Middle school students who are taking any of the high school mathematics courses (Algebra I, Geometry, or Algebra II) are expected to take the mathematics assessment that matches their current mathematics course enrollment (i.e., a grade 7 student enrolled in a one- year Algebra I course must take the Algebra I assessment). For high school students, grade level is determined by credit total and not homeroom assignment. All students in grades 10 through 12 who are enrolled in an Algebra I course for the first time must take the associated Algebra I assessment.

Students with Individualized Education Programs
The Individualized Education Programs (IEPs) of students with disabilities will address whether the student must meet the passing score on the state assessments or demonstrate proficiency through an alternate pathway. Students with disabilities whose IEPs specify an alternative way to demonstrate proficiencies will continue to follow the graduation assessment requirements set forth in their IEPs. IEP teams should reserve the exemption of the statewide assessment graduation requirement for students with significant intellectual disabilities and for students with disabilities who have made repeated unsuccessful attempts to meet statewide assessment requirements through the available pathways, including the portfolio appeals process.

Individualized Education Program (IEP) plans may specify that certain students be exempt from passing the NJSLA or NJGPA and still meet high school graduation requirements. These students are required to take the NJSLA or NJGPA but are not required to pass the NJSLA or NJGPA, take alternate graduation assessments, or participate in the appeals process. Exemptions from passing the NJSLA or NJGPA apply only to ELA and mathematics, since passing NJSLA-Science is not required for graduation.
 
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