At its August 2005 meeting, the NJ State Board of Education adopted a resolution conditioning elimination of the state’s current alternative graduation exam on the development of new alternatives by NJDOE. In response to comments by ELC and others, the State Board rejected the Commissioner’s recommendation for elimination of the Special Review Assessment (SRA) without such conditions.

Currently, New Jersey students are required to pass either the High School Proficiency Assessment (HSPA) or the SRA to qualify for a high school diploma. The Commissioner proposed elimination of the SRA because of alleged abuses in its administration and because almost 20% of New Jersey’s high school seniors now obtain diplomas through the alternative route.

However, the number of students graduating through the alternative route rises to approximately 50% when considering only the 31 districts where the state’s most disadvantaged students reside. In light of the negative impact that elimination of the SRA will have on low-income students, ELC urged the State Board to implement mandates for school reform and to improve the alternative assessment process before eliminating the SRA.

The State Board’s resolution announced its intent to stop use of the SRA in language arts literacy for students entering ninth grade in 2006-07 and in mathematics for students entering ninth grade in 2007-08. However, the resolution also directed NJDOE to develop, and present to the State Board, alternative opportunities for students to demonstrate the achievement of high school graduation requirements before the State Board takes action to amend the state’s current assessment requirements.

"We applaud the State Board for recognizing that alternatives are necessary," stated ELC senior attorney, Elizabeth Athos. "The use of a single, high stakes test to determine high school graduation is contrary to law and research. Too many students would face dire consequences if the State Board had simply accepted the Commissioner’s recommendation without modification."

Prepared: August 12, 2005

Copyright © 2005 Education Law Center. All Rights Reserved.