New Jersey Senate Bill S2163

New Jersey 2024-2025 Regular Session

• Introduced: 1/9/24
• Refer: 1/9/24

Caption

Revises certain requirements concerning graduation proficiency test and eliminates requirement that graduation proficiency test be administered to eleventh grade students.

Impact

The passage of S2163 would significantly impact the state's approach toward assessing graduation proficiency. For incoming classes from 2026 onwards, the bill mandates that the Commissioner of Education design appropriate assessments to determine high school readiness within a 60-day timeframe post-enactment. This emphasizes readiness over age or year in school, thereby ensuring that assessment timelines better align with individual student needs, promoting a more tailored educational experience.

Summary

Bill S2163 aims to revise the current graduation proficiency test requirements in New Jersey, aiming to ensure more flexible and comprehensive assessment procedures for high school students. One of its major provisions is the elimination of the mandate that the graduation proficiency test must be administered specifically to 11th grade students. Instead, the bill allows assessments to be developed for students based on their readiness, enhancing opportunities for those who may not be prepared to demonstrate proficiency by the end of their junior year.

Contention

Notably, the bill also implements a grandfather clause for students graduating in 2024 and 2025, allowing them to meet existing assessment requirements if they comply with regulations from as of October 2021. This has drawn discussions about fairness and the potential disparities it may cause among students based on their graduation year. Additionally, opponents might argue that reducing reliance on standardized testing could influence accountability measures within schools, which remains a central debate in ongoing educational reforms.