Cinnaminson juniors largely met New Jersey graduation test; math scores trail, district highlights supports

Dr. Matthew Goldberg, the district’s director of curriculum (presenting to the Cinnaminson Township School District Board of Education), reported that 89% of Cinnaminson juniors who took the state graduation assessment last March met the English language arts proficiency benchmark and roughly two-thirds met the math benchmark.

The presentation outlined why the district tracks both English and math results, how New Jersey’s changing cut scores have affected pass rates, and what pathways exist for students who did not meet the required score to still satisfy graduation requirements.

District officials said the New Jersey graduation proficiency assessment (NJGPA) is administered to juniors as one pathway to meet graduation testing requirements and that other recognized pathways include ACT/PSAT/SAT cut scores and portfolio appeals. Dr. Goldberg said the district received official score reports about two months before the meeting and that teachers and content leads use an “evidence statement” (a report the state provides listing item difficulty and aligned standards) to identify areas that need instruction.

Dr. Goldberg said Cinnaminson’s English language arts passing rate exceeded the state average and that the district’s juniors performed above historical averages in some reading and writing standards. He said math results have historically trailed ELA and noted particular weaknesses in non‑calculator items and items based on quadratic equations.

“1 of the ones where the students trailed a little bit was on quadratic equations,” Dr. Goldberg said, adding that some non‑calculator questions “tripped students up a little bit.” He also said students showed gains on multipart “type 2/3” math items that ask for multi‑step work and written explanations.

Board members asked about subgroup performance. Dr. Goldberg explained that New Jersey requires disaggregation of results for any subgroup with at least 10 students. He noted differences across free/reduced‑price lunch status and students with individualized education programs (IEPs), and that relatively small subgroup sizes can change percentages substantially from year to year.

Board member Eileen Bleistein asked specifically why the passing rate for students with IEPs dropped from about 75% to roughly 49% for one year. Dr. Goldberg responded that small cohort sizes can produce volatility in subgroup percentages and that the district has teachers participate in professional development and use coordinated pacing and standards maps to address gaps.

Dr. Goldberg described the district’s process for students who do not meet the NJGPA cut score: alternative assessments (ACT/PSAT/SAT) and portfolio appeals sent to the New Jersey Department of Education. He also reported graduation reporting for the Class of 2025: of 225 graduates, a small number met graduation via alternate assessments, portfolio appeals, or alternate IEP provisions; no diploma denials were reported.

Following the NJGPA presentation, Mrs. Sarah Fisher, director of instruction for world languages and multilingual learners, summarized ACCESS test results for multilingual learners. She said 124 multilingual learners took ACCESS in spring; 17 students scored at or above the WIDA 4.5 threshold and exited the multilingual program, and an additional nine met criteria for midyear exit using the WIDA MODEL.

Fisher emphasized that ACCESS assesses reading, writing, listening and speaking on WIDA’s 1–6 scale and that teachers use the WIDA can‑do descriptors to adapt instruction. She added that sample test items demonstrate the amount of academic vocabulary and content knowledge required for success.

Nut graf: The board received state assessment results and district analysis to inform curriculum and targeted professional development. Officials said they will use state item‑level evidence and benchmark assessments to guide instruction and interventions ahead of next year’s tests.

Board members asked about supports for students who did not meet standards and whether benchmark data are being used to identify needs during the school year. Dr. Goldberg and Mrs. Fisher said teachers and supervisors review evidence statements and benchmark exam results multiple times per year to target instruction.

Ending: District leaders said the full presentation and graphs would be posted on the district website the next day for public review and that staff will return with further analysis in a follow‑up session in September or October.