Lacey Township School District officials on Monday reported measurable improvements on a range of academic assessments, saying the district outpaced state growth in several areas and posted a notable increase in Advanced Placement exam pass rates.

Superintendent Zelensky and district supervisors highlighted gains shown by NWEA MAP growth measures in grades K–8, year-to-year and cohort improvements on the New Jersey Student Learning Assessments (NJSLA), and a higher AP exam pass rate. The district reported a 69% AP passing rate for students who took AP exams, up from roughly 54% in recent years; officials called that a “record” result for the district.

Why it matters: Test and exam results are used by educators and the public to track curriculum alignment, identify where to target interventions and measure progress over time. District leaders credited a multi-tiered system of supports, expanded small-group instruction and targeted professional development for the gains.

Selected highlights presented to the board:
- AP exams: District-wide passing rate of 69% (students scoring 3 or higher), up from about 54% in previous years; 314 total exams were administered and more than half earned a 3 or higher.
- SAT: The class mean reported was about 1,070, above the state mean and described by officials as a record number of test-takers.
- NJSLA and cohort growth: Officials said the district outscored the state’s rate of improvement in 11 of 14 measured areas and reported double-digit gains in some elementary cohorts (for example, a cited 13.5% gain in a single grade-level year-to-year comparison).

District supervisors Michelle Amos and Margaret Malloy described classroom-level interventions: a standards-based focus, use of IXL for individualized practice, a regular “WIN” (What I Need) period in grades 6–8 for targeted instruction, common unit assessments aligned to state standards and an NJSLA boot camp for ninth graders prior to testing. Officials also noted growth among economically disadvantaged students and called that progress worthy of continued focus.

Board members and administrators said the improvements reflect multi-year changes including adoption of a tiered intervention system and standards-based elementary report cards. Officials said they will continue to refine instruction and expand professional development to sustain and increase gains.