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District reports gains on 2024–25 state assessments; 11th‑grade ELA passing rate at 94%
Summary
District directors presented spring 2024–25 assessment results and attributed gains to multisensory phonics, targeted instruction, professional development and tutoring. Highlights included record passing rates in several grades, higher-than-state passing for multiple grades and increased AP participation and scores.
Alina Jacobs, director of elementary education, and Jamille Mesboudin, director of secondary education, presented the district’s annual assessment report for the 2024–25 school year, summarized gains across English language arts, math, science, PSAT/SAT and AP testing, and outlined resources and programs that staff say supported the improvements.
Directors said highlights include a sixth‑grade ELA passing rate of 66% (its highest on record), elementary grades 3–5 outperforming state averages in NJSLA ELA, and districtwide ELA passing at 66% for spring 2025. The presentation also noted the district’s highest‑ever passing rate on the 11th‑grade NJGPA ELA (94% vs. the state 81%) and significant gains in math cohorts, including a 13% increase for sixth‑grade math and improved geometry scores among ninth graders.
Presenters attributed the progress to curriculum and instruction initiatives: implementation of multi‑sensory phonics (K–3) including Foundations and Phonics First, targeted small‑group instruction, professional learning (Instructional Leadership Institute and EdCamp half‑day sessions), LinkIt navigator reports, teacher leadership roles, 1:1 tutoring for multilingual learners through Varsity Tutors, and a newly funded elementary math intervention position (push‑in model) supported by Title I funds. The district also reported record AP participation and the most AP scores of 3 or greater in its history, increasing the number of students earning potential college credit.
Directors provided disaggregated results by race/ethnicity, gender and special programs (free/reduced lunch, special education, multilingual learners) and noted that multilingual learners achieved their best ACCESS test results to date. They said science passing rates (fifth, eighth and eleventh grades) also exceeded state performance for the tested cohorts.
The district outlined strategic goals for the five‑year plan, including targets for reading levels, growth for multilingual learners and improvements on NJSLA math in grades 6–9 relative to a 2022 baseline. The slide deck and a voiceover recording will be posted on the district website for further review.
Board members publicly recognized teachers and staff for implementing professional development and instruction changes that presenters said contributed to the academic gains.
