Verona reports high NJGPA graduation-readiness and expands supports after ACCESS results

VERONA, N.J. — Verona school officials on Aug. 26 presented 2025 academic-assessment results, saying most juniors are meeting the state'defined graduation-readiness benchmarks in English language arts and an increasing share are meeting math benchmarks after targeted interventions.

The district administered 159 NJGPA assessments in spring 2025 for students who are now members of the class of 2026. Marissa Ackerman, director of student counseling, said 148 students met the state'set minimum score in English language arts and 130 met it in mathematics, figures she described as roughly 93.1 percent and about 81–82 percent respectively.

Ackerman said Verona compares favorably with statewide rates and highlighted a year-over-year improvement in math. "We instituted a math lab'and dedicated instructional time," Ackerman said, crediting the work of district teachers and a targeted prep classroom led by Mr. Patterson for producing measurable gains. The district also reduced the number of students lacking a graduation-ready pathway from about 40 to 14 after counting alternate pathways such as PSAT scores.

District staff described multiple supports used to raise scores: an in-district math lab, expanded use of alternate demonstration pathways (including PSAT results), and plans to integrate portfolio development into junior-year coursework earlier so students who will rely on portfolios begin collecting evidence sooner.

Ackerman also told the board the state will change the NJGPA format. "The state announced we are moving to the NJGPA adaptive testing," she said, and Verona will field-test the adaptive version in October and use it in March for the class of 2027.

Separately, Laura Kohler reviewed ACCESS results for multilingual learners. She said the district'identified multilingual learners rose from 30 (in 2022–23) to 43 entering 2025–26, representing 11 home languages with Spanish and Arabic most common. ACCESS score averages reported by Kohler were: listening 4.5, reading 3.5, speaking 3.0 and writing 2.9. "We will continue to focus on oral language and writing support," Kohler said, outlining curricular materials (Carousel for K'5; Champion for middle and high school), translanguaging strategies and on-the-spot translation tools used for newcomers.

District officials said the combination of targeted instruction, PSAT pathway availability and curriculum supports are central to maintaining graduation-readiness rates as the state moves to adaptive testing.

What's next: Verona will administer any remaining standard NJGPA exams this fall, field-test the adaptive NJGPA in October and implement the adaptive test in March for the next cohort of juniors. Staff said they will continue the math lab and earlier portfolio work for juniors to reduce late-stage remediation.