District presents 2025 NJSLA results: ELA and Algebra 1 down from 2024; geometry and 11th‑grade science show gains

At the Oct. 28 board meeting, the district’s director of curriculum, articulation and student achievement presented preliminary and official results from the 2025 New Jersey Student Learning Assessment (NJSLA), explaining areas of growth and concern and outlining next steps for instruction and interventions.

Director Brown told the board and public that district proficiency rates remain above state averages in English language arts (ELA) and some math subjects, but the district saw an 8–9 percentage‑point decline in ELA 9 proficiency compared with 2024 and a roughly 5 percentage‑point decline in Algebra 1 proficiency. Brown noted the district remains about 15 percentage points above the statewide ELA performance despite the year‑over‑year decline and emphasized cohort and statewide test‑level factors that can affect year‑to‑year comparisons.

Key takeaways Brown presented: - ELA 9: District‑wide 65.7% meeting or exceeding expectations in 2025, down from higher rates in 2024, but approximately 15.8 percentage points above the statewide average (49.9%). - Algebra 1: District proficiency decreased versus 2024; district percentages were lower when compared to statewide results that include younger students (statewide Algebra 1 includes some 7th/8th graders). Brown said the district-level rates increased slightly when academy and full‑time polytech students were included in unofficial results. - Geometry: Proficiency increased by approximately 6 percentage points to 78.7%; Voorhees showed a double‑digit increase from 72.9% to 83.1%. - Grade 11 Science: Largest year‑over‑year gain — a reported 11 percentage‑point increase districtwide to 52.5%, well above the state average of about 31%.

Brown said the district will continue to refine common assessments, coordinate with sending districts to address incoming skill gaps, expand writing‑across‑the‑curriculum efforts and deploy response‑to‑intervention and tutoring programs. Board members asked about cohort comparisons, the impact of testing platform changes, and subgroup reporting limits when cohorts are small; Brown said additional statewide breakdowns typically arrive in January and that the district tracks cohorts from earlier grades internally.

Provenance: Presentation and discussion appear in the transcript beginning at b_1580.375 (presentation start) and running through Q&A in subsequent committee remarks (b_1662.945 through b_3319.035).