Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Assessment topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
West Essex report shows big gains on graduation-linked tests; district expands 'Math Mastery' retake program
Summary
Superintendent-level staff and principals told the board that West Essex students outperformed state averages in several assessments, with NJGPA results rising sharply when the test counted toward graduation; the district expanded a Delta Math "Math Mastery" program and will track outcomes with a Math Achievement Committee.
Mr. Diehlber presented the district's 2024 assessment report, saying West Essex remains well above state averages in English and mathematics and recorded large year-to-year jumps on graduation-linked exams.
"For the class of 2024 ... we jump up to 92%," Mr. Diehlber told the board, and he said the most recent cohort reached 97% on the NJGPA in ELA. He said those increases represent "genuine" gains that the district will study but cautioned that multiple variables can contribute to year-to-year movement.
Why it matters: the NJGPA is a graduation requirement for recent cohorts so performance can change once stakes attach to a test. The district saw steady advantages over state averages in NJSLA measures and across SAT categories, and AP participation increased alongside pass rates.
What the district is doing: Mr. Diehlber described Math Mastery, an expanded program that uses Delta Math to give students immediate formative feedback and requires retakes until mastery. The district is entering the program in grades 7 through 11 (senior year excluded) and has assigned make-up time during lunch and a learning-lab period to limit class-time disruption.
"If students don't pass the first time ... they retake it until they receive a passing grade," Mr. Diehlber said, adding that makeups are administered during lunch so instructional time is preserved.
The board pressed for evidence of student response and effectiveness. Mr. Diehlber said anecdotal frustration exists for students who require multiple retakes but emphasized that mastery diagnostics provide actionable data for tutors and teachers. He also said Greg Aschoff, the math supervisor, has convened a Math Achievement Committee of teachers and supervisors to collect outcome data over the year and evaluate whether the program is a high-leverage intervention.
Next steps: district staff will collect and report disaggregated data to the board as the Math Achievement Committee analyzes year-long outcomes. The presentation concluded with an invitation for trustees to follow implementation and review progress at future meetings.
