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Toms River reports modest test-score gains, cites improved attendance and stronger AP/SAT results
Summary
District officials reported incremental districtwide gains on NJSLA ELA and math and a sharp rise in AP scores, while chronic absenteeism fell from 15.12% to 14.35% last year; officials said work will continue to close gaps with state averages. (Short)
District administrators on Oct. 31 presented a multi-pronged assessment update showing steady cohort growth, higher AP pass rates and SAT results above state and national means while acknowledging the district remains below state averages in some areas.
“We’ve seen a district-wide increase of 4% in English language arts proficiency over the last two school years,” said Mr. Fosn, the presenter for assessment data, who described cohort (apples-to-apples) gains at every grade level and credited attendance interventions for some improvements. He told the board 7,340 students took NJSLA tests last year, 21 more than the prior year.
The presentation showed district ELA proficiency rose from 42% to 46% over two years; high-school ELA rose sharply in the most recent year before settling slightly lower than its peak. Math proficiency rose from 28% to 33% in the same period, with algebra-1 proficiency at 34% compared with a 38% state average.
On subgroup accountability, administrators reminded the board the state holds districts responsible for subgroup outcomes where a subgroup includes more than 20 students; presenters provided breakdowns by race and program and said work continues to target multilingual learners, students with disabilities and economically disadvantaged students.
Mr. Green summarized advanced-placement and SAT results: 693 students took 1,471 AP exams last year, and the district reported 78.3% of AP exams scored a 3 or higher in 2025 (up from 69.3% the prior year). He said the district’s three-year SAT mean for the Class of 2025 was 1,082 districtwide, with the district scoring above state and national averages in both evidence-based reading & writing and mathematics. “We did have a perfect score in one of the last administrations,” Mr. Green said.
The board also heard an attendance corrective-action briefing: the district’s chronic-absence rate was 15.12% in 2023–24 and fell to 14.35% in 2024–25. The corrective action plan formalizes school-based attendance committees and interventions (mentors, counseling, family attendance pacts) required when chronic absenteeism exceeds 10% under state guidance.
Why it matters: administrators framed the data as evidence of steady, long-term growth while noting the district still trails some state averages and must continue targeted interventions. Officials said full slides and student-level reports will be posted online and families may contact school administrators for details.
What’s next: staff said complete level-by-level data and parent resources will be published and that the district will continue to monitor cohorts and subgroup performance as it plans instructional supports.
