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Toms River reports mixed assessment results; notable gains in grade 9 ELA and selected math courses
Summary
District officials reported AP participation rose slightly (715 students, 1,499 exams), a district SAT mean of 1,065, and NJSLA proficiency gains districtwide (42% to 45%) with grade 9 ELA improving from 41% to 57%; staff noted pockets of low proficiency but also high student growth in some schools.
District assessment leaders presented a compact suite of results to the Board on Oct. 1 covering AP participation, SAT averages and New Jersey Student Learning Assessments (NJSLA).
John Green reported AP participation totaled 715 students across the three high schools with 1,499 exams administered and a district percentage earning scores of three or higher at about 69.3%. He also summarized SAT reporting rules used for the district report (each test-taker counted once, using the most recent score) and said the district three-year SAT mean was 1,065.
Rich Fosnock presented NJSLA and related assessments and highlighted several points of growth and subgroup trends. Districtwide proficiency on NJSLA rose from 42% to 45% across the three-year view cited by staff. Fosnock emphasized a sharp gain in ninth-grade ELA: "we went from 41% proficiency all the way to 57% proficiency," a 15.6 percentage-point increase the presentation described as notable. He also reported strong year-to-year gains in selected math areas: staff cited an 88.4% increase in third-grade math proficiency and a 40.2% increase in high-school geometry proficiency from the prior year; staff presented these as slide highlights for discussion and noted that percentages were read alongside cohort and subgroup charts.
Board members asked how low-proficiency pockets are addressed; presenters said the district is using multi-tiered systems of support, targeted instruction and local assessment alignment to identify needs and allocate interventions. Staff invited trustees and the public to review the full packet and return with detailed questions; they said more granular school- and subgroup-level data is available.
Several trustees and speakers raised concerns about the adequacy of state testing and funding; one board participant argued the district is underfunded relative to state averages and said that, despite limitations, teachers are producing growth. Presenters emphasized the difference between proficiency percentages and student growth percentiles and reiterated that the district will continue to analyze cohorts and local data to guide instruction.
The board did not vote on policy changes; the presentations were informational and staff said they will return with follow-up data on targeted supports and next steps.
