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Watchung board reviews spring NJSLA results and lays out curriculum, PD plans
Summary
At its October meeting the Watchung Borough Board of Education reviewed spring 2024 NJSLA results, heard administrators stress that the state test is one of multiple measures, and discussed curriculum revisions, expanded professional development and targeted interventions to raise achievement.
The Watchung Borough Board of Education reviewed its spring 2024 NJSLA results and district initiatives to improve student outcomes during its October regular meeting.
Dr. Glazer said the NJSLA “is just one measure of how our students are performing,” and that the district uses state results alongside classroom and benchmark data to set goals and guide instruction. Administrators described a five‑category academic plan covering teaching and learning, enrichment, field experiences, professional learning and assessment use, and said those strands are being tied to curriculum updates and targeted supports.
The presentation detailed how results are reported (a 1–5 scale for ELA and math, 1–4 for science), cautioned that cohort changes and students taking accelerated courses complicate direct year‑to‑year comparisons, and noted small subgroup suppression rules affect public reporting for categories with fewer than 10 students. Aaron, a presenter, told the board officials must interpret the state data with care because “our seventh grade data and our eighth grade data isn't looking at the grade level as a whole” when some students take Algebra I or Geometry.
Administrators outlined current and planned steps to address gaps: expanded Conquer Math workshops for K–8, Wilson Foundations expansion for K–2 phonics and reading, additional job‑embedded coaching, PLC‑driven data analysis, expanded workshop/remediation time for math in grade 5, and curricular crosswalks to align materials to updated state standards. They also described supports for special populations — Dynamic Learning Maps for students with significant cognitive disabilities and an expanded reading specialist role at Bayberry focused on early readers.
Public commenters and some board members urged clearer, district‑level milestone goals. Parent Jennifer Anderson asked the board to hire “a director of curriculum and instruction” to coordinate reviews and SMART goal setting; others asked for a concise, big‑picture comparison of district performance year‑to‑year. Board members discussed setting specific, measurable goals but also cautioned that some instructional changes take several years to show full effects and that multiple measures beyond the NJSLA should be considered.
The board will continue study of assessment results in committee and review recommendations for curriculum resources and professional learning. The administration said detailed slide decks and subgroup reports will be posted on the district website for public review.
