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Hanover Township reports above‑average NJSLA results, previews new adaptive testing
Summary
Superintendent and testing staff presented district assessment results showing Hanover Township students outperforming state averages in multiple grades and previewed a statewide switch to the NJSLA Adaptive platform; the board asked questions about subgroup reporting and algebra performance.
The Hanover Township Board of Education received a district testing report Tuesday evening showing that students in several grades performed above state averages and that the district is preparing for the New Jersey Department of Education’s transition to an adaptive version of the NJSLA.
Mister Lawson, who presented the testing overview, said the district’s 8th‑grade ELA results are well above the state, citing a 74.3 percent meeting or exceeding level in district ELA versus a 57.1 percent state rate. He said the district’s math performance also “continues to perform above state averages” and described the InView and WIDA assessments used for cognitive and multilingual‑learner screening.
The presentation emphasized that small cohort sizes can shift percentages quickly and that the NJSLA is designed to track growth for the same cohort over time rather than compare different groups year‑to‑year. Lawson said the district uses results to guide placement and intervention decisions and asked the board to note that the state is replacing Pearson with Cambium for an adaptive NJSLA; field testing is scheduled for November.
Board members pressed staff on subgroup reporting and the role of advanced‑track courses in higher results. When asked why algebra figures look unusually strong, Lawson said those scores reflect an advanced 8th‑grade algebra track and credited the algebra teacher for strong outcomes.
The board did not vote on testing policy at the meeting; the full testing packet will be posted on the district website and the state’s adjustments to the assessment platform will be implemented according to Department of Education timelines.
