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Toms River reports modest gains on 2024–25 state assessments, gaps to state averages remain
Summary
District presenters told the board the district saw cohort and grade-level gains in ELA and math in 2024–25 — including a high-school ELA jump — but overall proficiency (46%) remains below the state (53%); staff emphasized subgroup monitoring and continued interventions.
Toms River Regional Schools staff on Friday reported districtwide improvements on the 2024–25 NJSLA, with notable cohort growth at multiple grade levels but persistent gaps versus state averages.
“We’ve seen a districtwide increase of 4% in English language arts proficiency over the last two school years,” said Fosnacht (Director, testing/presentations), who walked the board through cohort and grade-level results. He noted a substantial high-school ELA gain — a rise from roughly 41% to 57% in one year — and described cohort charts as the district’s preferred measure of student growth.
Staff reported 7,340 students tested in grades 3–9 this year, a small enrollment increase from the prior year, and said districtwide NJSLA proficiency for grades 3–9 was 46% compared with a reported state average of 53%. Presenters emphasized subgroup accountability for any group with more than 20 students (special education, multilingual learners, economically disadvantaged and racial/ethnic subgroups) and said targeted school-level interventions are the next step.
District officials cautioned that interpreting math results requires care where high-achieving students take Algebra I in middle school and are counted differently in grade-level reports. “That’s often an issue across the state,” Fosnacht said, and staff recommended continuing the MTSS-based supports and grade-by-grade program adjustments discussed in the presentation.
The presentation packet and full data were said to be posted on the district website; staff invited parents and principals to follow up with school administrators for individual student reports.
