On September 8, 2021, the State Board of Education adopted graduation assessment requirements for the classes of 2023, 2024, and 2025 and require all students to demonstrate proficiency by achieving a passing score on the English language arts (ELA) and mathematics components of the New Jersey Graduation Proficiency Assessment (NJGPA). Students in the classes of 2023, 2024, and 2025 will take the NJGPA in grade 11. The assessment is aligned to New Jersey Student Learning Standards (NJSLS) for grade 10 ELA, Algebra I and Geometry. The assessment is delivered on the same platform students use for the current New Jersey Student Learning Assessments (NJSLA). 

On Tuesday, July 5, 2022, Governor Murphy signed legislation which requires the State Board of Education to administer the New Jersey Graduation Proficiency Assessment (NJGPA) as a field test for the class of 2023. There is no graduation assessment requirement for any student who is expected to graduate with the class of 2023. Students in the class of 2023 must still meet all the other State and local graduation requirements. The graduation assessment requirements for the classes of 2024 and 2025 remain in place.

Students in the classes of 2024 and 2025 who complete the NJGPA but do not receive a passing score may fulfill the graduation assessment requirement via alternate pathways described on the NJDOE NJGPA website.

The New Jersey Student Learning Assessments (NJSLA) are designed to measure students' mastery of New Jersey Student Learning Standards in English Language Arts (ELA), Math and Science throughout their K-12 education. Each spring, students in grades 3 through 9 take the NJSLA ELA and Math assessments, while students in grades 5, 8 and 11 take the NJSLA Science assessments. These tests help to fulfill federal statewide assessment requirements for student achievement, and provide useful data to school districts and the NJDOE. For more detailed information about the NJSLA, please visit the NJDOE website.

In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Start Strong Assessments were developed in order to 

• Produce information that should be used as a standards-based complement to the resources used by educators in their classrooms to evaluate the needs of students.

• Be administered quickly and provide immediate results.

• Meet federal flexibility for the 2020-2021 school year associated with the administration of general English language arts (ELA), Mathematics and Science assessments, including public reporting of school-level results disaggregated by subgroup. 

Each fall, students in grades 4 through 10 take the Start Strong ELA, while the Math assessments are given by subject: Algebra 1, Algebra 2 and Geometry. The Start Strong Science assessments are given to students in grades 6, 9 and 12.  

*UPDATE: 3/2023

The NJ Start Strong Assessments will be discontinued effective fall 2023. For more information, please see this 3/22/23 NJDOE Broadcast.