Paterson Public Schools NJSLA-A Testing Calendar Window 

May 11, 2026 - May 20, 2026

Important Changes in NJSLA-A ELA: Writing

There are several key updates regarding the writing portion of the NJSLA-A include the following:

• Single Writing Task: Writing has shifted from two extended writing tasks to one extended writing task.

• Time Allotment: Students will have 90 minutes to complete the writing task.

• Non-Adaptive Section: Because there is only one writing task, the writing section is not adaptive.

• Separate Writing Unit: Writing will now be assessed as a separate unit and will no longer be embedded within the reading assessment.

• Grade 3 Writing Tasks: Grade 3 students will receive one writing task assessing one of the following genres:

  • • Informative/Explanatory

    • Narrative

• Grades 4–8 Writing Tasks: Students in grades 4 through 8 will receive one writing task assessing one of the following genres:

  • • Opinion/Argumentative

    • Informative/Explanatory

    • Narrative

• Variety of Prompts: Within a single classroom, students may receive different writing prompts. For example, in a fifth-grade classroom of 30 students, approximately 10 students may receive the opinion task, 10 students may receive the informative/explanatory task, and 10 students may receive the narrative task. This approach will allow schools to analyze writing performance across the different genres.

• Scratch Paper: Students will be provided with scratch paper during the writing unit to help them plan, organize ideas, and draft their responses before typing.

• Scoring: Writing tasks will be scored using holistic rubrics. At this time, the rubrics have not yet been released by the state.

-SFLS#6 Admin Team

Updates in NJSLA-A Math

The new NJSLA-A appears to be a truly adaptive assessment, meaning that future clusters of questions are determined by how students answer previous questions. There are several key updates, including the following:

• Adaptive Structure: The assessment is designed to adjust the difficulty of questions based on student responses. As students answer questions correctly or incorrectly, the system determines the difficulty level of the next set of questions.
  
  

• Length of the Assessment: Although there are two 75-minute sections, the assessment functions as essentially one continuous test. Students will take a break between the two sections and then resume the test from where they left off, rather than starting a new portion of the test.
  
  

• Number of Questions: The blueprint provides the total number of operational questions students will see; however, this number does not include field test questions. As a result, students will likely encounter approximately 10 additional questions that are being field tested.
  
  

• Grade-Level Questions: Students may encounter questions above or below their grade level, but these will be field test questions. Students will still receive their full allotment of grade-level operational questions that count toward their score.
  
  

• Scoring: Only grade-level questions count toward a student’s score. The difficulty of the questions students receive will vary depending on how they perform throughout the assessment.
  
  

• Calculator Sections: For grades 6–8, there will be separate calculator sections. Students will notify their teacher when they reach a calculator section so they can be provided with a handheld calculator, if permitted by the school. Digital calculators, including Desmos and TI calculators, will also be available within the testing platform.
  
  

• Cut Scores: The state will determine cut scores during the summer after analyzing student performance data. Student results will be shared in the fall.
  
  

• Plus Standards: Plus standards will not be assessed on the NJSLA-A.
  
  

• Answering Questions: Students cannot skip questions without selecting an answer.
  
  

• Changing Answers: Students are able to return to previous questions and change their answers. However, because the test is adaptive, changing an answer after moving forward may not fully adjust the difficulty of the subsequent questions that were already generated, which will likely result in a lower overall score compared to answering correctly the first time.

-SFLS#6 Admin Team

Updated: 3/25/2026