As a State education agency, the ³Ô¹ÏºÚÁÏ Department of Education (NJDOE) must ensure that State assessments are of high quality. While State assessments are a single measure of how students are performing academically, they are an important lever towards better understanding a student’s academic needs in English language arts, mathematics, and science. State assessment results are used alongside other quantitative and qualitative measures to inform communities about productive utilization of district resources; identify schools and districts that require additional support from the NJDOE; and most importantly, provide critical information for enhancing curriculum and instruction in classrooms across the State.
³Ô¹ÏºÚÁÏ is required to administer the statewide assessments by the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) and by state statute. The statewide assessments administered on a yearly basis are:
- ³Ô¹ÏºÚÁÏ Student Learning Assessments-Adaptive (NJSLA-Adaptive)
- ³Ô¹ÏºÚÁÏ Student Learning Assessments-Science (NJSLA-S)
- Dynamic Learning Maps (DLM)
- ACCESS for English Language Learners (ELLs)
- ³Ô¹ÏºÚÁÏ Graduation Proficiency Assessment-Adaptive (NJGPA-Adaptive)
- National Assessment of Education Progress (NAEP)
Resources
- Statewide Assessments Testing Schedule
- Statewide Assessments Testing Schedule 2025-2026 (Updated February 2026)
- Statewide Assessments Testing Schedule 2024-2025
- Sample Template for Parental Notification of Standardized Assessments
Middle School Mathematics ESSA Waiver Draft for Public Comment
The ³Ô¹ÏºÚÁÏ Department of Education is making available today for public comment a draft of its request to the United States Department of Education (USDE) to allow grade 7 students enrolled in an advanced mathematics course to participate in the end-of-course assessment for that course in lieu of the grade 7 mathematics assessment. Comments, concerns, and general feedback must be submitted by email to ESSA@doe.nj.gov by November 26, 2025 at 5:00 pm.