1. Denville Township Parent Academy for Student Success (PASS) NJ Student Learning Assessment (NJSLA) Informational Webinar March 18, Presented by Dr. Sandra Cullis

2. What is NJSLA? NJSLA stands for New Jersey Student Learning Assessment
Statewide assessment to determine attainment of New Jersey Student Learning Standards
All students Grades 3-8
Administered electronically

3. NJSLA Assessment
Designed to measure the state standards that are guiding instruction in mathematics and English language arts.
Focus on the skills students need in today’s world, including critical thinking, problem solving, and reasoning.

4. 2019 Testing Dates
The NJSLA testing window is as follows: approximately 1-2 hours per day, spread out over 5 or 6 days
NJ Student Learning Assessment 3
ELA 3
April 16,17
Math
May 6, 7, 9
NJ Student Learning Assessment 4 4
April 11, 12
May 10, 13, 14
NJ Student Learning Assessment 5 5
April 8, 9
April 30, May 1, 2
NJ Student Learning Assessment 6 6
May 2, 6
May 7, 9
NJ Student Learning Assessment 7 7
April 30, May 1
NJ Student Learning Assessment 7 & Algebra 7
May 13-14
NJ Student Learning Assessment 8 8
April 16-17
NJ Student Learning Assessment 8, Algebra 8, Geometry
May 16-17

5. Unit Test Time *reduced from 2018
ELA/L
Unit 1
Unit 2
Total Time
Grade 3 75
2 Hr. 30 Min.
Grades 4-8 90
3 Hours
Mathematics
Unit 1
Unit 2
Unit Total Time
Grades 3-8 60
3 Hours
Algebra I, Geometry, Algebra II 90 NA

6. Accommodations
All students have access to spellcheck and calculators (in certain sections), scrap paper
Students who receive individualized accommodations in their regular instruction, will have the same accommodations on NJSLA; such as extra time, speech to text, braille, large font

7. What’s New for 2019
ALL grades have one less unit of ELA and one less unit of MATH
All grades 4-8 have 60 minutes for math and 90 minutes of ELA for each unit test.
Grade 3 has 75 minutes to complete each ELA unit test.

8. Performance Levels The second page of the report provides information on the different performance levels. They describe how well students met grade-level expectations.

9. PARCC Proficiency Levels
Scaled Score Range 1
Below 700 2 3 4
750- to cut score 5
varies

10. How Denville Uses the NJSLA Data
Consider effectiveness of ELA and Math curriculum
Analyze topic strands to identify which areas need to be enhanced
Identify subgroup achievement gaps
Individual data is considered for middle school placements
Student growth scores (not achievement scores) are used as part of the evaluation matrix for some teachers (5%)

11. Refusals
The NJSLA assessment is a required test for all public school students, therefore we are not allowed to let students opt-out.  We do have state test refusal procedures in place. 
NJSLA Testing Information Link on Denville.org website
One less piece of data for students in grades 5-7 for placement
One less piece of data to provide to teachers regarding student proficiency on standards

12. Impact on District
Under Federal Law- ESSA (Every Student Succeeds Act) requires that 95% of all students in grades 3-8 must participate in the annual state assessment; for New Jersey it is NJSLA
This includes subgroups- Special Ed & Economically Disadvantaged
*As of 2017 – any student beyond the 5% allowance will be recorded as “not proficient” in the district scores
For districts not meeting participation rate requirements, action plans must be created and submitted to the county.

13. Supports NJSLA/PARCC information on Website for Parents
Achievethecore.org
Student Success Academy
Differentiated Instruction
Units of Study Aligned to New Jersey Learning Standards

14. Q & A