Students Assessment Report Presented at the New Providence BOE Meeting

NEW PROVIDENCE, NJ - Jonathan E. Keaney, Director of Curriculum, Instruction, and Supervision, attended the Thursday, Oct. 17 Board of Education (BOE) meeting to provide the latest assessment report. NJSLA (New Jersey Student Learning Assessment) scores, PSAT-scores, AP-scores, SAT and ACT scores were included in the report. Additionally, he reported the “Project Lead the Way” (PLTW) course results from the middle school. He also provided information regarding how ESSER (Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief) funds were used to enhance learning during the past 3-4 years.

Overall, New Providence students show steady performance with a slight improvement both in ELA and math scores compared to the two previous years. However, there is room for improvement in some areas, especially in math. Keaney noted that Algebra I is offered to 7 ^th , 8 ^th and 9 ^th graders and Geometry to 8 ^th , 9 ^th and 11 ^th graders. Those 8 ^th grade students who did not qualify for the higher math class were tested in Grade 8 Math exam. Those test scores were higher than the state average, but lower than the higher math test (Algebra I, Geometry, Algebra II) scores. He noted that this is the area the district needs to improve.

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Furthermore, Keaney pointed out that there is not a big gap in the math scores among the female and male students. However, there is a large gap in test success among economically disadvantaged learners in both ELA and math compared to those students who are not facing economic hardships. There is a similar gap among students with disabilities and English language learners. Test scores broken down by students’ ethnicity show that black students fare poorly on the tests compared to other ethnic groups. He noted that the district will be working out a way to lessen the gaps among those subgroups that lag.

While the NJSLA Science test scores improved slightly among 5 ^th and 8 ^th graders, they dipped for 11 ^th grade students compared to the 2023 test scores.

New Providence students are also scoring higher than their peers in the state in both PSAT and SAT tests. Keaney urged students to take the SAT and ACT tests although many colleges have become test-optional. The district’s average ACT scores have remained steady over the past couple of years.

Keaney explained that the district has invested in its AP course offerings in recent years. He noted that 235 students enrolled in AP courses in 2024 compared to 197 in 2023. The students took 531 AP tests in the spring of 2024 compared to 397 the previous year. The number of students who scored 3 (out of 5) or better increased from 164 in 2023 to 211 in 2024. The district also netted 101 AP Scholars in 2024 compared to 57 in 2023.

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Keaney also gave a synopsis of the students’ performance in the PLTW courses. The STEM-focused courses included Aerospace Engineering, Environmental Sustainability, Intro to Engineering Design, and Principles of Engineering. Students in these courses posted better or similar scores than in previous years.

Lastly, he noted that of the 160 graduates in 2024 a total of 98.1 % are continuing their education. Of those, 95 % chose a four-year college. He also noted that New Providence has a high rate of students that remain in their post-graduate institutions after their freshman year.

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