Parents can get a fresh look at how well their students in Monmouth and Ocean counties are doing in school.
State officials have released test scores from the 2023-24 New Jersey Student Learning Assessment, a test that measures students’ abilities in English, language arts and math between third grade and high school, as well as science skills and knowledge in grades 5, 8 and 11.
The latest results show New Jersey students’ scores are still lower than they were pre-pandemic, said Jordan Schiff, assistant commissioner for teaching and learning services at the state Department of Education. He spoke about the results Wednesday during a public meeting of the state Board of Education.
In addition, different school districts across New Jersey are showing wildly different test store outcomes for their students.
“The achievement gaps between high-performing students and the lowest-performing groups remain significant, though small improvements have been observed in both ELA (English-language arts) and mathematics,” Schiff told the state board.
State officials have awarded tutoring grants and implemented literacy programs to try and improve scores, he said.
Test scores in Monmouth and Ocean counties reflect these disparities. For example, last year 94% of Little Silver sixth graders met or exceeded the sixth-grade math standards, yet only 15% of sixth graders in nearby Long Branch met those same standards, according to the state data.
In Ocean County, none of the sixth graders at Lakehurst Elementary met their math standards, but across the county in Lavallette, 82% of sixth graders there met the standards.
The searchable chart below shows the percentage of students in each district within Monmouth and Ocean counties who met or exceeded the proficiency standards in their grade for math or language arts.
Amanda Oglesby is an Ocean County native who covers education and the environment. She has worked for the Press for more than 16 years. Reach her at @OglesbyAPP, aoglesby@gannettnj.com or 732-557-5701.
This article originally appeared on Asbury Park Press: Ocean, Monmouth counties test scores reveal gap between schools