In Spring 2026, New Jersey transitioned its core state assessments to a computerized adaptive format, a structural overhaul that has delayed score releases until Fall 2026 while the state resets its scoring scale. Because educator panels must establish brand-new benchmarks (“cut scores”) using this spring’s data, the central public-interest concern is data comparability.
Without explicit technical transparency and linking studies from the Department of Education, it will be nearly impossible for families and school boards to determine whether future shifts in district proficiency rates reflect genuine academic growth or simply a system change with easier-to-reach passing lines.
Chapters
00:00 – Why New Jersey’s state tests matter
00:37 – The shift to adaptive testing
01:41 – Can the new scores be compared with prior years?
02:50 – Questions raised about scoring, accuracy, and fairness
04:13 – What the state did—and didn’t—provide in response
05:19 – A new scoring scale and new performance cut scores
06:28 – How the state plans to set those standards
08:10 – Could higher proficiency rates reflect easier benchmarks?
09:24 – Why impact data and public transparency matter
09:55 – What “comparable” results should actually mean
10:28 – The follow-up questions sent to the Department of Education
11:42 – When families and schools can expect results
12:14 – The case for clear evidence before trusting the new scores
13:22 – Closing thoughts
NJ July 2026 Presentation on NJSLA and NJGPA
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