Wake Up Call NJ, a non-partisan, non-profit educational advocacy organization, launched a new digital streaming ad campaign this week to highlight the harm in delaying the return of student state test scores.

For years, there has been a 6-month delay between NJ administering math and reading assessments in April and May, but not providing individual results to students, teachers and parents until October. With tests now digital, there is no excuse for this. Wake Up Call NJ cofounder Laura Overdeck says, “What parent would stand to wait 6 months for a diagnosis from their pediatrician?”

NJ publishes its test results later than 43 other states, including Florida, Alabama and Mississippi. The SAT, ACT and most every national test provide results within 2-4 weeks. There is no reason that individual student scores cannot be released within 30 days, providing parents and teachers valuable performance data to inform immediate instructional opportunities.

Why does this delay matter? Because parents, teachers and administrators have no idea that many students are not reaching grade-level expectations while others are performing well ahead of grade level. Wake Up Call NJ’s first campaign last year pointed out the discrepancy between the high grades many students receive at school and the low levels of achievement they attained on state-mandated tests. As Shulman said last year, “It’s both shocking and unsurprising that many people believe New Jersey schools are great. Parents see A’s and B’s on their kids’ report cards– while at the same time, according to the state’s own Department of Education, statewide test results show that in most of our districts – even the so-called “good”ones – up to half of students are performing below grade level.”

Wake Up Call NJ says the individual test results should be returned before the end of the school to allow for:

 Publishing the scores next to students’ grades on the final report card, to provide a clearer understanding of missing math and reading skills

Using the last few weeks of school to address skills gaps in math and reading

Identifying resources a student needs to catch up over the summer so they can be ready at grade level on Day 1 of the new school year

Informing parents and students, especially middle and high school students, on their best course assignments for the next school year

Showing teachers in September the stark range of achievement levels among their new students, so they can teach accordingly

Wake Up Call NJ is asking parents to call the Governor’s office and their State legislators’ offices to demand that students’ state test results be returned within 30 days of taking the test and no later than the end of each school year. Speak to your child’s principal and superintendent and ask them to support our efforts

We are also asking parents to join our advocacy efforts to continue improving New Jersey’s schools.