SENATE, No. 127

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

Introduced Pending Technical Review by Legislative Counsel

PRE-FILED FOR INTRODUCTION IN THE 1996 SESSION

By Senators KYRILLOS and PALAIA

An Act establishing a State-administered fourth grade test in the public schools and supplementing chapter 7A of Title 18A of the New Jersey Statutes.

    Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:

    1. a. The Commissioner of Education shall develop and administer to all fourth grade pupils in the school year which begins in September 1997, and annually thereafter, a test to assess progress toward mastery of State proficiency standards. The test shall provide direction to school districts for the design of the most appropriate instructional program for elementary school pupils.

    b. In the development of the test, the Commissioner shall consult with educators, parents, community representatives, members of minority groups, and other persons who have expertise in cognitive development and the academic environment of elementary school pupils.

    c. Upon implementation of the State-administered fourth grade test, a school district shall not be required to administer proficiency tests in grades two through six.

    2. This act shall take effect immediately.

STATEMENT

    This bill requires the Commissioner of Education to develop and administer to all fourth grade pupils in the school year which begins in September 1997, and annually thereafter, a test to assess progress toward mastery of State proficiency standards. At the present time, the State has no way of measuring a pupil's reading, writing, and math skills until the eighth grade warning test. The fourth grade test will identify problems and provide direction to school districts for the design of the most appropriate instructional program for elementary school pupils at the grade levels where intervention is more likely to be effective. In developing the test, the Commissioner is directed to consult with educators, parents, community representatives, members of minority groups, and other persons who have expertise in cognitive development and the academic environment of elementary school pupils. The bill also provides that upon implementation of the fourth grade test, local school districts will not be required to administer proficiency tests in grades two through six, and the elimination of that requirement should result in a savings to the districts of approximately $10 million annually.

    Under the current statutes, the State administers tests in the eighth and eleventh grades.

Establishes a State-administered fourth grade test in the public schools.