Achieving a passing score on the NJGPA is a graduation requirement, and in order to be considered as “graduation ready,” students must meet a cut score of 725 on both the Mathematics and English Language Arts (ELA) portions. If they do not reach this threshold, then they will have to find alternate routes to fulfill their graduation requirements before the end of their senior year.
Each subject area is split into two units, and each 90-minute unit will be administered over a four-day period from Tuesday, March 11 through Friday, March 14, in the morning, to all Becton juniors. All other grade levels will have a delayed opening and are required to arrive at school two hours later than the usual start time, at 9:55 A.M. The full schedule for test week can be found here.
To attest, mathematics teacher, Ms. Lauren Bayersdorfer, says that she has been “incorporating questions from NJGPA practice tests and other standardized tests, such as SAT/ACT practice tests, during my Algebra 2 Honors lessons and assessments throughout the school year.” She further adds, “I believe that it is crucial that students are familiar with the rigor and wording of these questions well before the NJGPA test rolls around.”
Performance on state tests is often not just about possessing the knowledge, but also about knowing how to navigate your way around the question types presented. This is why it is so important that students are exposed to the types of questions that they will see on the test before they take it, and also what strategies work best!
Dr. Bryan DeSousa, an English teacher at Becton, shares this sentiment. He has also made a concentrated effort to do test-prep with his juniors, “We have taken the state provided practice tests in class, we have used reading comprehension questions from the Linkit question bank, and we have been practicing prompt response writing using the Schaffer paragraph template.” He further explains that he also times his students so that they can “get comfortable with the time constraints of the test”.
There are any number of ways to perform well on the NJGPA, but some general tips that could boost performance are:
- Coincidentally, the NJGPA testing takes place the same week as National Sleep Awareness Week, which emphasizes the importance of sleep for overall health and cognitive function. Be sure to observe this week by getting a proper night of sleep each night before the test to ensure you are well-rested and able to perform at your best.
- Indulge in a nutritious breakfast to optimize your performance during testing.
- If you wish to engage in additional preperation for the test, practice tests are available through Pearson.
- Use all the tools that are available to you during testing time such as the highlight, notepad, scrap paper, bookmark, reference sheet, etc.
- Manage your time wisely. Do not spend too much time on one question, bookmark it and move on… but do not forget to circle back!
- For the ELA portion, Dr. DeSousa recommends leaving yourself at least 45 minutes to answer the written response.
- Do not leave any questions blank. Even if you guess, you have a chance at getting it correct. If you do not answer at all, you have a 100% chance of getting that question incorrect.
- Do not panic. Maintain composure and prioritize your mental well-being during testing.
Melissa Mitchell, Becton’s Mental Health and Student Assistance Coordinator, wants students to know that, “By focusing on what we can control, our own thoughts, feelings and actions; we are better able to process and overcome stressors.” Thus, it is important to remember that taking control of our mindset and reactions during test time can help reduce anxiety and enhance our performance.
For more tips on how to focus on your wellness during testing week, be sure to check out Mrs. Mitchell’s March Wellness Calendar and March Wellness Flyer in your BRHS emails.
NJGPA MATH and ELA Test-Taking Tips
New Jersey Graduation Proficiency Assessment (NJGPA)
