To: Grades 9-12 Students and Families
Chatham High School will participate in the New Jersey Graduation Proficiency Assessment (NJGPA)-Adaptive and New Jersey Student Learning Assessment (NJSLA)-Adaptive Field Tests on November 12 -14. This field test is required by the New Jersey Department of Education and will be administered to all students. The information below explains the purpose of the field test, why schools are required to participate, and what it means for your child.
What Is The Field Test
The fall field test is not a fully operational test; rather, students will take a sampling of test items, not a complete test battery. The purpose of the field test is to gather data on how well different questions work and to evaluate whether items are valid, reliable, and fair for a diverse student population. The field test also allows students and educators to become more familiar with the new assessment platform and interface before the assessments become fully operational in the spring.
Why Is The Field Test Required
All school districts and approved private schools in New Jersey that are eligible must participate in the fall 2025 field test for the NJSLA-Adaptive or NJGPA-Adaptive. The New Jersey Department of Education uses the data from field tests to refine the assessment, ensure fairness, and calibrate scoring models before full implementation. Because this is a mandated field test, we are obligated to administer it to all students during the field testing window.
What Does It Mean For Your Child
The field test results will not count toward student grades, school accountability scores, or any official performance records. Results from the field test are not reported back to students, teachers, or schools. This is strictly an exercise to test and refine the tools themselves and not to measure student achievement. Because items are adaptive, students may receive questions tailored somewhat to their response levels.
Who Is Testing
Students in grades 9-12 who were enrolled in Mathematics 8, Algebra 1, Algebra II, or Geometry last year (2024-2025 school year) will take a 60-minute assessment in that math content area on November 12.
All students in grades 9-11 will participate in a 60-minute reading assessment on November 13 and a 120-minute writing assessment on November 14. Seniors will not be testing on these days.
Our Testing Schedule
Chatham High School recognizes that the administration of these field tests is both unexpected and intrusive to our educational programming. Therefore, we have designed a testing schedule to minimize the disruption of instruction and to ensure that students who are testing are not missing any classes that are running simultaneously.
Wednesday, November 12 - Math
All students in grades 9-12 who were enrolled in Mathematics 8, Algebra I, Algebra II, or Geometry last school year will participate in testing.
Testing will begin at 8:20.
The high school will operate on a 90-minute delayed opening, with students who are not scheduled for a math assessment reporting to school for a 9:50 start.
Thursday, November 13 - Reading
All students in grades 9-11 will participate in the reading portion of the assessments.
Testing will begin at 8:20.
The high school will operate on a 90-minute delayed opening with seniors reporting to school for a 9:50 start.
Friday, November 14 - Writing
All students in grades 9-11 will participate in the writing portion of the assessment.
Testing will begin at 8:20.
Morning classes will not be meeting to accommodate the 120-minute writing portion of the assessment. Seniors may report to school anytime prior to the start of afternoon classes and access our library media center or cafeteria.
Where to Find More Information
These assessments are computer-based, and students will use their school-issued Chromebooks. Students can access Practice tests by following the link. The NJDOE also provides resources for Students & Families by following the link.
How Can You Help
Please encourage your child to approach the field test as an opportunity to become more familiar with the testing environment and format.
If your child’s Chromebook needs repair, please have them bring it to our tech support office near room A123.
Students will be required to bring earbuds or headphones with a wire that connects to the Chromebook.
Additional information, including room assignments, will be shared with all students prior to the start of testing.
If you have any questions, please reach out to your assigned counselor.