Understanding the Graduation Requirements

PARCC results for the 15-16 school year were mailed home on Friday, which have some ramifications related to graduation requirements. 

Over the last two years, the NJ Department of Education has made changes and updates related to high school graduation requirements.  Last year, the New Jersey Department of Education approved the threshold score points (‘cut points’) to define the performance levels on the PARCC assessments.

On August 3, 2016, the State Board of Education approved updated state regulations for the high school graduation assessments requirements in both English Language Arts (ELA) and Mathematics for the Classes of 2017 through 2021 and beyond.
NJDOE memo regarding Graduation requirements August 2016

Students graduating as members of the classes of 2017 through 2019 (Current Sophomores, Juniors & Seniors) can meet graduation assessment requirements through a variety of ways, including:

(1) Achieving passing scores on certain PARCC assessments;

(2) Achieving certain scores on alternative assessments such as the SAT, ACT, or Accuplacer (See chart below); or,

(3) The submission by the District of a student portfolio through the Department’s portfolio appeals process.

(Special Education students whose Individualized Education Plans (IEPs) specify an alternative way to demonstrate proficiency will continue to follow the graduation requirements set forth in their IEPs.)

The Class of 2020 (Current Freshman) can demonstrate graduation assessment proficiency through the same alternative means as those in the Classes of 2017 through 2019, provided that students in the Class of 2020 take all end-of-course PARCC assessments for which they are eligible as of the effective date of when the amendments were adopted by the State Board of Education. 
(According to the state memo, all current 9th graders must take the PARCC)

For the Class of 2021 (Current 8th Graders) and thereafter, students who have not demonstrated proficiency on the ELA 10 and Algebra 1 assessments and have taken all end-of-course PARCC assessments for which they are eligible, can demonstrate graduation assessment proficiency by meeting the criteria of the portfolio appeals process.

Resources 

In addition to the PARCC Assessment, students can meet the graduation requirement by demonstrating competency in one of the alternative assessments approved by the NJDOE in both English Language Arts and Math. See chart below.

English Language Arts	Mathematics
PARCC ELA Grade 9 >= 750 (Level 4) or	PARCC Algebra I >= 750 (Level 4) or
PARCC ELA Grade 10 >=750 (Level 4) or	PARCC Geometry >= 725 (Level 3) or
PARCC ELA Grade 11 >= 725 (Level 3) or	PARCC Algebra II >= 725 (Level 3) or
Prior to 3/1/16 SAT Critical Reading >= 400 or	Prior to 3/1/16 SAT Math  >= 400 or
3/1/16 or later SAT Evidence-Based Reading and Writing Section >= 450 OR SAT Reading Test >= 22	3/1/16 or later SAT Math Section >= 440 OR SAT Math Test >= 22
ACT Reading or ACT PLAN Reading >= 16 or	ACT or ACT PLAN Math>= 16 or
Accuplacer Write Placer >= 6 or Accuplacer Write Placer ESL >= 4 or	Accuplacer Elementary Algebra >= 76 or
PSAT10 Reading or PSAT/NMSQT Reading (Prior to 10/15) >=40 or PSAT10 Reading or PSAT/NMSQT Reading  After (10/15) >=22 or	PSAT10 Math or PSAT/NMSQT Reading (Prior to 10/15) >=40 or PSAT10 Math or PSAT/NMSQT Reading  After (10/15) >=22 or
ACT Aspire Reading >= 422 or	ACT Aspire Math >= 422 or
ASVAB-AFQT Composite >=31 or	ASVAB-AFQT Composite >=31 or
Meet the Criteria of the NJDOE Portfolio Appeal	Meet the Criteria of the NJDOE Portfolio Appeal