>Nearly one-quarter of New Jersey’s public and charter schools are “in need of improvement” after failing to meet federal targets on reading and math tests this past spring, state Education Department officials said Tuesday. Ridgewood High is one of 35 schools in Bergen County that was given “early warning” status, meaning it will be placed on the “improvement” list if it fails to measure up next year.
24 percent of New Jersey schools are “in need of improvement” under the federal No Child Left Behind Act, up from 23 percent last year. The label is based on statewide math and reading test scores. Students in Grades 3-8 and 11 are tested every year. Test results are analyzed by subgroup, based on students’ race, economic status and whether test takers are English-language learners or receive special education services. Traditionally, many schools have fallen short when a single subgroup missed the target.
A school’s target passing rates depend on the subject and grade level. In reading, it’s 75 percent of elementary students, 66 percent in middle school and 79 percent in high school. In math, the passing rate is 62 percent of elementary students, 49 percent in middle school and 64 percent in high school. The target rates increase every few years.
The law, which is up for reauthorization by Congress next year, states that 100 percent of students must pass the tests by 2014. That goal is controversial, with some educators arguing it is unrealistic for special-needs students or students who have not mastered English
