Hillsdale NJASK Results Show Fewer Low-Scoring Students

Hillsdale students generally had smaller percentages of low scores than students from similar districts on the NJASK test last year, according to data released by the district this week.

Students' scores on the NJASK are graded as either "partially proficient," "proficient" or "advanced proficient." School districts are compared to other districts from similar socio-economic areas, called District Factor Groups (DFG). Hillsdale's DFG includes some nearby towns including Paramus, Emerson and Northvale.

According to the testing data released this week, Hillsdale had smaller percentages of partially proficient scores than the DFG average in all grade levels except fifth and sixth grade math.

Hillsdale also had larger percentages of students score advanced proficient scores in third, sixth, seventh and eighth grade math, fourth, sixth and eighth grade language arts and eighth grade science than the DFG average. In other areas, Hillsdale was below the DFG average, though was generally close.

Meadowbrook School Principal Christopher Bell said he believed curriculum changes would help bring up students' scores. The schools are using a new writers' workshop format for language arts, have updated their terminology for math and are working with the Pascack Valley Regional Curriculum Office to create a new social studies curriculum for next year.

"By meeting the needs of every student, we're going to be able to move them from proficient to advanced proficient," Bell said.

The full 2012 District Testing Report is available online here.

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