BERKELEY, NJ — The Central Regional School District is looking to improve following the 2021-22 New Jersey Student Learning Assessments (NJSLA) results.
These are statewide standardized tests “that assess students’ progress toward the New Jersey Student Learning Standards in English Language Arts (ELA), mathematics, and science,” according to the New Jersey Department of Education.
Superintendent Dr. Tom Parlapanides went over the district’s results at a recent Board of Education meeting.
In mathematics and ELA/language arts, students fell mostly into “approaching expectations” and “meeting expectations” compared to the state as opposed to “exceeding expectations.
Parlapanides said that was due to the pandemic damaging education and hoped to see the scores jump.
The district is working on improving scores by using “data-driven instruction,” he explained.
Using a program called LinkIt!, the district will teach to students’ weaknesses and help them achieve more academically, Parlapanides said.
Standards-based benchmarks will be implemented, which will be analyzed along with NJSLA and Start Strong reports to drive instruction. NJSLA questions will also be infused into lessons.
Parlapanides also mentioned how more than 400 students graduate the high school with college credits. The school has professors teaching courses, which he said is the only school in Ocean County that does so.
A recent ranking by Niche, a site known for its rankings of schools, gave the district a rating of B-. Read More: Niche School Rankings: See Berkeley, Central Regional’s Grades
The most recent U.S. News ranking of high schools ranked Central Regional 301 out of 406 in the state, and 9,743 nationally out of nearly 24,000 schools.
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