Eliminates high school graduation proficiency test.

A1716

ASSEMBLY, No. 1716

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

222nd LEGISLATURE

�

PRE-FILED FOR INTRODUCTION IN THE 2026 SESSION

Sponsored by:

Assemblywoman VERLINA REYNOLDS-JACKSON

District 15 (Hunterdon and Mercer)

Assemblywoman ALIXON COLLAZOS-GILL

District 27 (Essex and Passaic)

Co-Sponsored by:

Assemblywomen Morales, Katz, Assemblymen Stanley, Freiman,
Assemblywomen Drulis, Murphy and Haider

SYNOPSIS

���� Eliminates high school graduation proficiency test.

CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT

���� Introduced Pending Technical Review by Legislative
Counsel.

��

An Act
concerning the high school graduation proficiency test,
supplementing P.L.1979, c.241 (C.18A:7C-1 et seq.), and amending various parts
of the statutory law.

����
Be It
Enacted
by the Senate and General Assembly of
the State of New Jersey:

���� 1.��� (New section)�
Notwithstanding the provisions of any law, rule, or regulation to the contrary,
the State Board of Education shall not require as part of the standards for
graduation from secondary school, developed pursuant to section 1 of P.L.1979,
c.241 (C.18A:7C-1), that any secondary school pupil achieve satisfactory
performance on any Statewide proficiency test.

���� 2���� Section 1 of P.L.1979,
c.241 (C.18A:7C-1) is amended to read as follows:

���� 1.� By July 1, 1980 the
Commissioner of Education with the approval of the State Board of Education
shall establish a program of standards for graduation from� secondary school.�
Such a program shall include, but not be limited to:

���� a.����
[
The
development of a Statewide assessment test in reading, writing and
computational skills to be administered to all secondary school pupils as
provided herein;
]

(Deleted by amendment, P.L.��� , c.��� ) (pending before the Legislature as
this bill)

���� b.���
[
Clear and
explicit Statewide levels
]

Levels
of proficiency in reading, writing
,
and computational
skills to be demonstrated as a minimum requirement for high school graduation
to
be determined by local boards of education
;

���� c.���� Guidelines for the
development of graduation standards by local boards of education;

���� d.��� Guidelines for
remediation procedures for pupils who fail to meet graduation standards;� and

���� e.���� Guidelines for
graduation standards for those pupils classified pursuant� to chapter 46 of
Title 18A of the New Jersey Statutes.

(cf: P.L.1979, c.241, s.1)

���� 3.��� Section 2 of P.L.1979,
c.241 (C.18A:7C-2) is amended to read as follows:

���� 2.��� Pursuant to guidelines
established by the Commissioner of Education, each board of education shall
establish standards for graduation from its secondary schools.� The standards
shall include, but need not be limited to:

���� a.����
[
Satisfactory
performance on the Statewide assessment test as provided for in section 1 of
P.L.1979, c.241 (C.18A:7C-1);
]

(Deleted by amendment, P.L.���� , c.���� ) (pending before the Legislature
as this bill)

���� b.��� Demonstration of
proficiencies in those subject areas and skills identified by the board as
necessary for graduation
[
other
than those assessed by the Statewide assessment tests
]

���� The
[
Commissioner of Education
]

commissioner

shall monitor local plans for the assessment of proficiencies required for
graduation including techniques and instruments to be used to determine pupil
proficiency;� required programs designed to provide the opportunity for pupils
to progress toward the mastery of proficiencies required for graduation;� and
remediation programs for pupils who fail to meet graduation proficiency
standards in order to assure compliance with the requirement of P.L.1979, c.241
(C.18A:7C-1 et seq.).

���� The
[
Commissioner of Education
]

commissioner

shall, upon request of the local board, provide such technical assistance as
may be necessary to aid a district in the planning, implementation
,
and
evaluation of graduation standards.

(cf: P.L.1996, c.138, s.46)

���� 4.��� Section 4 of P.L.1979,
c.241 (C.18A:7C-4) is amended to read as follows:

���� 4.��� All students who meet
State and local graduation requirements shall receive a State endorsed diploma;
provided, however, that the Commissioner of Education shall approve any State
endorsed diploma which utilizes the comprehensive assessment techniques as
provided in section 3 of P.L.1979, c.241 (C.18A:7C-3).

���� Local districts may not
provide a high school diploma to students not meeting these standards.� Any
out-of-school youth or adult age 18 or over who has otherwise met the district
graduation requirements but has
[
failed
to earn
]

not previously been granted
a State endorsed diploma
[
may take the
graduation proficiencies test which has been developed and administered under
the auspices of the Commissioner of Education.� Upon passing this test, a State
endorsed diploma will be granted
]

may apply for and shall be granted a State endorsed diploma
.

���� Each board of education shall
provide, in a format approved by the
[
Commissioner
of Education
]

commissioner
, a performance transcript for each student leaving
secondary school.

(cf: P.L.1988, c.168, s.2)

���� 5.��� Section 3 of P.L.2015,
c.303 (C.18A:7C-15) is amended to read as follows:

���� 3.��� a.� The State Board of
Education shall promulgate rules pursuant to the "Administrative Procedure
Act," P.L.1968, c.410 (C.52:14B-1 et seq.), establishing criteria for the
award of a State Seal of Biliteracy. The criteria shall require a student to
demonstrate proficiency in English by meeting State high school graduation
requirements in English, including through State assessments and credits, and
proficiency in one or more foreign languages other than English. The criteria
shall permit a student to demonstrate proficiency in a foreign language other
than English through multiple methods, including nationally or internationally
recognized language proficiency tests.

���� For the purposes of this
section, a foreign language other than English shall also include American Sign
Language, Latin, and Native American languages.

���� b.��� The Commissioner of
Education shall prepare and deliver to participating school districts a
certificate to be awarded to the student and an appropriate insignia to be
affixed to the transcript of the student indicating that the student has been
awarded the State Seal of Biliteracy. The commissioner shall also provide any
information the commissioner deems necessary for a school district to
successfully participate in the program.

���� c.���� A school district that
participates in the program under this section shall maintain appropriate
records in order to identify students who have earned the State Seal of
Biliteracy, and shall award the certificate and affix the appropriate insignia
to a qualifying student's transcript.

���� d.��� A school district that
participates in the program may pay the costs of the program or may charge a
fee to students who participate to cover the costs.

����
e.���� Nothing in this
section shall be construed as requiring a student participating in the State
Seal of Biliteracy program to take a State graduation proficiency assessment as
a requirement for graduation from secondary school.

(cf: P.L.2015, c.303, s.3)

���� 6.��� Section 3 of P.L.1995,
c.235 (C.18A:7E-3) is amended to read as follows:

���� 3.��� Report cards issued
pursuant to section 2 of P.L.1995, c.235 (C.18A:7E-2) shall include, but not be
limited to, the following information for:

���� a.���� the school district and
for each school within the district, as appropriate:

���� (1)�� results of the
elementary assessment programs;

���� (2)�� results of the Early
Warning Test;

���� (3)��
[
results of the
High School Proficiency Test;
]

(Deleted by amendment, P.L.���� , c.���� ) (pending before the Legislature
as this bill)

���� (4)�� daily attendance records
for students and professional staff;

���� (5)�� student graduation and
dropout rates;

���� (6)�� annual student scores on
the Scholastic Aptitude Test;

���� (7)�� total student
enrollment, percentage of limited English proficient students, percentage of
students in advanced placement courses, and any other school characteristics
which the commissioner deems appropriate;

���� (8)�� instructional resources
including teacher/student ratio, average class size and amount of instructional
time per day, as calculated by formulas specified by the commissioner;

���� (9) a written narrative by the
school principal or a designee which describes any special achievements,
events, problems or initiatives of the school or district;

���� (10) data identifying the
number and nature of all reports of harassment, intimidation, or bullying;

���� (11) indicators of student
career readiness;

���� (12) the number and percentage
of students who were chronically absent, as defined in rules and regulations
promulgated by the Commissioner of Education within 90 days of the effective
date of P.L.2018, c.23 (C.18A:38-25.1 et al.), including the number and
percentage of students who were chronically absent disaggregated by multiple
student subgroups to be determined by the commissioner;

���� (13) the number, percentage,
and demographics, including race, gender, disability, grade level, and
eligibility for free or reduced-price lunch under the National School Lunch
Program, of students who received one or more suspensions or expulsions or who
were reported to or arrested by law enforcement, by category of offense,
pursuant to the provisions of the Uniform State Memorandum of Agreement Between
Education and Law Enforcement Officials; and

���� (14) the number of school
psychologists, school counselors, social workers, student assistance
coordinators, and other mental health professionals employed by, or under
contract with, the school district to provide mental health services to
students, and the ratio of students to the total number of mental health
professionals providing services in the school and the district; and

���� (15) the number of school�
safety specialists; and

���� b.��� the school district, as
appropriate:

���� (1)�� per pupil expenditures
and State aid ratio;

���� (2)�� percent of budget
allocated for salaries and benefits of administrative personnel;

���� (3)�� percent of budget
allocated for salaries and benefits of teachers;

���� (4)�� percentage increase over
the previous year for salaries and benefits of administrative and instructional
personnel;

���� (5)�� the number of
administrative personnel and the ratio of administrative personnel to
instructional personnel;

���� (6)�� a profile of the most
recent graduating class concerning their educational or employment plans
following graduation; and

���� (7)�� any other information
which the commissioner deems appropriate.

���� For the purposes of this
section, the
[
Commissioner
of Education
]

commissioner
shall establish a uniform methodology for the reporting of
the data concerning administrative personnel on a full-time equivalent basis.

(cf: P.L.2021, c.387, s.1)

���� 7.��� Section 10 of P.L.2011,
c.176 (C.18A:36C-10) is amended to read as follows:

���� 10.� a.� The renaissance
school project shall be authorized for 10 years from the date of opening,
subject to periodic reviews by the commissioner.� The renaissance school
project shall be automatically renewed for additional five-year periods
provided there is not a breach of the agreement that outlines the terms and
conditions of the renaissance school project.

���� Every
[
ten
]

10

years, the commissioner shall conduct a comprehensive review of the renaissance
school project prior to granting a renewal.� Renewal at these 10-year intervals
shall be presumed� provided there is not a breach of the agreement that
outlines the terms and conditions of the renaissance school project and the
renaissance school project's average percent of students proficient on the New
Jersey
[
Assessment
of Skills and Knowledge
]

Student Learning Assessments
, if the school includes any grades from three
to eight,
[
or
on the New Jersey High School Proficiency Assessment, if the school includes
grades 11 and 12,
]

exceed the average percent of students proficient for the renaissance school
district in which it is located in like grades by 15 percent or more in
language arts literacy, mathematics, or both after five years, and 25 percent
or more in language arts literacy, mathematics, or both after
[
ten
]

10

years, or achieves the State-level proficiency standards during that period.

���� b.��� The commissioner shall
periodically assess whether each renaissance school project is meeting its
goals and improving student achievement.� In order to facilitate the
commissioner's review, each renaissance school project shall submit an annual
report to the commissioner in the form prescribed by the commissioner.� The
report shall be received annually by August 1 and shall be made publicly
available immediately thereafter, including on the Department of Education's
website.�

���� c.���� The commissioner shall
have on-going access to the records and facilities of the renaissance school
project and the nonprofit entity to ensure that the renaissance school project
is in compliance with its organizational document and with State laws and regulations.

���� d.��� Five years following the
date of the opening of the� third renaissance school project, or
[
ten
]

10

years after the opening of the first renaissance school project, whichever
occurs first, a review of the efficacy of the program shall be conducted by an
independent education researcher or research organization selected by the
commissioner.� The independent review shall be funded by the Department of
Education.� The review shall include interviews with staff, parents, and
resident district representatives, and a fiscal and educational assessment.�
The commissioner shall report the results of the review to the Governor, the
State Board of Education, and to the Legislature as provided pursuant to
section 2 of P.L.1991, c.164 (C.52:14-19.1), and, in addition, the Governor
shall report on the efficacy of the renaissance school projects in educating students
and whether additional renaissance school districts should be authorized and,
if so, how many.� The commissioner shall also recommend any changes to this act
deemed appropriate based on experience with the renaissance school projects and
the independent review.

(cf: P.L.2011, c.176, s.10)

���� 8.��� The following are
repealed:

���� Section 6 of P.L.1979, c.241
(C.18A:7C-6);

���� Section 5 of P.L.1988, c.168
(C.18A:7C-6.1);

���� Section 7 of P.L.1988, c.168
(C.18A:7C-10); and

���� Section 8 of P.L.1988, c.168
(C.18A:7C-11).

���� 9.��� This act shall take
effect immediately.

STATEMENT

���� This bill eliminates the high
school graduation proficiency test, which is required under current law to be
taken in the 11th grade.

���� The bill prohibits the State
Board of Education from including in the standards for graduation from high
school a requirement that students achieve satisfactory performance on the
Statewide graduation proficiency test.

���� The bill also amends current
law to remove various references to the graduation proficiency test, including:
the requirement that a Statewide proficiency test be included in the State or
district standards for graduation from high school; the requirement that an
out-of-school youth or adult age 18 or older pass the graduation proficiency
test before being granted a State endorsed diploma; the requirement that school
district report cards include information regarding the results of the
graduation proficiency test; and the requirement that renaissance school
projects be evaluated based on students� performance on the graduation
proficiency test. The bill clarifies that a student participating in the State
Seal of Biliteracy program would not be required to take a State graduation
proficiency test as a condition of graduation from high school.

���� Finally, the bill repeals the
section of law that requires the State to administer a graduation proficiency
test to all 11th grade students and certain 12th grade students, and repeals
the section of law that requires the Commissioner of Education to consult with
educators, parents, students, business and community representatives, and
members of minority groups while developing the graduation proficiency test.
The bill also repeals sections of law requiring the commissioner and the Joint
Committee on the Public Schools to review and report on performance on the
graduation proficiency test.