The week of May 16th, 2022, freshmen will be taking the NJSLA. This testing, like many other years, will demonstrate where students are at in terms of learning progression and level of education. 

Previous years show that while one grade does some kind of testing, such as the PSATs or NJSLA, the other grades will have somewhat of a delayed opening or late start. The non-testing students are held in the auditorium or commons – the choice is theirs. Then, when testing is over, a delayed opening-type schedule begins. 

While the NJSLA may seem like a routine that students are used to, there wasn’t much notice this time. The testing usually happens in April, but it got delayed and there weren’t many people who realized it was coming. This was public knowledge, yet it was only talked about around a week before. 

Freshman Kayla Gebolys said, “I don’t think we should be doing testing, you know what I mean, ‘cause all it does is take away time we could be doing actual work. On top of all the testing, we’ll have normal tests and homework, it’s just too much.” 

She’s not the only one who thinks that – Freshman Molly Strauss said “I am ready for the year to end, there’s less than 30 days left, and now they expect me to do all of this testing? I don’t really see the point.” 

On top of the short notice that came with the NJSLA preparation, many freshmen are unhappy about being forced to take these tests. It was optional in middle school, but now, the 9th grade is in for a rude awakening, because it is completely mandatory, with the exceptions of excused absence days. Make- up test opportunities will also be available.

The schedule for this spring’s testing, starting the 16th, begins the week with three days of English and two days of math. Freshmen go in at the normal starting time, 7:20, to take the test, while the other grades come at a later time and wait for the 9th graders to finish. Then the following week Juniors will be taking only science testing. 

Regardless of the disruption, officials hope that testing gives them information and data about the students and their progress of knowledge.