Students 'On Pace' For Career Readiness At Ramapo Indian Hills: Officials

WYCKOFF, NJ — Spring 2022 statewide assessment results are in, and students at Ramapo and Indian Hills High Schools scored higher than the state averages in nearly every subject assessed.

In an annual presentation of New Jersey Student Learning Assessment results, the regional school district's Director of Curriculum, Instruction and Articulation Elizabeth Fisher reported that a majority of ninth graders are meeting or exceeding grade-level expectations in English Language Arts and Literacy.

Fisher also said that the percentages of students (incl. grades 9 through 11) in Geometry and Algebra 2 scoring at those levels on the Mathematics portion are far above the state averages. She added that 11th graders who took the state science assessment also outperform the state average.

In fact, only students (incl. grades 9 through 11) in Algebra 1 lagged behind their peers across the state. Fisher assured that the district would review assessment results to determine what needs to be spiraled into their next courses to work on their algebraic skills and develop their mathematical reasoning.

Fisher reported that 66% of ninth graders met or exceeded expectations, and are "on pace" for college and career readiness; this performance is compared to the state average of 48.9%.

63% of all students enrolled in Geometry met or exceeded expectations, surpassing the state average of 44%, and a whopping 94% of students in Algebra 2 — among the district's most advanced Math students — did the same, surpassing the state average of 53%.

In the Science assessment, scored on a 1-4 scale measuring proficiency (unlike the English and Math assessments), 35% of participating 11th graders achieved proficiency or advanced proficiency — compared with the 29% state average. This comes, Fisher noted, even as much of science, such as in-person experiments and lab meetings, was interrupted in the past couple of years.

Fisher said that a focus of the district's will be on Algebra 1 students, only 31.2% of whom met or exceeded expectations, reflecting a performance that is slightly below the state average of 34.8%. A majority of students, 41.4%, are "approaching" expectations, the data showed.

"Prior to the assessment, (the curriculum department) did recognize a dip in Math performance and began to develop support to develop skills and content mastery," Fisher said. "We are utilizing resources available to support students' understanding of questions, skills and content that the NJSLA assesses."