Will Your Manchester Class Of 2016 Student Graduate?

MANCHESTER, NJ -- With PARCC scores finally released to parents and students, along with in-depth information on how students performed, a lot of families -- particularly those with students in the Class of 2016 -- are wondering whether their test scores are sufficient.

The initial plan for the PARCC (Partnership for Assessment of Readiness for College and Careers) tests was for it to immediately replace the High School Proficiency Assessment as a graduation requirement for this year’s seniors. But public outcry about the test led to state officials rolling back that requirement until at least 2020.

However, that rollback did not eliminate the need for students who are expecting to graduate this year having to pass a test of some sort to prove proficiency.

The state Department of Education set threshold scores for a variety of tests, including the PARCC, that students must achieve to receive their high school diploma.

For the Class of 2016, students have the following options:

• OPTION 1, PARCC: Scores of 725 or better on the 11th grade English-Language Arts and Algebra II tests
• OPTION 2, SAT: Scores of 400 or better on the Reading and Math portions of the exam, with the test taken before March 2016.
• OPTION 3, ACT: Scores of 16 or better on the Reading and Math or on the PLAN Reading and PLAN Math
• OPTION 4, ACCUPLACER: A 6 or better on the Write Placer, and a 76 or better on the Elementary Algebra
• OPTION 5, PSAT: 40 or better on both the Reading and Math for PSATs taken before October 2015
• OPTION 6, ACT Aspire: 422 or better on both the Aspire Reading and Aspire Math
• OPTION 7, ASVAB-AFQT Composite: A score of 31 or higher.

If a student does not achieve minimum scores for any of the test options, they can appeal to the state Department of Education for a portfolio review, which involves a review of the student’s school files.

In the Manchester Township School District, 88 out of 143 students registered for the PARCC had valid test scores for the Algebra II portion of the PARCC, with a mean (average) score of 705 -- below the minimum for graduation, according to PARCC information the state Department of Education released this week. On the 11th-grade English/Language Arts portion of the PARCC, 157 valid scores out of 253 students registered were recorded, with a mean of 723 -- just below the minimum of 725.

So a significant percentage of the Class of 2016 in the Brick schools will be relying on other tests to meet the graduation requirements.

For students graduating in 2017, 2018 or 2018, the scores for some tests are being revised to reflect the changes in the tests.

The PSAT required scores for those who took the PSATs in October 2015 are 22 for both math and reading, the state Department of Education said in the memo noting the updated scores. The SAT minimum scores will change as a new, revised test goes into effect in March. The College Board is expected to release those minimum scores in May, the state says.

For the Class of 2017 and the Class of 2018, the minimum PARCC scores are as follows:

Grade 9 English/Language Arts and Algebra I -- 750 or better.

Grade 10 English/Language Arts: 750 or better; Geometry, 725 or better.