Newark PARCC Refusals Among Highest In NJ: Report

Essex County is a hotspot for the anti-PARCC movement, according to a recent report.

Four Essex County school districts in the county recently ranked in the top 10 with the most students to refuse to take the online PARCC exams, NJ Spotlight stated.

Science Park High School topped the list.

“While this list is dominated by schools from the wealthier suburbs, Newark’s selective Science Park High School led the way in terms of percentages, with an active student group doing much of the organizing against the testing,” NJ Spotlight wrote. “Better than 9 in 10 students didn’t take the 10th-grade language arts tests and the Algebra II test.”

• See related article: Science Park High School Ranks Among the Nation’s ‘Most Challenging’

Montclair High School ranked #2 on the list.

“Right up the road, Montclair was a hotbed of the protest movement in a number of its schools,” NJ Spotlight reported. “At the high school, 92 percent of 11th-graders didn’t take the language arts test, and 80 percent weren’t counted on any of the math tests.”

• See related article: Montclair School District Releases Final PARCC Refusal Totals

Coming in at #9 was Livingston High School.

“This Essex County high school drew some media attention when its superintendent informed families of the process for sitting out the exams,” NJ Spotlight stated. “In the end, 90 percent of 11th graders skipped the language arts test, although that dropped to 54 percent for ninth-graders.”

• See related article: Livingston Superintendent Sticks Up for PARCC Opt-Out Movement

West Orange High School was among several schools to tie for #10.

“[WOHS was among] dozens of high schools where at least a half of the students sat out one PARCC test or another,” NJ Spotlight stated.

• See related article: Opposition Mobilizes Against PARCC
• See related article: PARCC Law Passes In NJ: Schools Can’t Be Penalized For Opt-Outs

Sign up for Patch email newsletters here.