How Many Princeton High School Students Exceeded PARCC Expectations?

Princeton, NJ -- On Tuesday, Patch reported that 10.7 percent of the students at Princeton High School are "not yet meeting expectations" in the English/Language section of the state’s Partnership for Assessment of Readiness for College and Careers (PARCC) tests, according to results released last week.

In high school, students in three grades take the test, with only the senior class not participating. In two of the three grade levels at Cinnaminson, the percentage of students exceeding expectations was actually greater than the percentage that failed to meet expectations.

The highest disparity was in the freshmen class, where 38.5 percent of students exceeded expectations, and 37.6 percent met them. Only 5 percent failed to meet expectations, and 10.4 percent were approaching them.

This was also the class with the greatest participation, as 221 of the registered 291 freshmen took the test, with a mean score of 774.

Out of 189 registered sophomores, 105 took the test, with a mean score of 767. A total of 33.3 percent of sophomores exceeded expectations, and 34.3 percent met them. Only 13.3 percent didn’t meet expectations, and another 17.1 percent were approaching them.

The junior class had the lowest turnout, as only 36 of the 100 registered juniors actually took the test, with a mean score of 747.

Out of this group, 19.4 percent of students exceeded expectations, and 27.8 percent met expectations. Only 13.9 percent didn’t meet expectations, and 27.8 percent were approaching expectations.

All numbers used in this story are related only to the English/Language results released by the State Department of Education last week.

Out of a list of 371 high schools that took the test, Princeton ranked No. 129.

The PARCC tests have been a source of controversy for more than a year. David Hespe, New Jersey’s commissioner of education, said last year that more than half of New Jersey’s kids are not ready for college based on the results of the tests, and many parents have opted to not have their children take the tests.

Earlier this year, the state reinforced the testing as the center of the Common Core Curriculum, and make it count more toward graduation.

To view results for all schools in all grades throughout the state, visit nj.gov.

Patch file photo