NJ Students’ Test Results Reveal Gains in Science, But Math and Reading Lag Behind

Many New Jersey residents now know how their local public schools did on the recent statewide exams after the state’s education officials released results for more than 2,000 districts and schools. Mixed evidence suggests cautious optimism and prudence.

Good news: standardized test science scores rose. Science scores rose statewide for the first time since COVID-19 school closures. This suggests that New Jersey classrooms are improving scientific teaching despite years of uneven conditions.

Unlike math and ELA, science improved. Both student averages are below pre-pandemic norms. New Jersey public school students have struggled to learn basic topics pre-pandemic for four years. Many districts have learning gaps, especially for disadvantaged, young children.

Education experts believe a return to in-person instruction, hands-on learning, and lab-based curricula may have increased science proficiency. Math and reading are harder to recover, maybe because distance learning made ongoing instruction and reading support harder. After returning to school, students’ reading and arithmetic fluency issues persisted.

These findings give parents and community members hope and action. When teachers, students, and schools keep classrooms steady, science indicates learning can recover from big upheavals. Math and ELA underperformance suggests uneven education recovery that requires targeted effort. Schools may offer tutoring, summer programs, or after-school support to catch up.

The findings suggest policymakers and administrators prioritize academic recovery. Math support, curriculum pacing, and reading programs need improvement. Stability, continuous teaching, and hands-on learning improve science proficiency.

Families should remember that aggregate scores don’t tell the whole story when assessing their town’s score. Schools and students in each district may have fared better or worse. Engaged parents, educators, and community stakeholders can detect support needs and minimize student fallout.

This year’s results show that pandemic-era educational suspension can be partially regained. Science education in New Jersey is improving, but math and reading are still recovering, reminding us that all pupils will take time to catch up.

Sources:
New Jersey Department of Education — 2025 Standardized Test Score Release