New Jersey Releases Preliminary Math and Literacy Test Scores for Grades 3-9, Showing Continued Post-Pandemic Learning Challenges

Preliminary results from New Jersey's modernized state exams for grades 3-9 reveal that more than half of third-graders are not meeting literacy standards and a majority of eighth-graders are not achieving math standards. These scores indicate a continuation of post-pandemic learning trends, particularly in early childhood education. The New Jersey Department of Education shared these initial proficiency rates from the Student Learning Assessments-Adaptive administered in spring 2026, cautioning against direct comparisons to prior years due to changes in assessment standards.