New Jersey Department of Education

Update: Graduation Assessment Requirements Waived for 2020-2021 School Year

On January 11, 2021, Governor Murphy signed Executive Order 214. Recognizing that students expected to graduate in the class of 2021 have faced more challenges in accessing graduation assessment requirements than those in previous graduating classes, the Executive Order waives the statutory graduation assessment requirement pursuant to N.J.S.A. 18A:7C-1 et seq. for any 12th grade student who has not yet satisfied the assessment requirement. This waiver includes the requirement to complete the portfolio appeals process. Students in the class of 2021 must still meet all the other State and local graduation requirements, including but not limited to credit, curriculum, and attendance requirements. 

Graduation Student Data Submission

For the NJ SMART SID Management during the summer Graduation Data Student Submission period, districts should continue to use a School Exit Withdrawal Code of L (Graduation) for students whose graduation assessment requirements are waived under this Executive Order but who have met or will meet all other graduation requirements.  

Students who were able to meet the graduation assessment requirements for English language arts (ELA) and/or mathematics by demonstrating proficiency on the statewide assessment or by meeting the designated cut score on an alternative assessment should use the appropriate pathway option (“A”-“N”) to indicate how the requirements were met and should not use the “W” option. The “W” option for the English Language Arts (ELA) and Mathematics Graduation Pathway indicator will be added back to NJ SMART for districts to identify students whose graduation assessments requirements were waived. 

Contact Information

Contact the NJ SMART help desk at (800) 254-0295 or njsmart@pcgus.com with questions about NJ SMART. For questions regarding the graduation assessment requirements, contact the Office of Assessments at 609-376-3960 or assessment@doe.nj.gov.  

Page Last Updated: 02/10/2021 08:25:55

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