Helen Corveleyn, MAT
Hopewell Valley Regional School District
Timberlane Middle School
STEM Educator

As National STEM Day is in November, it is the perfect time to reflect on the incredible impact that science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) has on our learners. It is crucial to introduce the STEM skills of critical thinking and data-driven problem-solving in the pre-kindergarten classroom. Creativity is at its peak in our youngest learners’ minds. As educators, we must take that seed of ingenuity and cultivate it through the elementary years. That seed will grow firmly planted roots in middle school and high school. Then, as students enter their post-secondary lives, they will have unique fruits to add to the garden of knowledge.

We shouldn't limit the STEM mindset to just one type of student—a STEM-kid. When STEM is thoughtfully integrated into all curricula, it is a powerful driver of transdisciplinary thinking. Skills such as iteration, experimentation, data analysis, risk assessment create better thinkers in all content areas. Design thinking—a core tenet of engineering—is present in art, music, and the humanities. When students learn and apply technology and engineering skills in all content areas from pre-K to grade 12, they create meaningful and lasting connections to the hard sciences.

A few years ago, I decided I would no longer teach STEM skills to kindergarten students in the hopes that they would catch on and develop a love for STEM. I changed my approach. We tested force on the playground using slides, swings, and climbing equipment. The students would run to me and say, “I love doing this! Testing and experimenting are so fun!” My response to them was explicit to STEM: “If you love this, it’s because you love physics.” As educators, we must directly influence and name the STEM areas both where students excel and where they struggle. It’s time to start telling your students, “Woah. That was hard for you. You failed but persisted. You learned and tried again, and that makes you good at STEM.”

The Office of Assessment oversees the administration of New Jersey’s Statewide Assessment Program, as mandated by the federal Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) and New Jersey state statute. The Office of Assessment supports New Jersey’s local education agencies (LEAs) with technical and policy-related guidance on implementing statewide assessments. The core objectives of the office include:

• Maintaining the validity of the measurements obtained through participation in New Jersey’s statewide assessments by ensuring that the assessments are delivered to students with fidelity and in alignment with industry best practices.
• Ensuring compliance with federal and state assessment and accountability laws.
• Engaging with stakeholders to create feedback loops for the continual improvement of New Jersey’s Statewide Assessment Program.
• Ensuring that the field has access to high-quality support and guidance resources which promote accurate understanding of legal requirements, policy, and best practices in the administration of statewide assessments and the use of assessment data.

The assessment programs overseen by the Office of Assessment include:

• New Jersey Student Learning Assessment (NJSLA) for English language arts, mathematics and science;
• New Jersey Graduation Proficiency Assessment (NJGPA);
• Dynamic Learning Maps (DLM);
• ACCESS and Alternate ACCESS for ELLs;
• National Assessment for Educational Progress (NAEP); and
• Portfolio Appeals.

The participation of New Jersey’s valued educators is a key component in the success of the assessments. To ensure the continuation of this essential partnership, the Office of Assessment will be recruiting for the educator advisory committees later this year. Information on how to apply for the science assessment advisory committees will be posted by the end of 2023. The recruitment information for the English language arts and mathematics committees will be posted in the spring of 2024.

Additional Resources

The following resources are available for more information about statewide assessments in New Jersey:

• NJSLA/NJGPA Resources for Districts
• Dynamic Learning Maps (DLM) New Jersey
• National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP)
• New Jersey WIDA State Page
• Graduation Assessment Requirements

Contact Us

Office of Assessment: assessment@doe.nj.gov