The test is back
June 1, 2022
Hallways of Patrick M. Villano School were quiet as students took the New Jersey State Learning Assessment.
Students in New Jersey participated in the New Jersey Student Learning Assesment (NJSLA) after two years off due to Covid. The NJSLA testing took place in Patrick M. Villano School in late May over the course of two weeks. The results will show many just how much material they have learned in the last year.
“I am really excited to be taking my first NJSLA test because it is something I have never done before and I don’t know how it will go,” Kristian Waples said.
Waples feels the biggest challenge will be noises in the room around that could distracting.
“Advice for students is to just zone in on the task and do your best,” Waples explained.
Fifth grade teacher Kim Biggs says the state test is a great opportunity for the students of Emerson to show how smart they all are and how hard they work at school each day.
“Some of the testing blocks are a bit long, so I think it will be challenging for all of us to work straight through without any movement or brain breaks. I am hoping to see the students at Villano feeling successful and capable,” explained the fifth grade teacher, Kim Biggs.
While taking the NJSLA tests, students are required to sit for a certain period of time depending on the test. For Math, the test is 60 minutes. English Language Arts is 90 minutes long. Students in Grade 5 also took a Science test for 45 minutes.
“I am so proud of the work of our students and teachers and I see NJSLA testing as one avenue of being able to show the world how hard we are all working,” Principal Jessica Espinoza explained. “I think one of the biggest challenges is adapting to change in schedule and routine. Testing is and will be a part of student’s lives for a long time so the more they can feel good about the experience at a young age the more likely they will feel confident as they grow older.”
Students start taking the NJSLA tests in third grade and continue all the way through twelfth grade. During testing, students’ daily schedules change to accommodate the test length. Students take multiple days of Math and English, and some grades take science tests.