ERIC Number: ED181485
Record Type: Non-Journal
Publication Date: 1979-Dec
Pages: 10
Abstractor: N/A
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: N/A
EISSN: N/A
Statewide Testing in New Jersey.
Lutz, William D.
In March 1977, the New Jersey Board of Higher Education created the New Jersey Basic Skills Assessment Program. To direct the program, the Board created the Basic Skills Council, which was charged with developing a test in reading, writing, and mathematics for all freshmen entering all New Jersey public colleges and universities. The purpose was to identify those students who might need remedial work before they could undertake regular college-level courses. The test was developed as a multiple choice test over the basic skills areas and a 20-minute essay written on an assigned topic. The essay is scored holistically by New Jersey college faculty. The test is used for placement purposes only, not for admission. Each college is responsible for interpreting the test scores according to its own academic standards. In the fall of 1978, 42,984 students were tested and in the fall of 1979, 47,725 students were tested. The results indicated a widespread need for remediation among entering freshmen. In 1978, 92% of those tested considered themselves average or above in their written expression ability; however, 43% were identified by their colleges as needing remedial work in writing. An analysis by one college of the value of using the test for placement indicated that only 3% of the students had been placed in inappropriate courses. Separate funding is now provided for remedial/developmental purposes. (MKM)
Publication Type: Reports - Descriptive; Speeches/Meeting Papers
Education Level: N/A
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Identifiers - Location: New Jersey
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A