On August 3, 2016, the State Board of Education approved updated state regulations for the high school graduation assessments requirements in both English language arts (ELA) and mathematics for the Classes of 2016 through 2021, and beyond. These new state regulations (N.J.A.C. 6A:8-5.1) became effective on September 6, 2016.

The Classes of 2017, 2018, and 2019 – Students graduating as members of the Classes of 2017, 2018 and 2019 can meet graduation assessment requirements through any of these three pathways:

1. Achieving passing scores on high-level PARCC assessments;
2. Achieving certain scores on alternative assessments such as the SAT, ACT, or Accuplacer; or
3. The submission by the district of a student portfolio through the Department’s portfolio appeals process.

(Special Education students whose Individualized Education Plans (IEPs) specify an alternative way to demonstrate proficiencies will continue to follow the graduation requirements set forth in their IEPs.)

The Class of 2020 – Students in the Class of 2020 can demonstrate graduation assessment proficiency through the same three pathways as those in the Classes of 2017 through 2019, provided that students in the Class of 2020 take all PARCC assessments associated with the high-school level courses for which they were eligible* and receive valid scores, as of the September 6, 2016 effective date of the amendments were adopted by the State Board of Education.

The Class of 2021 and Beyond – Starting with the Class of 2021, students will only have two pathways to meet the high school graduation assessments requirements:

1. Pass the ELA 10 and Algebra 1 assessments; or
2. The submission by the district of a student portfolio through the Department’s portfolio appeals process, assuming the student has taken all PARCC assessments associated with the high-school level courses for which they were eligible* and receives valid scores.

Each school year the NJDOE will determine the proficiency level needed on the assessments to meet the requirements.

It is important to note that our students have always been able to meet graduation requirements through an alternative assessment or pathway to graduation throughout New Jersey’s forty-year history with a statewide assessment program, and will continue to be able to do so.

In this document, you will find charts containing the list of assessment requirements in both ELA and mathematics for the high school graduation Classes of 2017 through 2021.

Note: * “Eligible” is defined as a student who is enrolled in a high-school level course for which there is a PARCC test and receives a valid score. This includes all of these courses: Algebra I, Geometry, Algebra II, ELA 9, ELA 10, and ELA 11.