Teaneck Public Schools will begin administration of the NJDOE Start Strong Assessment on September 6, 2022 and will complete testing, districtwide, by September 30, 2022. All students, including students with disabilities who are not eligible for the Dynamic Learning Maps (DLM) assessments and English Language Learners (ELLs), will be expected to participate in the Start Strong assessments as per the New Jersey Department of Education. 

The Start Strong Assessments:

• Are based on a subset of prioritized prior-year academic standards;
• Are available in ELA grades 4-10, Mathematics grades 4-8, Algebra I, Geometry and Algebra II, and in Science grades 6, 9, and 12;
• Can be administered in approximately 45-60 minutes;
• Will provide immediate results to educators through the assessment platform; and
• Will include the same accessibility features and accommodations as the NJSLA, including forms in Spanish and Text to Speech (TTS).

Administering the Start Strong assessments at the beginning of the school year provides the best opportunity for students, parents, and educators to receive standards-aligned data which assists with making informed decisions to address student learning needs. As with all other state assessments, students who are permitted extra time or other accommodations as per their 504 or IEP  will receive their individual accommodations during the Start Strong administration.

Parents/Guardians will be provided with an Individual Student Report (ISR) following the close of the assessment window at the end of October.  The ISR will provide parents with a sense of their child's understanding in the tested content areas; a description of the major concepts that were tested; and a starting point for discussions with their child and teacher(s) about areas where students may need additional support.