Assemblywoman Mila Jasey (D-Essex, Morris) issued the following statement in response to the New Jersey Department of Education discontinuing the Start Strong assessment effective fall 2023:
“I applaud the Department of Education’s decision to discontinue the Start Strong assessment. While I understand the importance of testing to assess student learning, we should not be overwhelming our young learners with standardized tests that take away from classroom instruction time and provide data that many school districts already collect independently.
“Ending this assessment will allow students and teachers to begin the 2023-24 school year focused on learning rather than the disruption and unnecessary stress of standardized testing.”