Murphy Plans To Kill Four PARCC Exams. Here's Who Could Get Out Of Testing

New Jersey's new governor wasn't able to fulfill his campaign promise to "scrap PARCC Day 1," but it appears he's now trying to kill at least some of the controversial tests. 

Gov. Phil Murphy's administration is proposing to eliminate four exams -- the Algebra II and Geometry exams, and the ninth- and 11th-grade exams in reading -- according to a state document posted on Facebook by Save Our Schools New Jersey, a parent group opposed to the tests. 

The changes would be part of a short-term plan to streamline the exams in New Jersey before the state can fully transition to a new standardized testing system, according to the document.

It's unclear whether the exams would be eliminated for the upcoming school year. The state Department of Education did not respond to a request for comment.

The Save Our Schools NJ Facebook post, published just after 1 p.m. Monday, was deleted after NJ Advance Media asked the state Department of Education for comment about it two hours later. It had already generated nearly 150 shares and several comments from parents asking for more information. 

Save Our Schools NJ is one of the state's must plugged-in parent groups. It closely tracks state education policy and often posts news on its Facebook page. 

Murphy's public schedule for Tuesday includes a 1 p.m. education announcement during his visit to the Golden Nugget casino in Atlantic City. It is not clear if he will be addressing this plan. 

Along with eliminating four exams, according to the document, Murphy wants to simplify New Jersey's graduation requirements by using only the remaining high school tests, Algebra I and the 10th-grade exam in English.

The state would not require students who fail the tests to retake them and would give students other pathways to meet the graduation requirements, according to the document. 

The potential elimination of some PARCC exams will be part of a series of proposed testing and graduation requirement changes that will be presented to the state Board of Education at its monthly meeting on Wednesday. 

The state typically makes the full agenda, including detailed explanations of action items, available on the Monday before the meeting. The agenda for Wednesday's meeting was posted online Monday but includes only one-line descriptions of action items without the usual access to read the full proposals. 

The document posted by Save Our Schools NJ appears to be part of the full description for a proposed revision to state regulations on standards and assessments, an item listed for first discussion. 

"The proposed amendments are in response to extensive stakeholder feedback gathered through a statewide assessment outreach," the document says. "The listening tour has allowed Department staff to gather insights from representatives with diverse educational perspectives and firsthand knowledge of the realities of test administration." 

Federal law requires states to administer standardized tests in math and English only one time during a student's high school years.

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