TRENTON, N.J. — A bill that would eliminate New Jersey’s high school exit exam, the New Jersey Graduation Proficiency Assessment (NJGPA), passed the full Assembly on Monday, bringing the state closer to joining the vast majority of the country in ending mandatory graduation testing.
Only six states still require a high school exit exam. Under the legislation sponsored by Assemblywoman Michele Matsikoudis, the NJGPA would no longer be a prerequisite for earning a state-endorsed diploma.
“Standardized testing when used properly is not without value. These assessments can play an important role in measuring student progress and identifying where additional support is needed. But this particular exam no longer serves its purpose,” Matsikoudis (R-Union) said before her vote in the Assembly Education Committee last week. “Students do not take it seriously. Districts can’t rely on the results. The data simply does not reflect real student learning. At the same time, administering this test pulls valuable time and resources from classroom instruction – time that would be far better spent teaching, mentoring and preparing students for life beyond high school.”
The NJGPA is currently administered in 11th grade in English and mathematics, typically through computer-based testing, though paper options are available for students requiring accommodations.
Matsikoudis’ bill (A-4121) would prohibit the State Board of Education from requiring a statewide graduation proficiency test as part of its graduation standards.
Gov. Phil Murphy previously waived testing requirements for the classes of 2020 and 2021 during the COVID-19 pandemic, when school buildings were closed. The class of 2023 took the NJGPA, but the results were used only for data collection and not tied to graduation eligibility.
“I believe our focus should always be on what best serves our students, not on maintaining outdated mandates that no longer deliver results. This bill allows us to modernize our approach, restore instructional time and reduce unnecessary costs all while preserving academic accountability in other forms,” Matsikoudis added.
