BY AVNISH SINGH
MERUPULU.COM
High school students in New Jersey are required to pass a standardized test to graduate
Governor Phil Murphy waived the test requirement for the 2022-2023 school year.
Some lawmakers are pushing to make the waiver permanent.
Education advocates argue the test discriminates against students of color, English language learners, and students with disabilities.
39% of juniors who took the language arts test were ready to graduate, while 50% passed the math portion.
The test adds to student and teacher stress, contributing to mental health issues.
The New Jersey Graduation Proficiency Assessment is a requirement from a 1979 law and was waived in the 2019-2020 and 2020-2021 school years due to the pandemic.