A bill that would eliminate New Jersey’s high school graduation proficiency test cleared the Assembly on Thursday, advancing a proposal that would end the state’s long-standing requirement that students pass a standardized exam in order to receive a diploma. The measure now heads to the Senate, where it has been referred to the Senate Education Committee, though no hearing has yet been scheduled.
New Jersey is one of a small number of states that still ties high school graduation to a state assessment. Assembly Bill A4121, sponsored by Assemblywomen Verlina Reynolds-Jackson and Alixon Collazos-Gill, would prohibit the State Board of Education from requiring the test as part of state or district graduation standards.
Currently, students take the exam in 11th grade and must achieve a passing score to graduate.
“We have great teachers, we have great administrators, we have great schools, and so students are tested throughout their academic journey,” said Assemblywoman Reynolds-Jackson (D-Hunterdon, Mercer). “To burden them with this high-stakes test that creates an unnecessary barrier to graduation is not only unfair, but short-sighted, as it can limit the students’ potential and shut the doors to future success.”
Supporters of the bill point to research showing that grade point average predicts college readiness far better than a single test—in some studies, up to five times better than standardized assessments.
Assemblywoman Collazos-Gill (D-Essex, Passaic) said the current requirement exacerbates inequities rooted in opportunity gaps.
“We’ve seen numerous studies revealing the flaws in standardized testing, from racial and socioeconomic biases, to inconsistency in classroom material… While some students have the time to study and prepare, others may face external pressures that can affect how they perform on the day of the exam,” Collazos-Gill said. “By moving away from these tests, we are able to better recognize each student’s unique strengths and create a more equitable path for them to pursue their future.”
With Assembly passage, the bill has cleared its first major hurdle. The next step is consideration by the Senate Education Committee, which will decide whether to advance the bill to the full Senate for a vote. As of Friday, no committee hearing date has been announced.
If approved by both chambers and signed by the governor, the legislation would bring New Jersey in line with most states, which have shifted away from single high-stakes graduation exams in favor of broader measures of student achievement.
