Wake Up Call New Jersey

Over the past 20 years, “the already-substantial gap between the most advanced and most challenged fourth graders expanded by 1.3 years’ worth of learning gains.” Average NAEP scores were falling even before COVID. But that average can hide an even more worrisome trend - the lowest scoring students are struggling more than ever. This is true in NJ, where we largely lack strategic plans that center around transparency and accountability for closing this learning gap. In order to fix this problem, we first have to share an understanding of its size and stakes. Learn more from this article by @KevinMahnken for @The74: the74million.org/article/the-90…

Your student’s teacher will be glad - and probably a little surprised - to hear this question. NJSLA exams are fast approaching and you can help your child prepare. Practicing core skills will ensure not only a quality grade, but quality of life in all the years to come. That’s because higher standardized test scores correlate with the positive achievements everyone wants for their children. Get your kid ready for life by working with their teacher today! Find more useful conversation starters on our website: wakeupcallnj.com/questionsforyo…

Make this make sense. The @CollegeBoard has significantly watered down AP exams over the last decade. A high score that used to require mastery now only requires basic understanding. A 4, or even a 5, no longer guarantees that a student is ready for college courses. We’re seeing that play out for hundreds of thousands of NJ students. Remedial courses are costing college freshman not only money, but the chance to graduate on time - or at all. Students deserve better. Let’s raise expectations, so that raising scores means real achievement. Read more from Paul E. Peterson in @EducationNext: educationnext.org/dumbing-down-o…

Get more math your kid can use to succeed on the court, in the classroom, and throughout their life with our Math Checkups: wakeupcallnj.com/mathcheckups

New piece up at @CenterforEdProg about grade inflation - check it out! educationprogress.org/p/grade-inflat…

There’s a real cost when we graduate high school students without preparing them for life or college. Let’s not lower our requirements for that diploma. Let’s show students we believe in their ability to learn all they’ll need in the real world. Learn more at: wakeupcallnj.com/nj-education-f…

The “Mississippi Miracle" isn't limited to reading. Data transparency and high expectations can also revolutionize math outcomes. How is a state with significantly fewer resources out-pacing us in growth? Much of the problem is our Transparency Gap. In NJ, there is a stark disconnect between classroom grades and state proficiency. While report cards are filled with As and Bs, the NJSLA results show a different reality: more than half of our students lack grade-level math skills. Meanwhile, Mississippi proved that "demographics are not destiny." With timely data, accountability, and instructional alignment, they’ve served their most disadvantaged students with the challenge that all kids deserve. It's time for New Jersey to show we also believe in our children with similar methods and courage. mississippitoday.org/2026/03/05/mis…

Talk about the Northern Nadir: NJ comes in 30th in growth for 4th & 8th grade reading and math. What can we do differently? @marcportermagee @GovSherrillNJ @NewJerseyDOE @DFER_News @WakeUpCallNJ njedreport.com/new-jersey-stu…

People will rise - or sink - to the level that’s expected of them. By lowering graduation standards, inflating grades, and shrugging our shoulders at absenteeism, we’ve signaled to students that we don’t expect much from them. That doesn’t just harm their math skills. It undermines their entire future. Let’s give NJ children the challenge they deserve. Read more in our latest newsblast: mailchi.mp/wakeupcallnj/t…

This is refreshing from our new governor! We hope to see corresponding accountability measures to help teachers, students, and parents reach their true potential in NJ. We don’t put a false ceiling on the spending we allocate to students - let’s make sure we do the same with math standards. Read the entire budget address here: newjerseyglobe.com/governor/read-…

This math problem shouldn’t be too tough for a 3rd-grader to size up. But we’ve got many more. Get more practice for your kid, and learn what other challenges we face in NJ, at wakeupcallnj.com

This study followed five cohorts of Massachusetts 9th-graders and confirmed what we all suspect: test scores matter. Students who attended an 80th-percentile school were 31% more likely to graduate a 4-year college, and those students also earned 25% more at age 30 than those attending a 20th-percentile scoring school. This data is why NJ families deserve timely return of test results. We should celebrate schools that improve students' outcomes. We should also know which schools could do better - and how we can help them raise the bar. Accountability leads to improvement. Let’s start there and build better futures for all NJ children. Read the whole study here: nber.org/system/files/w…

@GovSherrillNJ, in referring to NJ's big investment in K-12, boldly said "...although everyone in this room knows we’re not getting the bang for the buck that we need." Kudos Governor! But I don't think it is actually 'everyone' @wildstein @WakeUpCallNJ newjerseyglobe.com/governor/read-…

Not a hot take: kids need to be in school to learn. But chronic absenteeism - defined as missing more than 10% of the school year - has skyrocketed since COVID. Ponus Ridge STEAM Academy is Norwalk, CT is unapologetic about correcting that fact. Its leaders are willing to cajole parents into holding up their end of the commitment to students' learning, and they’ve implemented reliable systems with unwavering guidelines to ensure constant communication. As such they’ve managed to bring their chronic absenteeism rate down from from 31% to below 10%. All this while national average is 23% of students chronically absent. When school leaders address critical issues with courage and conviction, others can learn from their example. Thanks to @ChadAldeman and @The74 for bringing these methods to the forefront, and allowing schools in NJ and across the US to adopt similar strategies. Check out the article: the74million.org/article/how-a-…

NJ state test results are delayed by more than half a year. This nonsensical interval comes at a real cost to students, parents, and teachers. We shouldn’t have to guess how our children are doing in math when useful data exists. Visit wakeupcallnj.com to join our wait loss efforts.

Kudos to @IamCPS and the many parents who pushed for this change! Cincinnati report cards will now display students' math and reading levels in objective measures, and provide the source and date of the assessment data. This will empower parents to understand their child’s progress, address any shortcomings, and identify opportunities to further challenge their learning. Schools have these scores - so should families. We hope to see this replicated in NJ. realcleareducation.com/articles/2026/…

Make a date with success by sharing this Math Checkup with your child, then get more practice in essential skills on our site: wakeupcallnj.com/mathcheckups

This sobering report from @NWEA shows how uneven learning loss recovery has been by individual districts and schools across the U.S. Districts with smaller initial COVID declines accounted for 4 out of 5 schools that have recovered. As too many students were already below grade level in 2019, we - collectively - have a ton of work to do to help students succeed. Facing up to the size of the problem is the only way to begin fixing it. Learn more in the full report here: nwea.org/uploads/From-l…

Students need a foundation of math skills from explicit instruction. They also need to be engaged by problem-solving inquiry based learning. These realities can support each other, but too often are posed to be in direct competition. While researchers align with ideological camps, teachers are caught in the tangle. Let’s focus on what we know works. Let’s keep our eye on the ball, and prove the benefit we’re providing to NJ students through accountability measures such as timely assessments. If we begin another “Math War,” students are sure to be casualties. Learn more about how nuance can center data-driven and evidence-based teaching in this article from @s_e_schwartz for @educationweek: edweek.org/teaching-learn…

WATCH: The doctor analogy is funny because it’s true. But there’s nothing funny about information parents don’t get until it’s too late via @WakeUpCallNJ #AssessmentHQ