With PARCC testing kicking off this week at Hammonton High School, here’s a breakdown of what it’s all about and what the school district hopes to do with it when it’s all over.

The PARCC stands for Partnership for Assessment of Readiness for College and Careers and was created by a group of 22 states to assess students. It claims to not only assess what students have learned in high school but also serves to show if they have the skills necessary for further education and a future career.

According to the Department of Education website, the PARCC test is aligned to the Common Core State Standards (CCSS), it tests applied knowledge as opposed to the memorization of facts.  The CCSS originated in the 1990s and was adopted in NJ 2010. It created consistent standards for all students.

The PARCC FAQ sheet indicates that 46 states and the DC adopted the CCSS in 2010 and 2011, and because of this they required more difficult standardized tests in order to accurately reflect the intelligence of their students. The PARCC was created to meet this criteria.

In New Jersey, this test replaces all statewide assessments such as the HSPA and the NJ ASK.  It tests students from grade 3 all the way to grade 11.  It assess two core subjects: English Language Arts (ELA) and Mathematics.  In addition to differences in how students are assessed, the PARCC also differs from the HSPA in that it is done on the computer only, not pencil and paper.

In September of 2015, the Department of Education addressed a letter to all school superintendents and administrators indicating that the PARCC will serve as a graduation requirement. The letter also indicated that should a student fail the PARCC, alternative means could be used to fulfill the requirement, including other assessments such as the SAT, the ACT, the ASVAB (administered by the US military), and the Accuplacer, a test used by many colleges to place students in leveled math, reading, and writing classes.

In more recent news, the New Jersey state assembly approved a bill on February 23 that would postpone the impact PARCC has on students.  According to an article featured on CBSlocal.com titled “NJ Assembly Votes To Halt Use Of Standardized Tests, the bill refuses the state the ability to use the PARCC as a way to determine students’ placement this year and the next three years.  Sources in related articles, such as John Mooney’s “PARCC testing opponents win victory in state assembly, but what’s next?” suggests that Senate leaders are showing no inclination to pass the bill.

So what does all this mean of students in Hammonton?

Over the past several months, students throughout the high school have been preparing for the writing tasks and refining their reading skills in their courses.  By using the Chromebooks in classes, students have gotten practice typing, as opposed to hand-writing, their assignments.

During the February Board of Education meeting the PARCC test was discussed.  Along with the Board members New Jersey State Board of Education Vice President Joseph Fisicaro was also in attendance.  According to an article written by Brittany Mauro for the Hammonton Gazette Fisicaro reassured attendees that “[…]- after its all over and [we] see what mistakes were made or corrections that can be done and whether we need to look at the test over again.”

For Assistant Superintendent Robin Chieco, the testing will help administrators determine how successful the academic programs at Hammonton compare to other students in the state.

“In the past we have compared very well to other schools [on previous state test],” she said.

Chieco is very confident that the students will do well with this test also.  She urges the students not to stress out and to relax when it comes to taking this test.

“[The PARCC] will just be used as a benchmark. […] The results of the test will not been in until mid next year.”