District to introduce new exams to replace NJASK, HSPA

All New Jersey public schools will administer the PARCC (Partnership of Assessment for College and Careers) standardized tests as alternatives to the HSPA and NJASK in spring 2015. The PARCC has been adopted by 18 states to test skills in language arts and math taught in accordance to the Common Core  Curriculum Standards adopted by most states. The tests will assess career and college readiness in students from third to 11th grade. Unlike current standardized tests, the PARCC assessments will be taken online, and will focus on higher-level skills.