CRANFORD, NJ—Janellen Duffy, executive director of JerseyCAN: The New Jersey Campaign for Achievement Now, released the following statement today in response to Governor Christie’s announcement of statewide results of the PARCC exam:

“As we reflect on the second year of the new statewide assessments, it is promising to see real progress being made on a statewide level. Not only are more students taking the exam, but overall scores have also gone up, demonstrating that more students are meeting grade level benchmarks in English and math.

“The rollout and implementation of these new tests has been a process of continuous improvement. In upcoming weeks, parents will receive student score reports, and this is months sooner than previous years.

“We commend students, parents, teachers and school leaders for their hard work and commitment to making sure more New Jersey students are on track to succeed in college and beyond.”

For more information or interviews with Janellen Duffy, contact JerseyCAN Public Affairs Manager Morganne Firmstone: (570) 352-5783 or morganne.firmstone@jerseycan.org.

###

JerseyCAN: The New Jersey Campaign for Achievement Now is a nonprofit education research and advocacy organization that advocates for a high-quality education for all New Jersey kids, regardless of their address. Learn more at www.jerseycan.org.