Superintendent Corner Column

PARCC FAQ

February 2015

Dear Parents and Guardians,

PARCC (Partnership for Assessment of Readiness for College and Career) is a new State standardized assessment in English language arts and mathematics in grades 3 to 11. PARCC is a multi-state consortium that includes New Jersey, working together to develop a common set of computer-based assessments linked to the Common Core State Standards (CCSS) that were adopted in 2010 by the New Jersey State Board of Education. State assessments are one measure of important information about a student’s progress. The State’s new testing program replaces the New Jersey Assessment of Skills and Knowledge (NJ ASK) in grades 3-8 and the High School Proficiency Assessment (HSPA) in grade 11. PARCC is designed to measure students’ mastery of content, applied knowledge, and analytical skills by assessing the full range of the Common Core Standards in language arts and mathematics. The assessments are comprised of constructed response items, performance-based tasks, and computer-scored items.

The Verona Public Schools has been committed to preparing our students for more rigorous standards and assessments through revised curriculum aligned to the Common Core State Standards and high quality instruction in our classrooms. Verona will be hosting several evening sessions in an effort to ensure our parents have an opportunity to receive accurate information. The purpose of these sessions is for parents to gain a better understanding of Common Core, PARCC, and the administration of upcoming assessments. Additional information on PARCC parent sessions may be found in this document. Finally, we have compiled a list of frequently asked questions to address parent concerns and hope you find it helpful and informative. The FAQ document is attached to this link.

Sincerely,

Rui Dionisio

Superintendent of Schools