Since Achieve's first report in 2000, New Jersey has revised its Core Curriculum Content Standards in language arts literacy and math. In 2004, at the request of the governor and commissioner of education and with the encouragement and support of New Jersey United, a statewide business and education coalition, Achieve reviewed the state's revised standards and related tests. We compared the revised standards in language arts literacy and math with the earlier version of the standards, as well as with our benchmark standards. We also analyzed how well the state tests in grades 4 and 8 and high school assess the knowledge and skills found in the state's new standards.

The evaluation’s major findings:

New Jersey’s revised standards are a significant improvement over the standards Achieve evaluated in 2000. The state’s standards mathematics standards are now as challenging as the best domestic and international standards. The standards in language arts literacy in K—4 are clearly articulated, conveying a solid progression of knowledge and skills and providing an excellent model on which to base further improvements at the middle and high school. The state should go on to develop grade level standards (or course standards in the case of high school) in both subject areas, where they don't now exist to provide guidance to teachers at every grade.

New Jersey's assessments in language arts literacy have notable strengths, but don't measure the full depth and breadth of the standards. The state's 4th grade mathematics assessment is rigorous and well aligned, but the 8th and 11th grade tests aren't as challenging as they need to be.

New Jersey has taken advantage of Achieve’s two comprehensive reviews of its standards and tests in language arts literacy and mathematics to steadily increase the quality and rigor of its standards and tests.