The Livingston Public Schools (LPS) Board of Education heard a presentation about the district’s scores in the New Jersey Graduation Proficiency Assessment (NJGPA) during its Tuesday, July 16, meeting.
LPS scores were up in comparison to last year’s, jumping from 92.9 percent of students passing the English Language Arts (ELA) portion of the exam in 2023 to 95.3 percent of students passing this year. The district had a higher percentage of students pass the mathematics portion of the exam, rising from 81.0 percent in 2023 to 85.9 percent passing in 2024.
The district also exceeded the state’s average test scores in 2024. The statewide average scores this year were 81.6 percent in ELA and 54.7 percent in mathematics. Livingston greatly exceeded these averages.
In her presentation, Natalie Topylko, director of curriculum and instruction - STEM and testing, also analyzed the district’s scores for the Access Exam for English Language Learners (ELL). 129 ELL students were tested this past school year, down from 154 students in 2023. The scores were broken down by how long the students had been in the district. Of the 127 students within the district for two or less years, 66.1 percent of them scored below a 4.5, while 33.9 percent of ELL students scored above a 4.5. There was only one ELL student that had been in the district between three and four years, and one within the district for five or more years. Both of those students scored above a 4.5.
“Unsurprisingly, the students with the fewest number of years in the district are the ones with the scores that are below 4.5, so as you’re entering and you’re not secure in your English language skills, the score is a little bit lower,” Topylko said. “As you acquire those English skills, we are exiting those students into the population,.”
Board member Seth Cohen asked how the district is supporting the students who do not pass the exams. Topylko said that the district runs a report as to what other test scores the students have received, and alternate tests are administered as soon as possible. He also questioned whether the Board was looking at the growing staff numbers in comparison to the seemingly decreasing ELL popu lation. He was assured that those numbers were analyzed, and used in deciding to which buildings staff members are deployed.
Board president Pam Chirls asked if the students exiting the ELL program were receiving ongoing tracking to ensure they are meeting proficiency outside of the program. Topylko said those students are coded within the system as being within their first or second year of leaving the ELL program, so those variables are able to be tracked by the district.
Other Business
At the start of the meeting, the Board held a moment of silence for former science teacher David Heithmar and Livingston High School graduate Jacob Davis, two Livingston alumni who had died since the previous meeting in June.
In his first superintendent’s report to the Board, Daniel Fishbein discussed the new employees hired throughout the district, including new LHS principal Amro Mohammed, Heritage Middle School principal Charles Raphael, and Harrison School psychologist Stephanie Rosenblum.
Chirls wished the staff members leaving the district well in their future endeavors and congratulated and welcomed the new employees.
During the public comment portion of the meeting, Melissa DeAngelus reintroduced herself to the Board. She is the new president of the Livingston Education Association, having previously served in different capacities on the administrative board.
Student Spatika Prasanna also thanked the Board for introducing the sport of cricket throughout the district and discussed the history of the sport’s popularity.
The Board’s next meeting is scheduled to take place onAugust 13.
