New Jersey · 2026 score reports
NJSLA Scores Explained:
The New Scale & Cut Scores
Last reviewed against New Jersey Department of Education sources
What does my child's score mean?
Type the scale score from your child's NJSLA-A report. For Grade 3 ELA, "Met Expectations" starts at 1446.
Source: NJDOE: NJSLA-A performance level cut scores (Sept 9, 2026)
NJSLA-A cut scores by grade
Each number is the lowest scale score for that level. A score below the Level 2 number is Level 1. The highlighted column is "Met Expectations", New Jersey's proficiency bar.
| Grade | Level 2 Partially Met | Level 3 Approaching | Level 4 Met | Level 5 Exceeded |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Grade 3 | 1385 | 1423 | 1446 | 1488 |
| Grade 4 | 1410 | 1439 | 1473 | 1503 |
| Grade 5 | 1425 | 1466 | 1486 | 1537 |
| Grade 6 | 1438 | 1469 | 1500 | 1547 |
| Grade 7 | 1449 | 1485 | 1510 | 1561 |
| Grade 8 | 1471 | 1495 | 1525 | 1569 |
| Grade 9 | 1486 | 1512 | 1535 | 1581 |
| Grade | Level 2 Partially Met | Level 3 Approaching | Level 4 Met | Level 5 Exceeded |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Grade 3 | 1370 | 1389 | 1399 | 1421 |
| Grade 4 | 1391 | 1408 | 1431 | 1461 |
| Grade 5 | 1416 | 1438 | 1463 | 1499 |
| Grade 6 | 1428 | 1465 | 1500 | 1534 |
| Grade 7 | 1451 | 1485 | 1526 | 1574 |
| Grade 8 | 1504 | 1535 | 1577 | 1612 |
| Algebra I | 2430 | 2469 | 2500 | 2550 |
| Geometry | 2389 | 2454 | 2500 | 2538 |
| Algebra II | 2414 | 2470 | 2500 | 2524 |
Source: NJDOE: Performance Level Cut Scores Established for the NJSLA-A (State Board approval, September 9, 2026).
The five performance levels
Level 5: Exceeded Expectations
At or above the Level 5 score for the grade. Counted as proficient.
Level 4: Met Expectations
At or above the "Met" score for the grade. This is the proficiency bar: New Jersey counts Levels 4 and 5 as proficient.
Level 3: Approaching Expectations
Close, but below the "Met" score. Level 3 is the middle level, but it is not proficient.
Level 2: Partially Met Expectations
At or above the Level 2 score but below Level 3.
Level 1: Did Not Yet Meet Expectations
Below the Level 2 score for the grade.
The report also rates each reporting category (for example Reading Literary Text, Reading Informational Text and Language) as Above, Within or Below Expectations. "Within" spans slightly below to slightly above the Met level, so it does not by itself mean Level 4.
Old scale vs. new scale
NJSLA through 2025
ELA and math scale scores on the fixed-form NJSLA ranged from 650 to 850, with five performance levels.
NJSLA-A from 2026
The adaptive test has its own scale and new cut scores for each grade and course. There are still five levels with Level 4 as the bar, so compare levels across years, not raw numbers.
Source: NJDOE cut score memo
Science is separate: NJSLA-Science (grades 5, 8 and 11) is not part of NJSLA-A and reports four levels, Below Proficient, Near Proficient, Proficient and Advanced Proficiency. The grade 11 NJGPA-A reports Graduation Ready or Not Yet Graduation Ready, with a cut score of 450.
When reports reach families
To see results online, use the access code printed on your child's paper report (or ask the district) in the NJDOE Family Portal. Next year should be faster: NJDOE expects spring 2027 NJSLA-A results to reach districts by June 30, 2027.
Source: NJDOE: Spring 2026 NJSLA-A and NJSLA-S results and reporting (Sept 16, 2026)
Getting ready for spring 2027
The next NJSLA-A and NJSLA-Science window runs April 19 to May 21, 2027. Start with the categories your child's report marked Below Expectations. Our NJSLA practice pages by grade:
Source: NJDOE: Statewide Assessment Testing Schedule 2026-27
More on the test itself: NJSLA prep for grades 3-8.
Questions parents ask
What is a passing score on the NJSLA-A?
New Jersey counts Level 4 (Met Expectations) and Level 5 (Exceeded Expectations) as proficient. The score needed for Level 4 depends on grade and subject: in ELA it runs from 1446 in grade 3 to 1535 in grade 9; in math from 1399 in grade 3 to 1577 in grade 8, and 2500 for Algebra I, Geometry and Algebra II.
Why is my child's NJSLA score 4 digits now?
Spring 2026 was the first NJSLA-Adaptive (NJSLA-A) test, and it uses a new score scale. On the old NJSLA, ELA and math scale scores ranged from 650 to 850. The State Board of Education approved the new cut scores on September 9, 2026.
Can I compare the 2026 score with last year's score?
Not point for point: the scales are different, so a 1446 and a 750 cannot be lined up directly. Compare performance levels instead (for example, Level 3 last year and Level 4 this year). NJDOE says Student Growth Percentiles can still be calculated across the change, because they compare a student with academic peers rather than with their own old score.
When will I get my child's NJSLA-A score report?
Districts had to receive the paper score reports by October 9, 2026, and must give them to families within 30 days, by November 9, 2026. The report has an access code for the NJDOE Family Portal, where results were available from about September 28, 2026.
Why were 2026 results so late?
NJDOE says results came later than usual because the new adaptive test needed new performance standards and cut scores before scores could be reported. For spring 2027, NJDOE expects NJSLA-A results to reach districts by June 30, 2027.
What does "Within Expectations" mean on the report?
That is a reporting-category rating, not the overall level. Each category (for example Reading Literary Text) is rated Above, Within or Below Expectations. "Within" covers students slightly below to slightly above the Met level, so a student can be Within in every category and still be below Level 4 overall.
Did science scores change too?
NJSLA-Science (grades 5, 8 and 11) is not part of NJSLA-A and has its own four levels: Below Proficient, Near Proficient, Proficient and Advanced Proficiency. Science reports follow the same dates as ELA and math: to districts by October 9 and to families by November 9, 2026.
What is the passing score on the NJGPA-A?
The grade 11 graduation test, NJGPA-A, has two levels: Graduation Ready and Not Yet Graduation Ready. The Graduation Ready cut score is 450.
Sources
Every number on this page comes from these New Jersey Department of Education documents. Last reviewed .
- NJDOE — Performance Level Cut Scores Established for the NJSLA-A (September 9, 2026, PDF)
- NJDOE — Spring 2026 NJSLA-A and NJSLA-S Results and Reporting (September 16, 2026, PDF)
- NJDOE — NJSLA-Adaptive and NJGPA-Adaptive FAQs
- NJDOE — School Performance Reports Reference Guide (PDF)
- NJDOE — Statewide Assessment Testing Schedule 2026-27