Hopewell Valley Students Outperform State on Graduation Assessments

The Hopewell Valley Regional School District told its Board of Education on Oct. 12 that students scored above New Jersey averages on the spring 2026 graduation proficiency assessment, taken by 11th graders in English language arts and math. An assistant superintendent said overall graduation readiness was about 89%. Because the state moved to an adaptive format this year, she advised treating the results as a new baseline rather than comparing them directly with earlier years.

Readiness varied by group: 98% for general education students, 94% for students with Section 504 plans, 82% for students receiving free or reduced-price lunch, and 56% for students receiving special education services. The district noted that some groups were small, including 17 students in the lunch category and 34 in special education. It also reported gains among Black students, from 50% to 79%, and said Hispanic students reached 85%.

The meeting covered other topics too. Officials said school-device monitoring tools such as ClassLink and Securly hold data but do not yet easily produce districtwide screen-time reports, and the district plans to survey teachers. A report on anti-bullying efforts found all schools exceeded state minimums. A board member presented a preliminary survey of 310 high school students in which 75% backed letting 16- and 17-year-olds vote in school board elections. A fuller report is expected by the end of 2026, and the board could advocate for the change but not make it alone.