A Comparison of Performance for 3rd Through 8th Grade Students on the 2014 NJ ASK and 2015 End-Of-Year PARCC Assessments

State-mandated standardized testing comprises a significant component of student outcome measures utilized by the state and federal government to assess school district performance. Failure to meet Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) on standardized assessments can result in negative consequences for districts both systemically and financially. The current study analyzes the transition from the New Jersey Assessment of Skills and Knowledge (NJ ASK) to the Partnership for Assessment of Readiness for College and Careers (PARCC) for the 2014-2015 school year. Among the differences between the two assessments is a change in modality, with students completing their PARCC English Language Arts (ELA) and Mathematics assessments via computer rather than the traditional paper-pencil administration on the NJ ASK. Outcome data for students from Vernon, New Jersey indicate that students performed significantly better on the NJ ASK than the PARCC for both ELA and Mathematics both in terms of score and proficiency level for the overall sample as well as a subset of students with disabilities. Familiarity with computer-based assessment from a cohort of students provided individual laptops for the duration of the school year did not improve student performance