New Jersey
412,848 high school students
State Profile
As states work to raise their
academic standards, several national high school reform initiatives are
assisting them in their efforts to strengthen their high schools so that they
provide students with a 21st century education and skills.
Through the profile provided here, the National High School Center offers (a) a snapshot of the state’s graduation requirements and college entrance requirements (see table below) and (b) summaries of national reform initiatives active in the state (see list below table).
High School and College Alignment in the State
The following table shows the state’s alignment between high school
graduation requirements and minimum state college entrance requirements,
providing a quick source for determining whether there is a gap between what
students must know to graduate and what they are expected to have mastered in
order to enter college.
| High School Graduation Requirements* | College Admission Requirements** | |
|---|---|---|
|
English Units |
20 |
4 |
|
Mathematics Units |
15 |
3 |
|
|
including Algebra I and Geometry, or the content equivalent |
Algebra I, Geometry, and Algebra II |
|
Social Studies Units |
15 |
N/S |
|
|
including 5 credits in world history; and the integration of civics, economics, geography and global content in all course offerings |
|
|
Science Units |
15 |
2 |
|
Foreign Language Units |
5 |
2 |
|
Art Units |
5 |
N/S |
|
Additional Units |
Financial, Economic, Business, and Entrepreneurial Literacy - 2.5 |
Electives – 5 |
|
Total Units |
120 |
16 |
|
Tests |
N/S |
SAT or ACT |
Source |
* School districts may establish course and/or credit requirements which exceed the State minimums.
**
Admissions requirements for Rutgers University, New Brunswick.
National High School Improvement Initiatives at Work in the
State
As states work to ready high school students for
postsecondary success, many are partnering with national organizations to
undertake high school improvement efforts. The following list includes national
improvement initiatives at work in the state. National initiatives are defined
as significant programs, projects, technical assistance, or key information
clearinghouses dedicated to high school improvement. For information about and
related to research on these initiatives, please click on the name of the
initiative to link to a synthesis:
- 21st Century Skills
- Advancing the Dual Agenda in High School Reform
- America's Choice
- America's Promise
- The American Diploma Project
- The Council of Chief State School Officers' Resources for Secondary School Redesign
- Education Commission of the States' High School Policy Center
- National Governors Association Honor States
- Small Learning Communities
New Jersey State High School Improvement
Initiatives
For information on high school improvement initiatives
launched at the state level visit New Jersey’s Secondary School Redesign
Web page.
New Jersey ARRA Information
For information on New Jersey's ARRA efforts as it relates to education, please visit the state Web page.
