U.S. News and World Report recently proclaimed that New Jersey has the best schools in the country. USNWR uses 8th grade test scores from the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) for its rankings.

But looking at the same NAEP results, you’ll find only 37% of New Jersey’s 8th graders scored proficient or above in math, and only 38% in reading. How can we celebrate NJ’s #1 ranking while ignoring the fact that more than 60% of our 8th graders aren’t at grade level?

Next month, New Jersey children will bring home their final report cards for the year. Most will be filled with excellent grades — in fact, 80% of students in public schools receive As and Bs.

But here’s the troubling truth: too many of those very students aren’t meeting grade-level standards in reading and math. Grades on report cards can often include student behavior, participation, homework and extra credit. 

Our goal at Wake Up Call NJ is to shine a light on education in New Jersey. Parents have been shocked to learn that 55% of NJ fourth graders can’t do math at grade level. More concerning? They're being told everything is ok. 

We’re here to educate NJ parents about their children’s schools. So let’s tackle three myths your school might be telling you about your student’s learning.

Unbelievably, 64% of NJ 6th graders are below grade level in math. As a result, too many recent graduates start college unprepared: 49% of them need to pay for remedial classes. But pointing fingers won’t solve the problem — coming together will.

Here are three voices of those who see the challenges firsthand: a district director of curriculum, a dedicated principal, and a passionate parent leader. While they all started as classroom teachers in unique settings, they share one common belief: together, we can fix it.

Math isn’t just about numbers — it’s about opportunity. A study in the journal “Plos One” shows that individuals with strong math skills earn more over their lifetimes and report greater job satisfaction. Isn’t that what we want for our kids?

Yet, in the Garden State, many students are struggling to keep up. If we want to set our children up for success, we need real transparency from schools about their kids’ math proficiency.

Our goal at Wake Up Call NJ is to shine a light on the truth about education in New Jersey. Over the last few weeks, the reaction has been overwhelming – parents are shocked to learn that 55% of NJ fourth graders can’t do math at grade level. More concerning? Parents are being told everything is ok.  

We’re here to educate other New Jersey parents about their children’s schools and promote common sense solutions. 

So let’s start with the myths your school is telling you about your student’s learning.  

Most New Jersey students can’t do math at grade level - and their parents don’t even know.

Most New Jersey students can’t do math at grade level. In fourth grade, 55% of our students are already behind; by sixth grade, it jumps to 64%. This means that most of the students who were behind in fourth grade continue to struggle, and even more kids fall behind by sixth grade.