The State of New Jersey has proposed moving its competency test of basic skills from the 9th to the 11th grade, in order to allow for more content learning, more maturity, and more test-taking skills on the part of students. Since vocational students are more likely than other students to score low on the basic skills competency test, having the…

In preparation for the mandatory administration of the New Jersey High School Proficiency Test (HSPT) that was to begin with ninth graders in 1986, a pilot program was conducted with ninth graders who had done poorly on the HSPT during its second, nonmandatory administration in 1985. Approximately 125 students were selected (25 in each of five…