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The report reviews the SRA’s history and assesses research findings on the potential effects of eliminating the SRA for secondary students. It addresses graduation pathways, demographic and opportunity-related factors, and post-secondary outcomes across education, work, health, and justice-system involvement.",{"@graph":69,"@context":122},[70,84,105],{"@type":71,"itemListElement":72},"BreadcrumbList",[73,77,79,82],{"item":74,"name":75,"@type":76,"position":8},"https://docshare.wps.com","Home","ListItem",{"item":78,"name":9,"@type":76,"position":14},"https://docshare.wps.com/document/",{"item":80,"name":20,"@type":76,"position":81},"https://docshare.wps.com/document/exam/",3,{"item":83,"name":65,"@type":76,"position":19},"https://docshare.wps.com/document/new-jerseys-special-review-assessment-loophole-or-lifeline-a-policy-brief-274018/274018/",{"url":83,"name":65,"@type":85,"image":86,"author":91,"headline":65,"publisher":94,"fileFormat":97,"inLanguage":63,"description":67,"dateModified":98,"datePublished":99,"encodingFormat":97,"isAccessibleForFree":100,"interactionStatistic":101},"DigitalDocument",{"url":87,"@type":88,"width":89,"height":90},"https://docshare.wps.com/thumbnails/new-jerseys-special-review-assessment-loophole-or-lifeline-a-policy-brief-274018/274018.png","ImageObject",300,407,{"name":92,"@type":93},"Mabel","Person",{"url":74,"name":95,"@type":96},"DocShare","Organization","application/pdf","2026-10-29","2026-09-15",true,{"@type":102,"interactionType":103,"userInteractionCount":52},"InteractionCounter",{"@type":104},"ViewAction",{"@type":106,"mainEntity":107},"FAQPage",[108,114,118],{"name":109,"@type":110,"acceptedAnswer":111},"What is the New Jersey Special Review Assessment (SRA) and how is it discussed in the debate?","Question",{"text":112,"@type":113},"The SRA is presented as New Jersey’s alternative pathway alongside the High School Proficiency Assessment (HSPA). Critics describe it as a “backdoor diploma,” while supporters argue it keeps struggling students on track and may prevent dropout.","Answer",{"name":115,"@type":110,"acceptedAnswer":116},"What does the report examine regarding the potential elimination of the SRA?",{"text":117,"@type":113},"The report reviews the policy and debate history and reports multi-method findings on the potential impact of eliminating the SRA. It considers graduation-related effects, including possible disparate impact by race, ethnicity, and social class.",{"name":119,"@type":110,"acceptedAnswer":120},"Why do students pursue the SRA after failing the HSPA?",{"text":121,"@type":113},"The report includes an analysis focused on students’ reasons for pursuing the SRA following HSPA failure. It treats the SRA as an alternative route intended to support continued progress toward graduation.","https://schema.org",{"og:url":83,"og:type":124,"og:title":65,"og:site_name":95,"og:description":67},"article",{"robots":126,"canonical":83},"index,follow",{"doc_id":128,"site_id":62},274018,1790193246,{"code":4,"msg":5,"data":131},{"doc_id":128,"user_id":132,"nickname":92,"user_avatar":133,"doc_module":4,"category_id":19,"category_name":20,"doc_title":65,"doc_description":67,"doc_content":134,"file_id":135,"file_url":136,"file_type":137,"file_size":138,"view_count":52,"is_deleted":4,"is_public":8,"is_downloadable":8,"audit_status":8,"page_count":139,"language":140,"language_code":63,"site_id":62,"html_lang":63,"table_of_contents":141,"faqs":142,"seo_title":143,"seo_description":67,"update_tm":144,"read_time":145},7971474920318,"https://ap-avatar.wpscdn.com/avatar/74000ee537e6b0ca360?x-image-process=image/resize,m_fixed,w_180,h_180&k=1788430171632181674","New Jersey’s Special Review Assessment:  \nLoophole or Lifeline?  \nA Policy B r i e f  \nMichelle Fine and Liza Pappas  \nThe Graduate center  \ncity University of New york  \nStan Karp and Lesley Hirsch  \neducation law center  \nAlan Sadovnik and Andre Keeton  \ninstitute on education law and Policy  \nrutgers University, Newark Mary Bennett Project GrAD, Newark  \nAugust 2007  \nNew Jersey’s Special Review Assessment: Loophole or Lifeline?  \nA Policy B r i e f  \nPrepared by:  \nMichelle Fine and Liza Pappas  \nThe Graduate center, city University of New york  \nStan Karp and Lesley Hirsch  \neducation law center  \nAlan Sadovnik and Andre Keeton  \ninstitute on education law and Policy, rutgers University, Newark Mary Bennett Project GrAD, Newark  \nAugust 2007  \nWe appreciate the generous support of the Schumann fund for New Jersey.  \nWe also appreciate the contributions of Dina Scachetti, Janet Sheppard, Al Passarella, Daniel o’Keefe, Kathleen Witcher, carla Norris, Mary Jane Karp, Jessica ruglis, Adam Hunt, Angela Perez Miller and lauren Allen.  \nFor information/inquiries contact:  \nDr. Michelle fine, cUNy Graduate center 212-817-8710, [Mfine@gc.cuny.edu](Mfine@gc.cuny.edu)[ ](Mfine@gc.cuny.edu)[Stan Karp](Stan Karp), Secondary reform Project, education law center 973-624-1815 ext 42, [skarp@edlawcenter.org](skarp@edlawcenter.org)  \nTable of Contents  \nIntroduction ......................................................................................... 1  \nFrequently Asked Questions about the SRA ................................................... 2  \nThe SRA and New Jersey Graduation Policy .................................................. 8  \nThe SRA Research Project ........................................................................ 13  \n1. Who graduates via HSPA and SRA? .................................................... 14  \n2. What are the possible ramifications, in terms of disparate impact by race, ethnicity and social class, on children and districts if the SRA were to be eliminated?............................................................................ 15  \n3. Why do students pursue the SRA after having failed the HSPA? .................. 18  \n4. How do HSPA and SRA graduates, and dropouts, fare on post-secondary outcomes in the areas of higher education, work, health and involvement in the criminal justice system?............................................................ 22  \nNew Jersey Policies in the National Context .................................................. 25  \nThe SRA and New Jersey Secondary Reform ................................................. 29  \nConclusions and Recommendations ............................................................ 32  \nPromoting Multiple Pathways to Graduation.............................................. 32  \nStrengthening the SRA ........................................................................ 32  \nIssues in Need of Policy Attention .......................................................... 34  \nRecommendations for Research ............................................................. 34  \nClosing Thoughts............................................................................... 35  \nAppendix A: SRA Performance Tasks .......................................................... 37  \nAppendix B: Methodological Details on Sampling Strategy for the Three District Cohort Analyses .................................................................. 40  \nAppendix C: Summary Literature Review on the Impact of High Stakes Testing on Secondary Schools and Students ................................................................. 42  \nAppendix D: The Individual and Social Costs of High School Dropout Rates .......... 50  \nAppendix E: The GED Alternative .............................................................. 54  \nAppendix F: Finding Common Ground on New Jersey Secondary Reform.............. 56  \nBibliography .....................................................","cbCaisnU2NdaW4bU","https://ap.wps.com/l/cbCaisnU2NdaW4bU","pdf",504215,72,"English","# Introduction\n# Frequently Asked Questions about the SRA\n# The SRA and New Jersey Graduation Policy\n# The SRA Research Project\n## Who graduates via HSPA and SRA?\n## Possible ramifications if the SRA were to be eliminated\n## Why students pursue the SRA after failing the HSPA\n## Post-secondary outcomes for SRA/HSPA graduates and dropouts\n# New Jersey Policies in the National Context\n# The SRA and New Jersey Secondary Reform\n# Conclusions and Recommendations\n## Promoting Multiple Pathways to Graduation\n## Strengthening the SRA\n## Issues in Need of Policy Attention\n## Recommendations for Research\n## Closing Thoughts\n# Appendix A: SRA Performance Tasks\n# Appendix B: Methodological Details on Sampling Strategy\n# Appendix C: Summary Literature Review on High Stakes Testing\n# Appendix D: The Individual and Social Costs of High School Dropout Rates\n# Appendix E: The GED Alternative\n# Appendix F: Finding Common Ground on New Jersey Secondary Reform\n# Bibliography","[{\"question\":\"What is the New Jersey Special Review Assessment (SRA) and how is it discussed in the debate?\",\"answer\":\"The SRA is presented as New Jersey’s alternative pathway alongside the High School Proficiency Assessment (HSPA). Critics describe it as a “backdoor diploma,” while supporters argue it keeps struggling students on track and may prevent dropout.\"},{\"question\":\"What does the report examine regarding the potential elimination of the SRA?\",\"answer\":\"The report reviews the policy and debate history and reports multi-method findings on the potential impact of eliminating the SRA. It considers graduation-related effects, including possible disparate impact by race, ethnicity, and social class.\"},{\"question\":\"Why do students pursue the SRA after failing the HSPA?\",\"answer\":\"The report includes an analysis focused on students’ reasons for pursuing the SRA following HSPA failure. It treats the SRA as an alternative route intended to support continued progress toward graduation.\"}]","New Jersey’s Special Review Assessment: Loophole or Lifeline? - A Policy Brief | PDF",1789474194,181]