New Jersey’s Special Review Assessment - Loophole or Lifeline? - A Policy Brief

Sep 15, 2026

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New Jersey’s Special Review Assessment (SRA) is examined through the lens of an ongoing, contested public debate over whether the policy functions as a “backdoor diploma” or as a legitimate alternative graduation pathway. The policy brief reviews the SRA’s history and summarizes results from a multi-method study assessing the implications of eliminating the SRA for students, districts, and post-secondary outcomes, while situating the discussion in New Jersey’s secondary reform landscape.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryExam

FormatPDF

Pages74

Reading Time3 h 6 min

AccessFree to download

Introduction

Frequently Asked Questions about the SRA

The SRA and New Jersey Graduation Policy

The SRA Research Project

Who graduates via HSPA and SRA?

What are the possible ramifications if the SRA were to be eliminated?

Why do students pursue the SRA after having failed the HSPA?

How do HSPA and SRA graduates and dropouts fare on post-secondary outcomes?

New Jersey Policies in the National Context

The SRA and New Jersey Secondary Reform

Conclusions and Recommendations

Appendix A: SRA Performance Tasks

Appendix B: Methodological Details on Sampling Strategy for the Three District Cohort Analyses

Appendix C: Summary Literature Review on the Impact of High Stakes Testing on Secondary Schools and Students

Appendix D: The Individual and Social Costs of High School Dropout Rates

Appendix E: The GED Alternative

Appendix F: Finding Common Ground on New Jersey Secondary Reform

Bibliography

New Jersey’s Special Review Assessment: Loophole or Lifeline? A Policy B r i e f Michelle Fine and Liza Pappas The Graduate center city University of New york Stan Karp and Lesley Hirsch education law center Alan Sadovnik and Andre Keeton institute on law and education Policy rutgers University, Newark Mary Bennett Project GrAD, Newark August 2007 New Jersey’s Special Review Assessment: Loophole or Lifeline? A Policy B r i e f Prepared by: Michelle Fine and Liza Pappas The Graduate center, city University of New york Stan Karp and Lesley Hirsch education law center Alan Sadovnik and Andre Keeton institute on law and education Policy, rutgers University, Newark Mary Bennett Project GrAD, Newark August 2007 We appreciate the generous support of the Schumann fund for New Jersey. We also appreciate the contributions of Dina Scachetti, Janet Sheppard, Al Passerella, Daniel o’Keefe, Kathleen Witcher, carla Norris, Mary Jane Karp, Jessica ruglis, Adam Hunt, Angela Perez Miller and lauren Allen. For information/inquiries contact: Dr. 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) Table of Contents Introduction ......................................................................................... 1 Frequently Asked Questions about the SRA ................................................... 2 The SRA and New Jersey Graduation Policy .................................................. 8 The SRA Research Project ........................................................................ 13 1. Who graduates via HSPA and SRA? .................................................... 14 2. 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 3. Why do students pursue the SRA after having failed the HSPA? .................. 18 4. 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 New Jersey Policies in the National Context .................................................. 25 The SRA and New Jersey Secondary Reform ................................................. 29 Conclusions and Recommendations ............................................................ 32 Promoting Multiple Pathways to Graduation.............................................. 32 Strengthening the SRA ........................................................................ 32 Issues in Need of Policy Attention .......................................................... 34 Recommendations for Research ............................................................. 34 Closing Thoughts............................................................................... 35 Appendix A: SRA Performance Tasks .......................................................... 37 Appendix B: Methodological Details on Sampling Strategy for the Three District Cohort Analyses .................................................................. 40 Appendix C: Summary Literature Review on the Impact of High Stakes Testing on Secondary Schools and Students ................................................................. 42 Appendix D: The Individual and Social Costs of High School Dropout Rates .......... 50 Appendix E: The GED Alternative .............................................................. 54 Appendix F: Finding Common Ground on New Jersey Secondary Reform.............. 56 Bibliography ...................................................

FAQs

What is New Jersey’s Special Review Assessment (SRA)?

The SRA is an alternative to the state’s more traditional exit test, the High School Proficiency Assessment (HSPA), designed to allow students to satisfy New Jersey’s graduation standards through another pathway.

What arguments do critics and supporters make about the SRA?

Detractors describe the SRA as a “backdoor diploma” that harms the students it is meant to help. Supporters argue it is a legitimate alternative and can keep struggling students from dropping out, with benefits extending beyond graduation outcomes.

Why does the report study the impact of eliminating the SRA?

The report addresses the lack of research on how the SRA affects students beyond aggregate graduation counts, including demographic characteristics, educational experiences, opportunity to learn, and post-secondary outcomes compared with other graduates and dropouts.

Sep 15, 2026

Uploaded by Putri