Math Readiness Declined Among New Jersey Students by 2025
New Jersey families should note that fewer college freshmen are prepared for advanced math as state proficiency standards have shifted.
Updated on Sept. 22, 2026 in Secondary Education
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As of 2025, 31% of incoming Rutgers University freshmen were not ready for calculus, an increase from 23% in 2019. This trend reflects broader challenges in student mathematics proficiency throughout New Jersey.
Why it matters
The gap in math readiness stems from fundamental skill mastery challenges starting in elementary school and has been exacerbated by lower state graduation standards. For families, this may signal a need for increased focus on core math competency long before the college application process begins.
The share of New Jersey community college freshmen requiring remedial math is now 26%, significantly down from 60% in 2010. Meanwhile, the state graduation test cut score was lowered from 750 to 725 in 2023.
The players
Rutgers University
A public research university in New Jersey that has seen increased demand for remedial math courses among its incoming freshmen.
New Jersey State Board of Education
The state authority responsible for setting graduation standards and proficiency requirements for public school students.
The details
The decline in readiness is linked to diluted graduation requirements that now allow students to bypass proficiency exams through portfolios or SAT and ACT scores. Rutgers University has responded to these skill gaps by redesigning remedial coursework to focus on fundamental algebra and fractions. These measures attempt to address a lack of basic mathematical mastery that appears to originate in elementary education.
Timeline
In 2010, 60% of community college freshmen required remedial math.
In 2019, 23% of Rutgers freshmen were not ready for calculus.
The state changed diploma language from college-ready to graduation-ready in 2021.
The State Board of Education lowered the NJGPA cut score to 725 in 2023.
In 2024, national math proficiency testing was conducted for 4th and 8th graders.
The Home Front
The state's shift from requiring college-readiness to graduation-readiness has fundamentally changed the benchmarks for New Jersey high school diplomas. These adjustments to the New Jersey Graduation Proficiency Assessment standards reflect a broader downward trend in required math proficiency.
Parents should regularly review their student's math progress reports, specifically monitoring mastery of fundamental fractions and algebra in middle school. Families should also clarify with school counselors whether a student's current trajectory meets the requirements for college-level coursework.
The takeaway
The gap between graduation requirements and college readiness suggests that families should emphasize core mathematical foundations early in the K-12 experience. Parents can support this by monitoring progress against state benchmarks and proactively addressing gaps in fundamental algebra skills.
Further reading
For more information on state academic standards, visit the Secondary Education section.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Daily Record.
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