State exam asks N.J. 3rd graders to write essay on secret they had kept | NJ.com

State exam asks N.J. 3rd graders to write essay on secret they had kept | NJ.com:

State exam asks N.J. 3rd graders to write essay on secret they had kept

by Jessica Calefati/The Star-Ledger

Roughly 4,000 third graders who took state standardized tests in recent weeks were asked to write an essay question about a secret they had kept, a spokesman for the Department of Education said.

The essay prompt is considered a "field question," said the spokesman Justin Barra, meaning it does not count toward students' scores on the exam. Barra would not, however, provide the exact wording of the question because some students are still being tested.

"We do not discuss specific questions on the exam," Barra said. "This is not something we release."

The details of this question, which raises concerns about student privacy, became apparent when