Pennsylvania Test Schedule 

New Jersey Test Schedule 

Preparation is the key to ensuring your student is confident for state assessments. The best practices below will ensure your scholar is read to thrive! 

• Attendance Matters: Ensure your student is on time to school every day during the testing window. We are striving for 100% on-time attendance on testing days. 
• If your student has a Mastery-provided computer, please make sure they bring it to school during testing. If your student does not have a working device, please contact your school as soon as possible.
• Support your student in getting 8-10 hours of sleep. A well-rested brain processes information faster and focuses better. 
• Start the day with a good breakfast to fuel your student. 
• Remind your student about how hard they’ve worked and provide positive words of encouragement.

Ready? Set. Succeed! State Assessment Guide

Download Mastery’s 2026 State Assessment Guide to ensure you and your student are prepared. 

• Pennsylvania State Assessment Guide
• New Jersey State Assessment Guide 

NJDOE 2026 Testing Webinar 

In this video, the New Jersey Department of Education explains the new adaptive format for the 2026 state assessments.

English

Spanish

For translation into Arabic, Vietnamese, Indonesian, Nepali, Chinese, Burmese, Creole, French, and Urdu, click here.

English

Spanish

For translation into Arabic, Vietnamese, Indonesian, Nepali, Chinese, Burmese, Creole, French, and Urdu, click here.

English

Spanish

For translation into Arabic, Vietnamese, Indonesian, Nepali, Chinese, Burmese, Creole, French, and Urdu, click here.

English

Spanish

For translation into Arabic, Vietnamese, Indonesian, Nepali, Chinese, Burmese, Creole, French, and Urdu, click here.

Students are expected to attend school and arrive on time every day. Mastery has both a moral and legal obligation to ensure that all students attend school regularly. Strong attendance is vital, and all families should strive for no more than two absences per reporting period.

Key tenets of the Mastery attendance policy include the following:

• Submit excuse notes within three days of an absence.
• Only three parent-written notes will be accepted per report period.
• Students with 35+ total absences may be required to attend summer programming.
• Early dismissal must be requested in writing and approved in advance.
• High school students with 9+ absences in a course per report period will automatically receive a grade of 50 for that class. While credit recovery is available to students who fail courses and need to get back on track to earn credit, this should be considered a last resort for students. Learn more about the rigor of credit recovery here: (English | Spanish)
• Students with 12+ unexcused absences in a school year may be referred to the Regional Truancy Court, as per state guidelines.

To review the full policy, please refer to the Student-Parent Handbook for the city in which your family resides.

• Student-Parent Handbook, Philadelphia
• Student-Parent Handbook, Camden

Strong attendance supports academic achievement and future success. In fact, research indicates:

• Eighty-three % of K-1 students who miss fewer than five days of school can read at grade level by the third grade.
• High school students with an attendance rate of 95% or higher are more likely to achieve grades of A or B. In contrast, students with lower attendance rates face a greater risk of academic failure.
• Students who attend school regularly are also 2.5 times more likely to graduate from high school, setting the stage for future success in higher education and the workforce.

Families can support strong attendance by taking the following measures:

• Be aware of important dates on the school year calendar.
• Schedule dental and medical appointments outside of school hours.
• Only keep your child home when they are truly sick.
• Establish a daily routine with your student to promote a consistent bedtime and morning schedule that ensures they arrive at school on time.
• Monitor your student’s attendance on the Home Access Center (HAC).
• Celebrate success! Reward your student when they reach important milestones.
• Reach out to teachers and school leaders for support to ensure your student is getting the help they need to succeed.

• • Attendance Matters worksheet (English) 
  • Attendance Matters worksheet (Spanish)
  • Rigor of credit recovery worksheet (English)
  • Rigor of credit recovery worksheet (Spanish)

Like all other public schools in Philadelphia, we do not provide bus transportation to kindergarten students. Students in grades 1-12 receive a free SEPTA Fare Card to commute to school if they live more than 1.5 miles away from the school they are attending. Door-to-door bus service is also available for IEP students who require it. Students at elementary schools serving children from across the city (Mastery Prep Elementary, Hardy Williams Elementary, and Mann Elementary) may qualify for bus transportation if they are in grades 1-6 and live more than 1.5 miles away from the school. Families should contact the school they are interested in attending for more information and confirmation of services.

SEPTA Service Reduction – Fall 2025

Due to funding shortfalls, SEPTA made widespread service changes in the fall of 2025, resulting in significant service cuts and fare increases across the city. All Mastery families are encouraged to review the SEPTA Service Reduction Map to assess the impact on students’ daily commutes and identify updated routes. For example, Route 1, which previously served Gratz Prep Middle and Simon Gratz High School, has been discontinued. Students can now use Route 82 (R) to reach the campus or use the SEPTA Service Reduction Map to identify an alternate route.

Key resources: SEPTA Service Reduction Map, SEPTA Service Cuts Resource Guide, SEPTA Trip Planner

Students may qualify for bus services if they reside two walking miles or more away from the school they are attending in grades K-8 and 2.5 walking miles or more away from the school they are attending in grades 9-12. Door-to-door bus service is available for IEP students who require it. Schools may also have courtesy bus routes available. Families should contact the school they are interested in attending for more information and confirmation of services.

• Feeding PA food finder: Use Feeding PA’s Find Food Near You search page to locate resources.
• City of Philadelphia Food and Meal Finder: Access information about food sites in Philadelphia that offer supplemental food and groceries.​ Visit https://www.phila.gov/food/ to learn more. 
• Philabundance: Offers free food distributions across the Philadelphia region. Visit www.philabundance.org or call 215-339-0900 to find a location near you.
• Share Food Program: Provides emergency food boxes and operates food pantries. Learn more at www.sharefoodprogram.org.
• United Way 211: Dial 2-1-1 or visit www.pa211.org for a directory of food resources in your area.
• Find Help: Findhelp.org provides insight into where to find free or reduced-cost food. Visit https://findhelp.org/ and enter your zip code to get started.

• New Jersey Basic Needs Information Hub: This resource provides general information about food pantries, a county-by-county list, and a step-by-step guide for visiting one.
• Food Bank of South Jersey: Access information about food distribution sites in that offer supplemental food and groceries.​ Visit https://foodbanksj.org/zip-code-locator/ to learn more. 
• Jefferson Health Directory: Jefferson Health has compiled a list of food resources in the Camden area. Click here to learn more. 
• United Way 211: Dial 2-1-1 or visit https://nj211.org/njsnap for a list of food assistance resources for NJ SNAP recipients.
• Camden Cares For Our Neighbors: Provides residents of Camden City and neighboring towns with resources in a compassionate and efficient manner so they can achieve their highest potential. Learn more at www.camdencounty.com/service/camden-county-cares/
• Find Help: Findhelp.org provides insight into where to find free or reduced-cost food. Visit https://findhelp.org/ and enter your zip code to get started.