This year, eleventh graders will have to know about the Big Bang Theory and electron configuration in order to ace their required standardized test.

The High School Proficiency Assessment (HSPA) will add science to the annual test students take in March which determines whether a student can graduate. Previously, the test consisted of just math and language arts portions.

The science portion of the test, however, will not be considered as a graduation requirement this year. It will likely be counted in the future however.

Lucille E. Davy, Commissioner of the Department of Education for New Jersey, has stated that the addition of the science portion is more or less a measurement of student achievement in high school science. She claims that the data will “identify school ... deficiencies” in science education to “shape local curriculum design and instructional practice almost immediately.”

Chemistry Teacher Ms. Ithumathy Nadarajah has been doing her part to prepare the juniors at Rosa Parks High School for the newly added science portion. For the past few months Ms. Nadarajah has included HSPA review questions into her instruction.

Ms. Nadarajah, who this year teaches science to all juniors said the news of the HSPA science test was somewhat of a “surprise” to her. Quite a few years ago, the teacher attended a science convention, which provided teachers with materials to prepare the students for such a test.

“I saved all of these [materials] from 1998, can you believe that?” Ms. Nadarajah remarked.

For some students, the news of the HSPA science portion was a bit of a surprise.

“I was shocked because they told us in the middle of [this school] year,” said Alexis Angel, a junior.

Freddy Mancebo said that adding a new science portion is “unfair” to students and teachers. “Now teachers are pressured to cover everything from the past years,” he said.

He added that while performance on the science portion of the test will not count towards graduation, the extra section would take a toll on overexerted juniors.

“It is going to make the whole process of taking the test more stressful,” Mancebo said.

News Editor Ashlee Coleman contributed to this article.