Requirements
The Every Student Succeeds Act, ESSA requires Pennsylvania (PA) to ensure that the total number of students assessed in each subject, using the alternate assessment for students with the most significant cognitive disabilities, does not exceed 1.0 percent of the total number of all students in the state assessed on the statewide assessments. In accordance with 34 CFR 200.6(c)(3), a State must require a local education agency (LEA) that assesses more than 1.0 percent of its assessed students in any subject with an alternate assessment to submit information to the state stating the reason it exceeds the 1.0 percent threshold. States must provide appropriate oversight of each LEA that submits a justification and ensure that justification information is publicly available, provided that it does not reveal personally identifiable information about an individual student. A tiered system of oversight and monitoring for LEAs is used to address 1.0 percent threshold compliance requirements in PA.
3-Tiered System of Oversight and Monitoring for LEAs
The Bureau of Special Education (BSE) developed the three-tiered system of oversight and monitoring as required by ESSA to monitor the participation rates of students with disabilities in the Pennsylvania Alternate System of Assessment (PASA). The submission process for LEAs includes all three tiers in one form/survey submission. The process allows the LEA to review the previous school year's PASA participation data prior to enrolling students for testing for the current year, and ensure only those students who meet all 6 of PA's Eligibility Criteria (PDF) are enrolled to take the PASA.
Beginning in 2023-24 school year, ALL LEAs will receive personalized email communications from BSE to provide their most current testing data and their identified tier based upon the data. The LEA must submit the required responses for their identified tier to the BSE via a personalized survey link emailed to the Special Education Administrator. Please see the form below, which includes tier descriptions, the required questions for each tier, and directions for submission of the required survey responses to BSE:
Tier Descriptions
Tier 1 (Universal)
ALL LEAs are required to submit alternate statewide assessment participation data to BSE annually. LEAs who were under the 1% in the most recent testing year and who do not plan to exceed the 1% threshold in the upcoming testing cycle will submit their demographic information and assurance only. Those who exceeded last year and/or plan to exceed the 1% this year are required to submit responses to a series of justification questions identified in the 1% threshold survey via a personalized survey link emailed to the Special Education Administrator.
A list of LEAs who anticipate exceeding the threshold will be made publicly available on the PDE website, in accordance with 34 CFR 200.6 (c)(3) regulations. LEAs who plan to exceed the threshold must also make this information publicly available without disclosing any student personally identifiable information.
Abington Heights SD
Abington SD
Agora Cyber CS
Albert Gallatin Area SD
Aliquippa SD
Allegheny Valley SD
Allegheny-Clarion Valley SD
Altoona Area SD
Ambridge Area SD
Annville-Cleona SD
Antietam SD
Antonia Pantoja Community CS
Apollo-Ridge SD
Armstrong SD
ASPIRA Bilingual Cyber CS
Athens Area SD
Avella Area SD
Baden Academy CS
Bald Eagle Area SD
Bangor Area SD
Beaver Area SD
Bedford Area SD
Bellwood-Antis SD
Belmont CS
Bensalem Township SD
Benton Area SD
Bentworth SD
Berwick Area SD
Bethel Park SD
Bethlehem Area SD
Bethlehem-Center SD
Big Beaver Falls Area SD
Big Spring SD
Blackhawk SD
Bloomsburg Area SD
Blue Mountain SD
Blue Ridge SD
Boyertown Area SD
Bradford Area SD
Brandywine Heights Area SD
Brentwood Borough SD
Bristol Borough SD
Bristol Township SD
Brockway Area SD
Brookville Area SD
Brownsville Area SD
Butler Area SD
California Area SD
Cambria Heights SD
Camp Hill SD
Canon-McMillan SD
Canton Area SD
Carbondale Area SD
Carlisle Area SD
Carlynton SD
Carmichaels Area SD
Centennial SD
Center for Student Learning CS at Pennsbury
Central Bucks SD
Central Cambria SD
Central Columbia SD
Central Dauphin SD
Central Fulton SD
Central Valley SD
Central York SD
Chambersburg Area SD
Charleroi SD
Chartiers Valley SD
Chartiers-Houston SD
Cheltenham SD
Chester-Upland SD
Chestnut Ridge SD
Chichester SD
Clairton City SD
Clarion-Limestone Area SD
Clearfield Area SD
Coatesville Area SD
Cocalico SD
Columbia Borough SD
Commodore Perry SD
Commonwealth Charter Academy CS
Conemaugh Township Area SD
Conemaugh Valley SD
Conestoga Valley SD
Conewago Valley SD
Conneaut SD
Connellsville Area SD
Conrad Weiser Area SD
Coudersport Area SD
Council Rock SD
Cranberry Area SD
Crawford Central SD
Cumberland Valley SD
Dallas SD
Dallastown Area SD
Daniel Boone Area SD
Danville Area SD
Deep Roots CS
Delaware Valley SD
Derry Township SD
Donegal SD
Dover Area SD
Downingtown Area SD
Dubois Area SD
Duquesne City SD
East Allegheny SD
East Lycoming SD
East Penn SD
East Pennsboro Area SD
East Stroudsburg Area SD
Eastern Lancaster County SD
Eastern York SD
Easton Area SD
Elizabethtown Area SD
Ellwood City Area SD
Environmental CS at Frick Park
Ephrata Area SD
Erie City SD
Everett Area SD
Exeter Township SD
Fairfield Area SD
Fairview SD
Fannett-Metal SD
Ferrell Area SD
Ferndale Area SD
Fleetwood Area SD
Forbes Road SD
Forest City Regional SD
Forest Hills SD
Fort Cherry SD
Fort LeBoeuf SD
Franklin Regional SD
Franklin Towne CHS
Frederick Douglass Mastery CS
Freedom Area SD
Freeport Area SD
Galeton Area SD
Garnet Valley SD
Gateway SD
General McLane SD
Gettysburg Area SD
Girard SD
Glendale SD
Governor Mifflin SD
Great Valley SD
Greater Johnstown SD
Greater Latrobe SD
Greater Nanticoke Area SD
Greencastle-Antrim SD
Greensburg Salem SD
Greenwood SD
Grove City Area SD
Halifax Area SD
Hamburg Area SD
Hanover Area SD
Harbor Creek SD
Harmony Area SD
Harrisburg City SD
Haverford Townshp SD
Hazleton Area SD
Hempfield Area SD
Hempfield SD
Hermitage SD
Highlands SD
Hollidaysburg Area SD
Homer-Center SD
Hopewell Area SD
Huntingdon Area SD
Indiana Area SD
Insight PA Cyber CS
Interboro SD
Iroquois SD
Jennette City SD
Jefferson-Morgan SD
Jersey Shore Area SD
Jim Thorpe Area SD
Juniata County SD
Juniata Valley SD
Keystone Central SD
Keystone SD
KIPP DuBois CS
KIPP Philadelphia CS
Kiski Area SD
Kutztown Area SD
La Academia Partnershp CS
Lackawanna Trail SD
Lakeland SD
Lancaster SD
Laurel Highlands SD
Lebanon SD
Leechburg Area SD
Lehighton Area SD
Ligonier Valley SD
Lincoln CS
Lindley Academy CS at Birney
Line Mountain SD
Lower Dauphin SD
Lower Moreland Township SD
Mahanoy Area SD
Manheim Central SD
Manheim Township SD
Marion Center Area SD
Marple Newtown SD
MAST Community CS
MaST Community CS II
MaST Community CS III
Mastery CHS-Lenfest Campus
Mastery CS - John Wister Elementary
Mastery CS - Clymer Elementary
Mastery CS - Francis D. Pastorius Elementary
Mastery CS - Gratz Campus
Mastery CS - Hardy Williams
Mastery CS - Harrity Campus
Mastery CS - Pickett Campus
Mastery CS - Shoemaker Campus
Mastery CS - Smedley Campus
McGuffey SD
McKeesport Area SD
Mechanicsburg Area SD
Mercer Area SD
Methacton SD
Meyersdale Area SD
Mid Valley SD
Middletown Area SD
Midd-West SD
Midland Borough SD
Mifflin County SD
Mifflinburg Area SD
Millcreek Township SD
Millersburg Area SD
Milton Area SD
Minersville Area SD
Mohawk Area SD
Monessen City SD
Moniteau SD
Montgomery Area SD
Montour SD
Montoursville Area SD
Montrose Area SD
Moon Area SD
Morrisville Borough SD
Mount Carmel Area SD
Mount Union Area SD
Mountain View SD
Muhlenberg SD
Muncy SD
Neshaminy SD
New Brighton Area SD
New Castle Area SD
New Day CS
New Foundations CS
New Kensington-Arnold SD
Newport SD
Norristown Area SD
North Allegheny SD
North East SD
North Penn SD
North Schuylkill SD
North Star SD
Northampton Area SD
Northeast Bradford County SD
Northeastern York SD
Northern Bedford County SD
Northern Lebanon SD
Northern Lehigh SD
Northern Potter SD
Northern Tioga SD
Northern York County SD
Northwest Area SD
Norwin SD
Oil City Area SD
Old Forge SD
Oley Valley SD
Oswayo Valley SD
Owen J Roberts SD
Oxford Areea SD
Palmerton Area SD
Palmyra Area SD
Panther Valley SD
Parkland SD
Pen Argyl Area SD
Penn Cambria SD
Penn Hills SD
Penn-Delco SD
Penns Manor Area SD
Penns Valley Area SD
Pennsbury SD
Pennsylvania Cyber CS
Pennsylvania Distance Learning CS
Pennsylvania Leadership CS
Penn-Trafford SD
Pequea Valley SD
Perseus House CS of Excellence
Philadelphia Academy CS
Philadelphia City SD
Philadelphia Electrical & Tech CHS
Philadelphia Hebrew Public CS
Phillipsburg-Osceola Area SD
Phoenixville Area SD
Pine Grove Area SD
Pine-Richland SD
Pittsburgh SD
Pittston Area SD
Pleasant Valley SD
Pocono Mountain SD
Portage Area SD
Pottsgrove SD
Pottstown SD
Pottsville Area SD
Propel CS-Braddock Hills
Propel CS-McKeesport
Punxsutawney Area SD
Quakertown Community SD
Radnor Township SD
Reach Cyber CS
Reading SD
Reynolds SD
Richland SD
Ridgway Area SD
Ridley SD
Riverside SD
Riverview SD
Rochester Area SD
Rose Tree Media SD
Saint Clair Area SD
Salisbury Township SD
Saucon Valley SD
Sayre Area SD
Schuylkill Haven Area SD
Scranton SD
Seneca Valley SD
Shaler Area SD
Shamokin Area SD
Sharon City SD
Sharpsville Area SD
Shenandoah Valley SD
Shikellamy SD
Shippensburg Area SD
Slippery Rock Area SD
Smethport Area SD
Solanco SD
Souderton Area SD
South Allegheny SD
South Eastern SD
South Park SD
South Side Area SD
Southeast Delco SD
Southern Huntingdon County SD
Southern Tioga SD
Southern York County SD
Southmoreland SD
Spectrum CS
Spring Cove SD
Springfield SD
Springfield Township SD
Spring-Ford Area SD
Steel Valley SD
Steelton-Highspire SD
Sto-Rox SD
Stroudsburg Area SD
Sugar Valley Rural CS
Sullivan County SD
Susquehanna Community SD
Susquehanna Township SD
Susquenita SD
Tamaqua Area SD
The Philadelphia CS for Arts and Sciences at HR Edmunds
Titusville Area SD
Towanda Area SD
Trinity Area SD
Troy Area SD
Tulpehocken Area SD
Tunkhannock Area SD
Tuscarora SD
Twin Valley SD
Tyrone Area SD
Union Area SD
Union City Area SD
Union SD
Uniontown Area SD
Universal Alcorn CS
Universal Creighton CS
Upper Adams SD
Upper Darby SD
Upper Merion Area SD
Upper Moreland Township SD
Upper Perkiomen SD
Upper Saint Clair SD
Valley Grove SD
Wallenpaupack Area SD
Warren County SD
Warrior Run SD
Warwick SD
Washington SD
Wattsburg Area SD
Wayne Highlands SD
Waynesboro Area SD
Wellsboro Area SD
West Branch Area SD
West Chester Area SD
West Greene SD
West Jefferson Hills SD
West Middlesex Area SD
West Mifflin Area SD
West Perry SD
West Shore SD
West York Area SD
Western Beaver County SD
Western Wayne SD
Westmont Hilltop SD
Whitehall-Coplay SD
Wilkes-Barre Area SD
Wilkinsburg Borough SD
William Penn SD
Williams Valley SD
Williamsburg Community SD
Williamsport Area SD
Wilson SD
Windber Area SD
Woodland Hills SD
Wyalusing Area SD
Wyoming Area SD
Wyoming Valley West SD
York City SD
York Suburban SD
Yough SD
Young Scholars CS
Tier 2 (Targeted)
Tier 2 LEAs are identified based upon higher rates of PASA participation in the most recent testing year and required to submit responses to all the 1% threshold survey justification questions via the survey link and may be subject to additional on-site visits and/or file reviews as required by the BSE.
Tier 3 (Intensive)
Tier 3 LEAs are identified based upon excessively high rates of PASA participation in the most recent testing year and required to submit responses to all the 1% threshold survey justification questions via the survey link. In addition, these LEAs will work directly with a BSE representative to complete the Intensive Needs Review data protocol and submission of required IEPs. These LEAs are also subject to on-site visits and/or additional file reviews as determined by BSE. Tier 3 LEAs can access the Intensive Needs LEA Review sample questions below:
- Intensive Needs Review (PDF)
Resources for the LEA:
- 1% Compliance: Using Data and PASA Eligibility Criteria in IEP Team Decision Making (Tier 3 Required Training) (PowerPoint)
- State Assessment Participation for Students with Disabilities- Why it Matters! (YouTube)
- State Assessment Participation for Students with Disabilities – Why it Matters! (PowerPoint)
1.0 Percent Threshold Requirements for Pennsylvania
PDE submitted a 1.0 Percent Compliance Plan of Action to the US Department of Education in August of 2019. The plan includes details on why the state is not able to apply for a 1.0 Percent Wavier from USDE, as well as a robust plan of action to address the federal 1.0 percent threshold requirements.
PDE submitted the following updates to the original PA 1.0 Percent Compliance Plan to the US Department of Education:
- (Aug 2020) PA 1.0 Percent Compliance Plan Updates
- (December 2021) PA 1.0 Percent Compliance Plan Updates
- (February 2023) PA 1.0 Percent Compliance Plan Updates
- (November 2023) PA 1.0 Percent Compliance Plan Updates
Public comment or questions concerning the 1.0 Percent Justification Requirements or Pennsylvania's 1.0 Percent Compliance Plan should be directed to Lisa Hampe: lihampe@pa.gov , Lisa Hauswirth: lhauswirth@pa.gov, and/or Lynda Lupp: llupp@pattankop.net