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of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania

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    Assessment and Accountability

    ​​​​​​​​Pennsylvania System of School Assessment (PSSA)​​​​​​​​

    The annual Pennsylvania System School Assessment is a standards-based, criterion-referenced assessment which provides students, parents, educators and citizens with an understanding of student and school performance related to the attainment of proficiency of the academic standards. These standards in English Language Arts, Mathematics, and Science and Technology identify what a student should know and be able to do at varying grade levels. School districts possess the freedom to design curriculum and instruction to ensure that students meet or exceed the standards' expectations.

    Every Pennsylvania student in grades 3 through 8 is assessed in English Language Arts and Math. Every Pennsylvania student in grades 5 and 8 is assessed in science.

    Individual student scores, provided only to their respective schools, can be used to assist teachers in identifying students who may be in need of additional educational opportunities, and school scores provide information to schools and districts for curriculum and instruction improvement discussions and planning.

    In compliance with §4.51(a)(4) of the PA School Code the State Board of Education approved, "specific criteria for advanced, proficient, basic and below basic levels of performance."

    To request to modify the PSSA testing schedule: If a school entity is currently in conflict with the 2024-2025 testing schedule for the Pennsylvania System of School Assessment (PSSA) due to religious observances or other dates of cultural significance, assistance is available. Schools with students seeking accommodations are permitted to delay the administration of the English Language Arts test until the make-up window, which concludes May 9, 2025. Those chief school administrators wishing to take advantage of this scheduling flexibility, or who would benefit from a consultation with the Department of Education on this topic, should email ra-ed-pssa-keystone@pa.gov. For more information on future schedules, please visit PSSA Testin​g Windows.

    Reporting Violations

    Testing irregularities should be reported to the PDE by telephoning 844-418-1651 or emailing ra-ed-pssa-keystone@pa.gov. Please provide as many details as possible when reporting irregularities including how to contact the person making the report.

    The Spring 2024 Keystone Exams Training will only be via PowerPoint and not a live webinar.

    ​To assist DACs in the training of SACs, we developed the attached PowerPoint. Using this document is not required by PDE​ but rather is offered as a way to save time for DACs as preparation for state testing begins. Since the document contains the PDE logo, please adhere to the following guidelines as you use this document.

    District Assessment Coordinators Training of School Assessment Coordinators ​(PowerPoint)​

    • You may edit the slides on pages 1, 9 and 10. These contain information specific to your LEA.
    • No other slides should be edited.

    ​To assist SACs in the training of all involved with test administration, we developed the attached PowerPoint. Using this document is not required by PDE but rather is offered as a way to save time for SACs as preparation for state testing begins. Since the document contains the PDE logo, please adhere to the following guidelines as you use this document.

    School Assessment Coordinators Training of All Individuals Involved with Test Administration (PowerPoint)

    • You may edit the slides on pages 1, 12, 13, 24, 25, and 27. These contain information specific to your LEA.
    • No other slides should be edited.
    • Additionally, if you are only administering the PSSA assessments, you may delete the slides for Keystone Exams and vice-versa.

    Resource Materials

    ​​Due to the cancellation of standardized testing in 2019–2020, the 2021 Item and Scoring Samplers are revised and enhanced versions of the previously released 2017 Item and Scoring Samplers.

    Starting with the 2023 assessment, the PSSA ELA tests have fewer items than in previous administrations.  This item reduction is due to the elimination of psychometric equating block items from ELA forms.  These items were previously used to compare items across administrations and are no longer needed due to changes in the test design. 

    The status of the Text Dependent Analysis (TDA) confirms Pennsylvania’s commitment to the importance of writing in preparation for College and Career Readiness. It is important to remember that the ELA test continues to assess the writing and language standards. Many of The writing standards are assessed in the Conventions of Standard English (Language) multiple-choice items and the TDA prompt.

    Due to the cancellation of standardized testing in 2019–2020, the 2021 Item and Scoring Samplers are revised and enhanced versions of the previously released 2017 Item and Scoring Samplers.

    Due to the cancellation of standardized testing in 2019–2020, the 2021 Item and Scoring Samplers are revised and enhanced versions of the previously released 2017 Item and Scoring Samplers.

    The following files are American with Disabilities Act (ADA) compliant documents that can be accessed by software programs for disabled users; therefore the handwritten student responses have been transcribed into typed responses for this purpose. The content is the same in both documents.

     

    Braille and Video Sign Language Accommodated Item and Scoring Sampler

    The Pennsylvania Department of Education provides districts and schools with item and scoring samplers for the Pennsylvania System of School Assessment (PSSA) and the Keystone Exams. These item and scoring samplers are tools to assist in delivering focused instructional programs aligned with the Pennsylvania Academic Standards (PAS).

    Braille

    The sampler items are assembled into a Braille booklet to assist students who will use the Unified English Braille accommodation. To receive a copy of the Braille item sampler, contact the AIM center at jbreneman@pattan.net. (A request could take up to three weeks to process.)

    Video Sign Language

    To assist students using the Video Sign Language accommodation, a Video Sign Language format of the item samplers has been produced for each grade and/or subject.

    The Video Sign Lan​g​uage dashboard should be used in conjunction with the item and scoring samplers.​​

    Testing

    Guidance for Medical Exemptions from State Assessments

    Generally, if a student can receive instruction, then they are also able to participate in state assessments; however, the health and well-being of students should take priority in determining whether they can participate. 

    Students may receive a medical exemption if they cannot participate in a state assessment during the testing window, including make-up dates, due to a significant medical event. Examples include, but are not limited to, a student who is 1) receiving short-term medical treatment due to a medical emergency; or 2) seriously ill or has a medical condition that prevents them from receiving instruction during the testing window.

    1. A medical emergency is defined as a circumstance in which a student cannot take or finish taking the assessment during the entire testing window, including make-up dates, because of a recent significant medical event just prior to or during the annual testing window. Examples of medical emergencies include: 
      1. Serious injury 
      2. Concussion 
      3. Confinement to home or hospital with an acute condition, not a long-term home instruction or hospital instruction situation. 
      4. Inability to interact with others without serious risk of infection or contamination. 
      5. Pregnancy with significant health complications or delivery just prior to or during the testing window. 
      6. Mental health crisis that prevents a student from receiving instruction.

        A note from a physician dated at least two weeks within the start of the testing window must be on file at the school. These records must be retained for three years.

    2. A serious illness or medical condition is defined as one in which the student is receiving active treatment for a life-threatening illness or medical condition and/or the associated recuperation. A note from a physician must be on file at the school and must be retained for three years.

    To account for a student with a medical exemption, as defined above, the “Medical Emergency” bubble on testing documents should be used.

    Note: An assessment of a student’s medical condition must be made annually at the testing window for each content area.

    To request to modify the PSSA testing schedule:  If a school entity is currently in conflict with the 2023-2024 testing sch​edule for the Pennsylvania System of School Assessment (PSSA) due to religious observances or other dates of cultural significance, assistance is available. Schools with students seeking accommodations are permitted to delay the administration of the English Language Arts test until the make-up window, which concludes May 10, 2024. Those chief school administrators wishing to take advantage of this scheduling flexibility, or who would benefit from a consultation with the Department of Education on this topic, should email ra-ed-pssa-keystone@pa.gov.

    2024-2025 School Year

    Assessment​
    		​Dates
    		​Grades
    ​English Language Arts
    		​April 21 - 25, 2025
    		​Grades 3-8
    ​Mathematics, Science and Make-ups
    		​April 28 - May 2, 2025
    		​Grades 3-8
    ​Early Reporting Deadline
    		​May 2, 2025
    		​Grades 3-8 
    PSSA Math, Science, Make-ups (Optional)
    		​May 5 - 9, 2025 (No early reporting)
    		​Grades 3-8

    Firefly
    November 18, 2024 to April 18, 2025

    2025-2026 School Year

    Assessment​
    		​Dates
    		​Grades
    ​English Language Arts
    		​April 20 - 24, 2026
    		​Grades 3-8
    ​Mathematics, Science and Make-ups
    		​April 27 - May 1, 2026
    		​Grades 3-8
    Mathematics, Science, and Make-ups (Optional) 
    		May 4 - 8, 2026​Grades 3-8 
    Early Reporting is not available in the 2025-2026 school year
    		​
    		 

    Firefly
    Dates to be determined for 2025-2026 school year. 

    2026-2027 School Year

    Assessment​
    		​Dates
    		​Grades
    ​English Language Arts
    		​April 26 - 30, 2027
    		​Grades 3-8
    ​Mathematics, Science and Make-ups
    		​May 3 - 7, 2027
    		​Grades 3-8
    ​Mathematics, Science, and Make-ups (Optional)
    		May 10 - 14, 2027​Grades 3-8 
    Early Reporting is not available in the 2026-2027 school year​
    		 

    Firefly
    Dates to be determined for 2026-2027 school year. 

    ​​​​​​​​​​​​Test Administration Materials

    The documents linked below describe the responsibilities of district and school assessment coordinators and school assessment administrators in the administration of the PSSA. These documents will be updated annually prior to the administration of the assessment.

    Parent Information

    For more information on Pennsylvania's Alternate System of Assessment (PASA), please access https://dynamiclearningmaps.org/pennsylvania.​​​​​

    The Assessment Anchors are one of the many tools the Pennsylvania Department of Education (PDE) has developed to better align curriculum, instruction and assessment practices throughout the state. PDE first released the Assessment Anchors for Mathematics and Reading in 2004. The Assessment Anchors, like the Standards, are dynamic documents and will be adjusted periodically.

    Mathematics

    Reading/English Language Arts

    Science

    Assessments

    Graduation Requirements

    Learn about Pennsylvania’s Pathways to Graduation, which provide alternative avenues for high school students to demonstrate postsecondary preparedness and satisfy statewide requirements without attaining Keystone Exam proficiency.

    Pathways to Graduation