Statewide Assessment for Students with Disabilities
The Pennsylvania statewide assessment system for accountability is composed of assessments including the Pennsylvania System of School Assessment (PSSA), the Pennsylvania Alternate System of Assessment (PASA) and the Keystone Exams.
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.
On the PSSA, students in grades 3 through 8 are assessed in English Language Arts and Mathematics and grades 5 and 8 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.
Keystone Exams
The Keystone Exams meet the federal accountability criteria of the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) for students at the high school level. The Keystone Exams also serve as one component of Pennsylvania's statewide high school graduation requirement under Title 22 Chapter 4. Act 158 of 2018 (Act 158) and Act 6 of 2017 (Act 6) amended §121 of the Pennsylvania Public School Code, establishing five different pathways by which students may meet the statewide graduation requirements. Keystone Exams will help Local Education Agencies (LEAs) assess students’ knowledge contained within state standards. The exams are end-of-course assessments designed to assess proficiency in the subject areas of Algebra I, Literature, and Biology.
Pennsylvania Alternate System of Assessment (PASA)
The Individuals with Disabilities Act of 2004 (IDEA) requires that States and Local Education Agencies (LEAs) ensure that all children with disabilities are included in all general state and district-wide assessment programs, including assessments used for purposes of satisfying the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA). If necessary, a state may create an alternate assessment.
The Pennsylvania Alternate System of Assessment Dynamic Learning Maps (PASA DLM) was developed in accordance with this allowance to meet the needs of students with the most significant cognitive disabilities who are not able to participate in the general assessment even with accommodations. The PASA DLM is aligned with Pennsylvania's academic content standards with a reduction in depth, breadth and complexity and measures the attainment of knowledge and skills of children with the most significant cognitive disabilities. Like the state-wide general standardized assessments (PSSA and Keystone Exams), the purpose of the PASA DLM is to provide information to school districts and other educational service providers that will aid them in improving instruction for children and meet Pennsylvania's accountability requirements for reporting student achievement.
Eligibility Criteria for PASA
Students MUST meet the identified six criteria of eligibility (PDF), as determined by the IEP team, in order to participate in the PASA DLM.
Instruction and Testing Accommodations
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."
All students with disabilities can work toward grade-level academic content standards and most of these students will be able to achieve these standards when the following three conditions are met:
- Instruction is provided by teachers who are qualified to teach in the content areas addressed by state standards and who know how to differentiate instruction for diverse learners.
- IEPs for students with disabilities are developed to ensure the provision of specialized instruction.
- Appropriate accommodations are provided to help students access grade-level content. To access available testing accommodations, visit Testing Information.
PA Training and Technical Assistance Network (PaTTAN)
Contact
For more information, please contact Lisa Hampe at 717-364-2323 (lihampe@pa.gov) or Lynda Lupp at 610-265-7321 (llupp@pattan.net).