Statewide PSSA Scores Decline Slightly

According to the Pottstown Mercury, Pennsylvania state assessment exam scores fell just slightly this year, statewide.

For the 2011-12 school year Pennsylvania System of School Assessment (PSSA) tests were administered to more than 930,000 students. Math and reading exams are given to students in grades three through eight and 11; the writing exam is given to students in grades five, eight and 11; and the science exam is given to students in grades four, eight and 11.

The exams measure student achievement by the state’s academic standards. According to the federal No Child Left Behind Act, 100 percent of students must score proficient in reading and math by 2014.

Across the state, 75.7 percent of students performed at or above grade level in math; 71.9 percent scored at or above grade level in reading; 73.2 percent performed at or above grade level in writing; and 61.4 percent performed at or above grade level in science.

This is a slight decline over last year’s scores. The percent of proficient or better scores in 2010-11 is down by 1.4 percent in math and 1.6 percent in reading.

According to Pennsylvania Department of Education reports, all Spring-Ford Area School District schools made AYP (Adequate Yearly Progress) this year, with the exception of Spring City Elementary School, which received a warning.

Read the whole story here.