|
PENNSYLVANIA
SYSTEM OF SCHOOL ASSESSMENT (PSSA)
MATHEMATICS,
READING, and WRITING
INTRODUCTION
The State’s assessment system
is known as the Pennsylvania System of School Assessment (PSSA).
Tests are required under the Chapter 4 Regulations of the
Pennsylvania State Board of Education and the federal No
Child Left Behind (NCLB) Act. The tests are based on the
Pennsylvania Academic Standards in Mathematics, Reading,
Writing, Speaking, and Listening. The focus of the
assessment is to determine the degree to which the
students and school in the State of Pennsylvania are
proficient in achieving the content contained in the
Pennsylvania Academic Standards in the areas of
mathematics, reading, and writing.
Additionally, the PSSA
provides information to teachers and schools to guide the
redesign of curricula and instructional strategies to
enable students to achieve the Pennsylvania Academic
Standards.
BACKGROUND
During the 2006-2007 school
year, students were assessed in mathematics and reading at
grades 3 through 8 and 11. Writing was assessed at grades
5, 8, and 11. In 2007-08, the State will include science
assessments in grades 4, 8, and 11. This testing schedule
has been developed to bring Pennsylvania into compliance
with the No Child Left Behind Act.
The four performance levels
which correspond with student scores on the PSSA
illustrate students’ levels of achievement relative to the
Pennsylvania Academic Standards as measured by performance
on the PSSA. The performance levels provide specific
descriptions students’ abilities and help guide educators
in developing curriculum and instruction that enable all
students to be successful learners. The four levels are:
Advanced, Proficient, Basic, and Below Basic.
NORTH ALLEGHENY SCHOOL DISTRICT
2006-2007 DISTRICT REPORT CARD
The No Child Left Behind Act
and the Pennsylvania Accountability System mandates that
school districts provide their communities with a Report
Card of Student Achievement indicating student achievement
as assessed by the PSSA. For this purpose, districts are
to provide their communities with the following
information:
|
•
Mathematics and
Reading
performance of all students in grades 3 through 8
and 11.
• Mathematics and
Reading
performance of disaggregated groups with 10 or more
students in grades 3 through 8 and 11.
• Two year Mathematics and Reading performance
trends of all students in grades 3 through 8 and 11.
• Comparison of
School
Building,
District and State Mathematics and
Reading performance.
• Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) status of the
District and
School Buildings.
• PSSA participation rate for each School Building.
• Graduation rates for students in grades 9-12.
•
Qualifications of District teaching staff. |
The
following charts provide information regarding District
aggregate and disaggregated results for the 2006-2007
school year for grades 3 through 8 and 11. Results of
grades 3 through 8 and 11 for the individual buildings can be
viewed at
http://www.paayp.com/district.jsp?hiddenSelectCounty=Allegheny&selectDistrict=NORTH%20ALLEGHENY%20SD.
|
