The annual Pennsylvania System of School Assessment (PSSA) is a standards-based, criterion-referenced assessment used to measure a student's attainment of the academic standards while also determining the degree to which school programs enable students to attain proficiency of the standards. Every Pennsylvania student in grades 3 through 8 will take the English Language Arts (ELA) and Math. Every Pennsylvania student in grades 4 and 8 is assessed in Science. Individual student scores 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(b)(4) of the PA School Code the State Board of Education approved, "specific criteria for advanced, proficient, basic and below basic levels of performance." (excerpt from the Pennsylvania Department of Education website)
It is important to understand that these tests are a snapshot of your student's performance during a given time frame. The results may not be an indication of how successful your student has been all year. These scores are primarily used to provide administration and teachers with information that they need to guide instruction, make curriculum changes, and identify individual students that may need extra support in a specific content area.