State Assessments

The Pennsylvania System of School Assessment (PSSA) is an annual 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 3-8 and grade 11 is assessed in reading and math. Students in grades 5, 8 and 11 are assessed in writing. Student results are reported as either advanced, proficient, basic, or below basic. http://www.pde.state.pa.us/a_and_t/site/default.asp

Pennsylvania Alternate System of Assessment (PASA)

The PASA uses performance tasks to measure the knowledge and skills attainment of students with significant cognitive disabilities. Like the statewide-standardized test (the Pennsylvania System of School Assessment or PSSA), the purpose of the PASA is to provide information to school districts and other educational service providers that will help them improve instruction for students with disabilities. The PASA information and reports, shown by school year, are available at: www.pasaassessment.org