Originally adopted in 1999, the Pennsylvania Department of Education (PDE) set forth standards for school-age students in reading, mathematics and writing. These standards are assessed by the Pennsylvania System for School Assessment (PSSA). The PSSAs are also used to evaluate the degree to which district programs enable students to gain proficiency in these subjects, as well as in science. The PSSAs are administered annually to students in grades three through eight, and in grade 11 to assess reading and math achievement. Additionally, students in grades five, eight and 11 take the writing section, while those in grades four, eight and 11 take science.
Instructions
Accessing PSSA Scores
1
Call the school.
Call your child's school and ask to speak with the principal, school counselor or secretary. Depending on district policy, you may need to prove you have educational rights of the child (i.e. parent or guardian). This information is kept within student records and should not be a problem.
2
Ask for scores.
Ask the school for a copy of your child's PSSA scores. These files are often stored within the school office and should not be difficult to locate. The school will either tell you the scores verbally or send a printout to the student's mailing address.
3
Check scores on the computer.
Access information via the computer to find PSSA scores by school. Although you will not see individual students' scores, this will give you a rough estimate of the average scores of the district.