In 2004-2005, the Pennsylvania System of Schools Assessment (PSSA) was given to students in grades third, fifth, eighth, and eleventh once a year to measure students’ knowledge in Math and Reading. Starting from 2005-2006, students in grades third to eighth and eleventh also took reading, math, and writing. Beginning 2007-2008 school years, the science assessment was added for the eleventh grade.

The Pennsylvania System of Schools Assessment is a standardized test administered in all Pennsylvania public schools. It is a criterion-referenced assessment because its goal for students is based on a set standard. A predetermined level of acceptable performance is developed and students pass or fail are depended on their achieving or not achieving this level. Each school’s score also has to meet a certain percentage each year. On the other hand, it is norm-referenced assessment because parents, school district administrators, and legislators used the data as indicators of the school’s performance and compare it with other districts’ data. (PAAYP) It is also a summative assessment because it is given near the end of the year.

Our education officials believed that students achieve a diploma that prepares them for success in the 21st century if they passed these new, higher standards. However, it is not authentic assessment because it is not a performance based, but rather students only have to select a response. The PSSA scores for individual student, provided to their respective schools and to their families. They can be used to assist teachers in identifying students who may be in need of additional educational opportunities. The school scores provide information to schools and districts for curriculum and instructional improvement discussions and planning. (PAAYP) We used this data to select the students for extra tutoring in a math. Therefore, it is also a diagnostic assessment.

A city school scores were 28.3% reading proficiency and 22.2% math proficiency. These were way below the academic performance target of 54% in reading and 45% in math for the year of 2007. They did not meet the state benchmarks.

Ethnicity and socioeconomic factors were affecting the students learning and school scores greatly. I also looked into the data of two suburban schools, which are located at the opposite ends of the cityschool in the same county. Those schools have high income residents. The first school had 0.9% African American students, 1.5% Hispanic students, and 95.8% Caucasian students. Second school had 1.3% African American, 0.0% Hispanic students, and 97.1% Caucasians. Their achievement scores were 69.2% and 76.9% for reading and 56.7% and 64.6% for math respectively. (School Matters)