State Assessment Measures

ACCESS for ELLs 2.0 is a secure large-scale English language proficiency assessment administered to Kindergarten through 12th grade students who have been identified as English learners (ELs). It is given annually to monitor students' progress in acquiring academic English. ACCESS for ELLs 2.0 is aligned with the WIDA English Language Development Standards and assesses each of the four language domains of Listening, Speaking, Reading, and Writing.

ACCESS results inform decisions about students' English academic language and facilitation of their language development. Students' scores reflect proficiency levels ranging from Level 1 (Entering) to Level 6 (Reaching).

Test scores can be used:

• For accountability purposes
• As benchmarks against which educators can measure future performance
• As a measure to make reclassification decisions about whether a student can exit English language support services
• To support decisions about placing students into appropriate classes or groups for instruction, instructional planning
• To show the progress students have made

For more information, please visit the WIDA Web site.

Act 35 of 2018 requires students to complete a test of civics knowledge. To meet this expectation, a locally developed assessment of U.S. history, government, and civics is embedded in the 8th Grade Social Studies course.

The Keystone exams serve as one component of Pennsylvania's statewide high school graduation requirement. Keystone Exams help school districts guide students toward meeting state standards. The exams are end-of-course assessments designed to assess proficiency in the subject areas of Algebra I, Literature, and Biology.

Use the following links for more information:

• Pennsylvania’s statewide graduation requirements
• Keystone Testing Window

Pennsylvania System School Assessment (PSSA) is a standards-based, criterion-referenced assessment which provides students, parents, educators, and citizens with an understanding of student and school performance related to the attainment of proficiency of the academic standards. These standards in English Language Arts, Mathematics, and Science and Technology identify what a student should know and be able to do at varying grade levels.

Every Pennsylvania student in grades 3 through 8 is assessed in English Language Arts and Math. Every Pennsylvania student in grades 4 and 8 is also assessed in science.

Individual student scores, provided only to their respective schools, can be used to assist teachers in identifying students who may need additional educational opportunities, and school scores provide information to schools and districts for curriculum and instruction improvement discussions and planning.

Use the links below for more information:

• PSSA Testing Window