As students this week tackle annual tests that measure performance in math and reading, pressure will be on many schools to do much better than last year.
The average level of achievement that students must attain for a school to be judged successful on the Pennsylvania System of School Assessment (PSSA) is going up significantly, as it did last year.
For 2012, 78 percent of each school's students must pass the math test for the school to make "Adequate Yearly Progress" - AYP - the state standard for satisfactory achievement. In reading, 81 percent must pass.
There is some wiggle room; schools can still make AYP if they are within a certain percentage of the benchmarks or if it appears they will achieve it in the next few years.
Last year, the PSSA mark for success was 67 percent proficient and above in math and 72 percent in reading.
Even though average student performance statewide increased slightly last year, to 76 percent proficient or better in math and 72 percent in reading, the percentage of schools making Adequate Yearly Progress went down, from 82 percent to 75 percent, because of the higher standards.
State education secretary Ron Tomalis has asked the federal government to freeze the AYP goals at the 2012 level to give the state time to put improved practices in place.
By 2014, according to the federal No Child Left Behind law under which the tests are mandated, 100 percent of students should be scoring proficient or advanced.
Many educators say that is unrealistic.
Schools that do not make the mark could eventually be subject to sanctions ranging from paying for tutoring programs to allowing students to transfer to more successful schools.
Some schools pull out all the stops to help students succeed, including rallies to ramp up student enthusiasm, giving students breakfast before they take the exams, and even delaying the start of tests until Tuesday, to allow children time to adjust to the switch to Daylight Saving Time.
Delaware County's Southeast Delco School District is hoping that 2012 will show a continuation of last year's success, when four out of five schools met state standards; it was the first time ever for Academy Park High School.
Superintendent Stephen Butz said the district gives extra help to students in math and reading, and has improved its teaching materials and upgraded its curriculum.
"We still are showing improvement," Butz said. "We continue to push forward."
Pennsylvania, like most other states, kept the Adequate Yearly Progress standard low for the first few years after No Child Left Behind became law in 2002, with much steeper increases as 2014 approaches.
Last year, the Obama administration started allowing states to scrap the 2014 deadline if they would agree to adopt a new set of rules that focus on the bottom 15 percent of schools and make other changes.
So far, 11 states, including New Jersey, have adopted the new rules; 26 more have applied for the waivers.
Tomalis has so far not taken that route, saying that it is likely that Congress will pass a new version of No Child Left Behind in the next year or two.
Tomalis has instead asked for federal permission to freeze the Adequate Yearly Progress standard for schools at this year's level. Pennsylvania's thresholds are now set to increase to 89 percent in math and 91 percent in reading next year.
Tomalis also wants to switch away from general math and reading PSSA tests for 11th graders in 2013. Instead, he wants to substitute three specific state course tests: Algebra 1, Literature, and Biology. The state is already developing those tests - called Keystone Exams - as part of a plan to have all students in the graduating class of 2017 pass them to get a high school diploma.
There is one other new wrinkle this year, related to state attempts to identify possible cheating. Districts must have and keep a list of who is administering the tests to which students. And each PSSA test administrator must sign an affidavit saying they adhered to test administration protocols.
Also, teachers in the Philadelphia and Hazleton School Districts, the Imhotep and Philadelphia Electrical and Technical charters, and the Chester Community charter school are not allowed to administer the tests to their own students. All are under investigation for possible cheating in prior years.
The average level of achievement that students must attain for a school to be judged successful on the Pennsylvania System of School Assessment (PSSA) is going up significantly, as it did last year.
For 2012, 78 percent of each school's students must pass the math test for the school to make "Adequate Yearly Progress" - AYP - the state standard for satisfactory achievement. In reading, 81 percent must pass.
There is some wiggle room; schools can still make AYP if they are within a certain percentage of the benchmarks or if it appears they will achieve it in the next few years.
Last year, the PSSA mark for success was 67 percent proficient and above in math and 72 percent in reading.
Even though average student performance statewide increased slightly last year, to 76 percent proficient or better in math and 72 percent in reading, the percentage of schools making Adequate Yearly Progress went down, from 82 percent to 75 percent, because of the higher standards.
State education secretary Ron Tomalis has asked the federal government to freeze the AYP goals at the 2012 level to give the state time to put improved practices in place.
By 2014, according to the federal No Child Left Behind law under which the tests are mandated, 100 percent of students should be scoring proficient or advanced.
Many educators say that is unrealistic.
Schools that do not make the mark could eventually be subject to sanctions ranging from paying for tutoring programs to allowing students to transfer to more successful schools.
Some schools pull out all the stops to help students succeed, including rallies to ramp up student enthusiasm, giving students breakfast before they take the exams, and even delaying the start of tests until Tuesday, to allow children time to adjust to the switch to Daylight Saving Time.
Delaware County's Southeast Delco School District is hoping that 2012 will show a continuation of last year's success, when four out of five schools met state standards; it was the first time ever for Academy Park High School.
Superintendent Stephen Butz said the district gives extra help to students in math and reading, and has improved its teaching materials and upgraded its curriculum.
"We still are showing improvement," Butz said. "We continue to push forward."
Pennsylvania, like most other states, kept the Adequate Yearly Progress standard low for the first few years after No Child Left Behind became law in 2002, with much steeper increases as 2014 approaches.
Last year, the Obama administration started allowing states to scrap the 2014 deadline if they would agree to adopt a new set of rules that focus on the bottom 15 percent of schools and make other changes.
So far, 11 states, including New Jersey, have adopted the new rules; 26 more have applied for the waivers.
Tomalis has so far not taken that route, saying that it is likely that Congress will pass a new version of No Child Left Behind in the next year or two.
Tomalis has instead asked for federal permission to freeze the Adequate Yearly Progress standard for schools at this year's level. Pennsylvania's thresholds are now set to increase to 89 percent in math and 91 percent in reading next year.
Tomalis also wants to switch away from general math and reading PSSA tests for 11th graders in 2013. Instead, he wants to substitute three specific state course tests: Algebra 1, Literature, and Biology. The state is already developing those tests - called Keystone Exams - as part of a plan to have all students in the graduating class of 2017 pass them to get a high school diploma.
There is one other new wrinkle this year, related to state attempts to identify possible cheating. Districts must have and keep a list of who is administering the tests to which students. And each PSSA test administrator must sign an affidavit saying they adhered to test administration protocols.
Also, teachers in the Philadelphia and Hazleton School Districts, the Imhotep and Philadelphia Electrical and Technical charters, and the Chester Community charter school are not allowed to administer the tests to their own students. All are under investigation for possible cheating in prior years.
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