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PA School Districts

State PSSA Scores Are Lower, Officials Point to Alleged Cheating Crackdown

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The state Education Secretary says the results of the 2011-12 PSSA tests reflect actual student performance after an investigation of exams from three previous years.  Compared to the 2010-11 results, the latest Pennsylvania System of School Assessment scores declined by 1.4% in math and 1.6% in reading

These are the first tests since the state started taking a closer look at alleged cheating in some districts.   State Education Secretary Ron Tomalis says investigations continue in nine districts and charter schools and the department expects to file complaints against more than 100 educators suspected of misconduct in administering the tests.

Only 49% of the state’s public schools met Adequate Yearly Progress. Many districts fell short due to new federal regulations that require high school graduation rates to be factored in to the calculation.  Statewide, the number of students performing at or above grade level for math was 75.7%, for reading it was 71.9%, for writing it was 73.2%,   and for science it was 61.4%.

Tomalis calls the results a reset.  He says if you take out schools under investigation, achievement was flat.   The investigation has already resulted in increased test security measures, including monitors in schools that were under investigation.

The state’s largest teacher’s union  is also pointing a finger at the Corbett administration for the lower PSSA scores .  The Pennsylvania State Education Association says most educators know tampering or cheating is wrong, but it’s also wrong for the Corbett administration to use a small number of incidents to claim a statewide decline in test scores.

Spokesman Wythe Keever says the previous administration invested in public schools and students made steady gains, the Corbett administration cut nearly one billion from state funding  and standardized test scores declined.  He  says the need to restore funding to public schools is urgent.

PA School Districts

State Education Officials Continue to Probe Possible Cheating on Standardized Tests

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Dozens of schools in Pennsylvania are still under scrutiny after an examination of standardized test scores raised questions. The state Education Secretary was asked about the situation during a budget hearing in the house appropriations committee  this week.

Ron Tomalis said that 51 schools in Philadelphia and schools in 21 other districts, including 4 charter schools, are still under review. He says the department will be making sure teachers in those schools do not proctor their own classes when the exams are given this year. In some schools, the state will have monitors present during the exams.

Tomalis told the house appropriations committee they’ve identified schools where the pattern does not appear to be isolated. He says in those schools,  the questions were building wide across a couple of subjects and a couple of grades. He says in other schools, there were patterns specific to just one or two proctors. He says it’s a shame they’re dealing with this situation.

More than 20 other districts have been cleared of wrongdoing.      The math and reading PSSA tests are scheduled to begin March 12th, with writing and science tests next month.

State Education Department Reviews reports from School Districts Flagged for PSSA Results

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State education officials are reviewing reports from the nearly three dozen school districts and chartered schools flagged in a review of 2009 standardized test scores.  All but one of the schools has responded with a review of areas flagged in their Pennsylvania System of School Assessment (PSSA) results. State Education Department spokesman Tim Eller says that school was given an extension.

Eller could not discuss what was specifically in the reports, because the department’s investigation is not complete.  He did say that the reports will be used in conjunction with the department reviewing the data in detail, going over it with a fine toothed comb.  He says the department will decide if the investigation is closed or if further investigation is warranted.

The department is also awaiting the results of forensic reviews of the 2010 and 2011 PSSA results. Eller says while the 2009 report does stand on its own, the other reports will provide a trend analysis.

Eller says the 2009 report is not an indication cheating occurred; it just raised areas that needed review.   He says they’re also looking at whether there needs to be any change in the way the results are analyzed due to shifting school populations.

Pennsylvania’s Education Secretary Expands Review of Standardized Test Results

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After an examination of 2009 standardized test scores raised questions, the state Education Secretary is expanding his review.  The forensic analysis conducted on the 2009 PSSA test results from around Pennsylvania raised questions about scores in nearly 3 dozen districts and some charter schools.

Education Secretary Ron Tomalis first ordered a review and follow up with the schools listed in it. The schools must investigate the reasons they were flagged and report back in 30 days.

Now, the secretary has ordered a review of all exams since 2009. Education department spokesman Tim Eller says a similar report will be conducted for the 2010 PSSA

State Education Secretary Ron Tomalis

State Education Secretary Ron Tomalis

tests. He says the contractor was already preparing the 2011 report and will add the 2010 report to its review.

Eller says the 2011 forensic review should be ready by the end of this month and the 2010 review is expected by mid-September.

Eller says the analysis of the 2010 PSSAs will result in an additional cost of $108,000. He says the secretary believes the integrity and security of the PSSAs is of paramount importance.  He wants to ensure the results the state is getting from the tests, which are an indication of how students are performing and meeting state standards academically.

Eller says approximately 1.8 million tests are given statewide each year.  He says it’s important to ensure there’s no misconduct going on with the tests. He says the secretary is very concerned with the results of the initial 2009 report, but adds it’s important to note that the report is not an indictment of cheating or misconduct being done.

Eller says having three years’ worth of analysis will give the department a trend of the schools that appear on the report for irregularities, and allow the department to focus on areas where there could be potential issues.

State Education Department to Review Report on 2009 PSSA Tests

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State education officials are taking a closer look at an analysis of the 2009 Pennsylvania System of School Assessment test results.   The report raised questions about standardized math and reading test scores in nearly 3 dozen districts and some charter schools. It was prepared under the previous administration, but only recently came to light.

Education Secretary Ron Tomalis has ordered a review and follow up with the schools listed in it, according to state Education Department spokesman Tim Eller.  He says the reports highlights possible questionable areas at the school building level where irregularities exist with PSSA testing.  Eller adds the report does not specifically say problems occurred, it indicates some further examination needs to be done.

Eller says the secretary got the information yesterday.  He could not say exactly why the information is coming to light now.  He says it appears it was not a priority of the prior administration.  He says the report, to their knowledge, has not been reviewed or acted on in the past.

Eller says the forensic analysis was not performed last year; it was not funded in the department’s budget.  The Secretary had already revived it for the 2011 tests before questions began about the 2009 report.

Eller says many of the schools flagged in the report are in Philadelphia, but there are schools in other parts of the state as well that are listed within the report, which was prepared by a state contractor.