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April 17, 2024

Dear School District of Philadelphia Families,

Students in grades 3-8 will be participating in the Pennsylvania System of School Assessment (PSSA) betweenApril 22, 2024 – May 10, 2024.

The School District of Philadelphia is guided by the Board of Education’s Goals & Guardrails. The Board’s goals are to see every student perform on or above grade level in major subjects, and graduate ready for college and a career. The PSSA is an important tool that allows parents, guardians and educators to track our progress toward meeting those goals. Student scores help teachers track academic progress, and identify a child’s strengths and needs so that they can support each student’s learning. PSSA scores also help schools and the District continue to refine the curriculum and instruction.

During PSSA testing, it is very important for students to attend school every day. The PSSA is state mandated, and federal law requires that all students in grades 3-8 participate. Each school must have at least 95% of students take the English Language Arts, Math, and Science (for grades 4 and 8) assessments. If schools fall below 95% participation, the state performance score for the school is negatively affected.

You can learn more about the PSSA using the links below or by visiting our PSSA website. Your child’s school will also be sharing this information with you.

• PSSA Parent Guide: An overview of the PSSA with links to resources for District parents.
• Frequently Asked Questions: A fact sheet from the Pennsylvania Department of Education (PDE) that provides answers to frequently asked questions.
• PSSA Test Features and Accommodations: An explanation of test features and accommodations available to students, including a link to the complete Accommodations Guidelines.
• Code of Conduct for Test Takers: Do’s and don’ts for students during testing.
• Electronic Devices Parent Letter: A letter to families explaining the PDE policy on and consequences for using cell phones and other electronic devices during testing.

For more Pennsylvania System of School Assessment (PSSA) information, please visit the Pennsylvania Department of Education website. If you have questions about the District’s assessments, please contact the Office of Evaluation, Research and Accountability via our contact form.

Thank you for working with the District to support the growth and success of Philadelphia’s children. While the PSSA is just one way to measure progress, it provides very important information that we can use to further improve our service to children and families, inform the implementation of our strategic plan, and help us in the pursuit of our vision to prepare all students to imagine and realize any future they desire!

In partnership,

Tony B. Watlington Sr., Ed.D.
Superintendent
The School District of Philadelphia