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Dear School District of Philadelphia Families,

Students in grades 3-8 will be participating in the Pennsylvania System of School Assessment (PSSA) between April 21, 2025 – May 9, 2025.

Every Pennsylvania student in grades 3 through 8 is assessed in English Language Arts (ELA) and Math. Every Pennsylvania student in grades 5 and 8 is assessed in Science. This is a change from previous years, when Science testing was done in grades 4 and 8.

The PSSA is important for understanding your student’s academic progress in school. Student scores help teachers identify a child’s strengths and needs so that teachers can support each student’s learning. PSSA scores also help schools and the District continue to improve teaching and learning.

During PSSA testing, it is very important for students to attend school every day. Please make sure that your student gets a good night’s sleep, eats a healthy breakfast, and arrives at school on time and prepared on test days. The PSSA is state-mandated, and all students in grades 3-8 are required to participate. Each school must have at least 95% of students take the ELA, Math, and Science assessments. If schools fall below 95% participation, the state performance score for the school is negatively affected.

PSSA scores are also used to determine eligibility for criteria-based schools in the School Selection Process. Students who plan to apply to criteria-based schools in Fall 2025 may not opt out of the PSSA. This is typically most critical for students in 3rd grade and 7th grade because they will need to submit their PSSA results in order to apply to criteria-based middle or high schools.

You can learn more about the PSSA using the links below. Your child’s school will also be sending you this information, and it can be found on our Student Assessment website in the PSSA/PASA Resources & FAQs section.

• 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 the 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 reach out to the Office of Evaluation, Research, and Accountability using this contact form.

In partnership,

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