Are PSSA tests mandatory in Pennsylvania?

The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is one of a few states that has a legal provision for parents to opt their children out of the PSSA and Keystone exams. Standardized testing has been at the forefront of what is going wrong in public education.
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Do you have to take PSSA in PA?

Finally, federal legislation makes it mandatory for each school to have at least 95% of its population participate in the state assessment, or it will fail to make adequate yearly progress (AYP). Q: Must special education students participate in the assessment? A: Yes, all students are required to participate.
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Can you opt your child out of PSSA?

The state Department of Education allows families to have their child opt out of the Pennsylvania System of School Assessments, otherwise known as PSSA exams. All families have this option as long as they notify school administrators of their choice. However, the opt out option could come at a price.
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What happens if you don't take the PSSA test?

“If students do not participate in testing due to COVID-19, the district is penalized in the area of the overall participation rate.” The Pennsylvania Department of Education announced on March 19, 2020, that all spring PSSA tests were canceled because of the pandemic.
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Is state testing mandatory in Pennsylvania?

The PA Home Education law requires that “in grades three, five, and eight results of nationally normed standardized achievement tests in reading/language arts and mathematics or the results of Statewide tests administered in these grade levels” be included in the child's portfolio.
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2022 Guidelines for Selection and Use of Accommodations for Keystone Exams and PSSA Tests



How do I opt out of PSSA 2022 in PA?

beliefs and wish their student(s) to be excused from the test, the parents/guardians must provide a written request that states the objection to the Superintendent or Chief Executive Officer.
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How do I opt out of PSSA testing?

STEP 1: Parent sends letter to the building principal that you plan to opt out. STEP 2: Parent reviews test at school. STEP 3: Parent sends another letter stating that you have reviewed the test and are opting out for religious beliefs. STEP 1: Parent sends letter to the building principal that you plan to opt out.
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Can you opt out of standardized testing in Pennsylvania?

We fully support the right for parents to opt their children out of high stakes standardized tests. The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is one of a few states that has a legal provision for parents to opt their children out of the PSSA and Keystone exams.
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Can you opt out of Keystone Exams in PA?

Can individual students opt out of Keystone exams? As with Pennsylvania System of School Assessment (PSSA) tests, parents may review Keystone exams per state regulations and opt out for religious reasons.
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Does the PSSA matter?

Another part of the false narrative against the PSSA tests is that they are "high stakes." But the PSSA scores have no influence on promotion, placement, or grades for our students. For our students, they are actually low-stakes tests.
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How do I opt my child out of PSSA testing 2021?

How can I opt out my child? Send the principal a letter saying you don't want your child to take the test. For example: “Dear —, I have asked my child, [name], not to take part in the [name the exam] this year.
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Why do parents opt out of PSSA?

Some parents of English language learners and/or students with special needs decide the test is harmful to their children, but parents in traditionally high-performing groups are opting out as well, citing both personal and political reasons.
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Are keystones required to graduate in PA 2022?

The new statewide graduation requirement officially takes effect for the graduating class of 2022, but there is no statewide graduation requirement for the classes of 2019, 2020, and 2021.
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What happens if you don't pass the keystones?

If I fail the Keystone Exam, can I graduate? No. You will need to participate in a program of remediation and retake the Keystone Exam and can continue to do so up to your junior year in high school. After your junior year, if you have still not passed the Keystone Exam you will need to do a Keystone Project.
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Do homeschooled students take standardized tests?

Standardized testing is useful for homeschooled students, though it's not required in all states. It provides parents with clarification on how their students are doing academically, and it prepares students for high-stakes tests like the SAT and the ACT.
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What is the Pennsylvania state law regarding standardized testing k 12?

The Every Student Succeeds Act or ESSA, requires students to take state tests in reading and math every year in third through eighth grade and once in high school.
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How do I avoid the Keystone Exams?

Any student enrolled in a Keystone Exam trigger course during the spring of the 2019-20 school year has the right to opt out of the assessment by parental consent, should an LEA schedule a Keystone Exam administration for the entire cohort.
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Can you opt out of the Keystone Exams 2022?

Can my student opt-out of testing? Parents do have the right to opt their student(s) out of taking the Keystone exams. Under Chapter 4 of Title 22 of the Pa.
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Do Keystone Exams affect your grade?

Keystone Exams are attached to a particular course, not a student's grade level. The exam is administered like a final exam when the course is completed and when the exams are made available by PDE.
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Can you get out of keystones for religious reasons?

Can a parent opt their child out of the PSSAs and Keystone Exams? Yes.
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What are PSSA scores used for?

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

Taking the Pennsylvania System of School Assessment (PSSA)

On the Science Assessment, for students in grades 4 and 8 there are 58 multiple choice questions and 5 open-ended questions.
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Can you opt out of SBAC testing?

California is one of handful of states that have a law allowing all parents to opt out of state-mandated standardized testing. At the same time there are also California regulations governing what educators can say to parents and families.
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Are the keystones easy?

The Keystone tests are based on Pennsylvania Core Standards, which are closely related to national Common Core standards that have been adopted by 42 states. All these standards are said to be more rigorous and difficult than most state standards were before their adoption.
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When did PSSA testing start?

What are the PSSAs and the Keystones? The Pennsylvania Department of Education (PDE) launched the PSSAs (Pennsylvania System of School Assessment) in 1992. They are standardized tests administered annually and are based on state standards for what students should know and be able to do at their grade level.
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