February 6, 2014
Hello Dobson Families,
Your children may have shared with you that we are currently
engaged in what we call our ‘PSSA Prep Season’. March is the month in which we
will be administering our standardized testing at Dobson Elementary School.
Therefore, I’d like to take this opportunity to inform you about the testing
process and how the results are used.
The Pennsylvania System of School Assessment, PSSA, an
untimed test, will be administered in grades three through eight, March 14th
through March 17th. This is a group administered, standardized test of reading
and mathematics achievement. Pupils will be asked to answer both multiple
choice and open ended questions. This is a criterion
referenced test, which means pupils are tested on Pennsylvania Standards
which have been taught within the classroom this school year. All third through
eighth graders in the Commonwealth are required to participate in the PSSA;
this includes pupils with Individual Educational Plans (IEPs) and English
Language Learners, (ELLs). Pupils with multiple handicaps or severe
disabilities are administered an alternative form of the test (PASA).
The results of the PSSA are used in many ways. First, and probably foremost, the results
serve as the accountability data for the Federal No Child Left Behind (NCLB) Act. Each Pennsylvania School District
must publish a “District Report Card” which will provide data on school and
district performance. Individual student results are not included in published
data. The state of Pennsylvania, in turn, uses the information from the 501
school districts in the Commonwealth to develop a state report card, which is
submitted to the federal government. The school results which are submitted to both the State and Federal Departments of
Education, influence many things from the amount of state and federal financial
support provided to state districts, to takeovers of “failing” school districts
by the state.
The Pennsylvania Department of Education has identified four
levels of achievement on the PSSA:
Advanced, Proficient, Basic and Below Basic. “High stakes testing” will be a part of the
American educational landscape for the foreseeable future. We at Dobson School are committed to
providing our students with learning opportunities that will enable them to
approach these experiences with skill and confidence. We are equally committed to providing our
pupils with the science, art, music, technology and physical education
experiences that are vital to their development as lifelong learners.
It is imperative that
all pupils come to school everyday, well rested and on time. We will provide breakfast before the test each morning. We have also created a positive testing
environment for the entire school community by conducting school wide ‘busy
bee’ rallies and incentive raffles for participation, attendance, punctuality
and citizenship. (Ask your child about the PPAA!- Principal’s Perfect
Attendance Association!)
Prizes are possible thanks to the generosity of the Home and
School.
If you have any questions regarding the test, please contact
our testing coordinator, JoEllen Paldino or me, 215-487-4800.
With your help, all Dobson pupils will perform well on the
2014 PSSA!
Thank you for your ongoing, unwavering support!
Truly yours,
Patricia Cruice
Principal
Monday, February 24th
