Standardized Tests Frequently Asked Questions
(Source: PDE website - www.pde.state.pa.us)
What is the PSSA?
The PSSA (Pennsylvania System of School Assessment) is a standards-based assessment administered in all Pennsylvania public schools. There are currently three content-specific assessments including reading, math and writing. In the Spring of 2008, the State also administered a PSSA in Science to students in grades 4 and 8.

How does Green Woods Charter School compare to other public schools throughout our state?
Green Woods has made Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) each year and ranks above the state average in standardized tests. In order to meet AYP, a school or district must meet three targets: 1) attendance or graduation rate depending on the level of the school, 2) participation rate in PSSA, and 3) performance on the PSSA.

2008 PSSA comparison results: GWCS and School District of Philadelphia
Click here to see the comparison results.

How does Green Woods Charter School utilize PSSA test results?
State law mandates that all charter schools must participate in the PSSA. All students at Green Woods in grades 3-8, including all students with IEPs, must participate in the PSSA at their grade level. By designing and implementing a unique and innovative, standards-based curriculum, our goal is that we not "teach to the test." Instead, by building a solid curriculum foundation based on PA Academic Standards, we infuse knowledge and skills within these standards into our everyday teaching and learning. Each year our test results are analyzed for individual and collective areas of need. Our curriculum and instruction goals are then enhanced to meet these needs. Using this approach has been very successful as we have consistently achieved Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP).

Which grades take the PSSA?
No Child Left Behind (NCLB) requires annual testing in reading and math for all students in grades 3-8. The PSSA reading and math assessment has been given annually in grades 5, 8, and 11 since 1998. The grade 3 PSSA reading and math assessment was first administered in 2004-05, and grades 4, 6, and 7 were first added in 2005-06.

The writing PSSA is given in grades 5, 8 and 11 about a month earlier than the reading and math tests. A new writing test was administered for the first time in 2006, so the results aren't comparable to previous results.

What do PSSA scores mean?
Students are identified as performing in one of four levels: advanced, proficient, basic, and below basic. The goal is for all students to be proficient or advanced - meaning that they have mastered Pennsylvania's assessment anchor content standards at their grade level. Individual student scores, provided only to their respective schools and to their families, 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.

Proficient - Proficiency reflects satisfactory academic performance. Proficient work indicates a solid understanding and adequate display of the skills included in the Pennsylvania Academic Content Standards.

Basic - This level reflects marginal academic performance. Basic work indicates a partial understanding and limited display of the skills included in the Pennsylvania Academic Content Standards. This work is approaching satisfactory performance, but has not been reached. There is a need for additional instructional opportunities and/or increased student academic commitment to achieve the proficient level.

Below Basic - The lowest level reflects inadequate academic performance. Below basic work indicates little understanding and minimal display of the skills included in the Pennsylvania Academic Content Standards. There is a major need for additional instructional opportunities and/or increased student academic commitment to achieve the proficient level.

Will any new subjects be added to the PSSA?
In accordance with NCLB, Pennsylvania implemented a new science test for grades 4, 8 and 11, in the Spring of 2008. NCLB requires a science assessment in one grade per elementary, middle, and high school level.

The Science PSSA will be analyzed by the Department of Education and the results will be delivered to all schools and districts in October 2008.
There are no plans to implement any new subject assessments or expansion of grades tested without any new requirements from the US Department of Education.
How long do the assessments take?
The reading and math tests take about two and a half to three hours each, not including time needed for teacher administration of the tests. The writing test takes approximately two and a half hours - one hour for each writing prompt - and another 20 minutes for the multiple choice portion. Tests are not timed, but suggested times are given for planning purposes.

How many students are taking the PSSA?
Approximately 140,000-150,000 students per grade level in 3-8 and 11th grade take the math and reading PSSAs - that's somewhere between 980,000 to 1,050,000 students, total.
Why do Green Woods students take both the PSSA and the Terra Nova Standardized Tests?
Green Woods Charter School is mandated by the School District of Philadelphia to participate in the Terra Nova exams.
How well do Green Woods Students score in the Terra Nova standardized tests?
In the Spring of 2008, Green Woods students in Grades 1 and 2 were administered the TerraNova standardized test to assess their ability to meet objectives in areas such as Language Arts, Word Recognition, Math and Science. Terra Novas are “norm-referenced” tests given to many schools throughout the state and country.  Green Woods students outperformed the national percentiles in 36 of 38 objectives and came very close on the remaining two objectives.
In past years, students in Grades 1-8 were required to take the Terra Nova tests as well as the PSSAs. Our test scores for the Fall 2006 Science TerraNova are remarkable as these scores far exceed the local, state, and national percentages of students scoring in the top quartile. This was also true in areas of Reading and Math
See Green Woods Fall 2006 Science TerraNova. (PDF)

Are students with IEPs required to take standardized tests?
Yes. All Green Woods IEP students must participate in standardized tests with appropriate accommodations. Students with IEPs usually perform better in TerraNova exams where their IEPs reflect the opportunity for off-level testing. With TerraNova exams, some IEP students are permitted to take the exams at their instructional level. All students, however, are required to take the Science Terra Nova exam on grade level.