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Future Ready PA Index Site Disclaimer Language

“Due to the exemptions issued to students when accountability exams were waived in 2019-20, schools may display an Insufficient Sample or a substantial or unusual change in assessment proficiency.”

But what does this mean?

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Key Factors to Consider:

US Department of Education waived test participation requirements for states in 2019-2020 school year; as such…
For students enrolled in PSSA-tested grades: PA waived testing for all students
For students enrolled in Keystone-tested courses: PA granted a non-numeric proficient’ score to all students, provided they earned a passing score in the course and will be waived from factoring into all accountability reporting in the future

But how did this impact reporting?

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PSSAs

19-20🡪 PSSA scores are reported in the given year in which they are administered; therefore, with no students testing in 2019-2020, there were no PSSA results reported for that year

20-21🡪 PSSAs were administered (and reported) during the 2020–2021 school year, but given the inconsistent nature of schooling during that year (remote vs F2F days, some students opting to stay home), reporting from 2020-2021 may not be fully inclusive of all students

21-22🡪 With schools back in session for the 2021-2022 school year, testing and reporting resumed as it took place prior to the pandemic

With Keystones, it is more complicated…

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Keystones

Across the state, students are enrolled/test in Keystone trigger courses between grades 7-11; course enrollment and scheduling varies widely from one district to another
Keystone results are not reported by year tested; they are reported by eleventh grade cohort
In other words, the FRPI reports a proficiency rate derived from the scores of 11^th graders who may have completed those tests in prior years (ie. 9^th grade Algebra) based on scheduling
Prior to the pandemic, FRPI numbers included all 11^th graders
For the next few years, we must consider the impact of those students for whom participation in Keystones was waived

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Scenario #1 – Cornwall High School (Biology)

200 students in grade
100 Accelerated Biology students usually enroll/test in Biology in Grade 9, with an average proficiency rate of 80%
100 other students enroll/test in Biology in Grade 10, with an average proficiency rate of 40%

Let’s examine how the testing exemptions would affect reporting…

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Scenario #1 – Cornwall High School (Biology)

11th Grade Cohort of 2019

All students included in reporting

100 students took Biology in 2017 (9^th grade)
100 students took Biology in 2018 (10^th grade)

Reported average of 60% proficient

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Scenario #1 – Cornwall High School (Biology)

11th Grade Cohort of 2021

Not all students included in reporting

100 students took Biology in 2019 (9^th grade)
100 students took Biology in 2020 (10^th grade) – these kids earned the NNP and are not factored into reporting

Reported average of 80% proficient

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Scenario #1 – Cornwall High School (Biology)

11th Grade Cohort of 2022

Not all students included in reporting

100 students took Biology in 2020 (9^th grade) - these kids earned the NNP but are not factored into reporting
100 students took Biology in 2021 (10^th grade)

Reported average of 40% proficient

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Other Considerations:

Algebra: testers in some schools are spread throughout grades 7-11; this means that each year through 2024, there may be a group of students who do not factor into the FRPI
According to a presentation to the PA State Board of Education in September 2022:

Almost 88% of the 11^th grade Literature cohort was waived in school year 2020-2021.
Approximately 48% of the 11^th grade Biology cohort have a waiver in school year 2021-2022.
It is anticipated that 40% of the 11^th grade Algebra I cohorts will have a waiver in school years 2022-2023.

The federal government mandated a 95% participation rate resuming in the 2021-2022 school year; a participation rate of less than 95% would have negatively impacted reported achievement rates

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An Alternative…

While not reported, LEAs might want to consider proficiency rates by year tested, not by 11^th grade cohort. For example:

How do Biology Keystone proficiency rates of 9^th graders enrolled in Biology this past year compare to those of prior years?
For each year 2017-2022, what was the average proficiency rate for those who tested in Literature in each given year?