STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION Approval of PSSA Performance Level Descriptors and Performance Level Scores [35 Pa.B. 5442] At its regular public meeting held September 15, 2005, the State Board of Education (Board) approved new Performance Level Descriptors and Pennsylvania System of School Assessment (PSSA) Performance Level Scores recommended to the Board by the Department of Education (Department). The approved performance descriptors and PSSA performance level scores are based upon the recommendations of teachers, administrators and intermediate unit staff who participated in multi-day workshops facilitated by the Department's assessment contractor. The Performance Level Scores for grades 5, 8 and 11 were validated based upon the levels established by the Board in 2001, as published in the Pennsylvania Bulletin at 31 Pa.B. 2763 (May 26, 2001). With the addition of grade level tests in grade three, performance levels had to be established for the first time.
The scores approved by the Board on September 15, 2005, update scores that were previously approved by the Board on June 30, 2005. At that meeting, the Board approved the methodology for deriving the performance levels and, consequently, the expected rigor reflected by each level of performance. Following the June 30, 2005, meeting, it was determined an error was made in calculating the scores. The error resulted from use of incorrect equating data, not from the process used to calculate the new scores. The scores reflected in this notice were calculated using correct equating data and were verified for their accuracy by an independent contractor selected by the Department.
The Board action was taken under general authority granted to it by the Public School Code of 1949 (24 P. S. §§ 1-101--27-2702) and in accordance with specific provisions of the Board's regulations codified at 22 Pa. Code Chapter 4 (relating to academic standards and assessment). The approved PSSA performance level scores are described infra in the Appendix. The performance level descriptors are available for review on the Department website (www.pde.state.pa.us).
Background
Published at 29 Pa.B. 399 (January 16, 1999), the regulations of the Board now codified at 22 Pa. Code Chapter 4 ''establish rigorous academic standards and assessments to facilitate the improvement of student achievement and to provide parents and communities a measure by which school performance can be determined.'' See 22 Pa. Code § 4.2 (relating to purpose). To help accomplish these goals, the Board established in Chapter 4 a State assessment system. The State assessment system is designed specifically to accomplish the following purposes:
(1) Provide students, parents, educators and citizens with an understanding of student and school performance.
(2) Determine the degree to which school programs enable students to attain proficiency of academic standards under § 4.12 (relating to academic standards).
(3) Provide results to school districts, including charter schools, and AVTSs for consideration in the development of strategic plans under § 4.13 (relating to strategic plans).
(4) Provide information to State policymakers including the General Assembly and the Board on how effective schools are in promoting and demonstrating student proficiency of academic standards.
(5) Provide information to the general public on school performance.
(6) Provide results to school districts, including charter schools, and AVTSs based upon the aggregate performance of all students, for students with an Individualized Education Program (IEP) and for those without an IEP. See 22 Pa. Code § 4.51(a) (relating to State assessment system).
As prescribed by the regulations, the criteria for judging performance on State assessments are the following:
(1) Performance on State reading assessments shall be demonstrated by students' responses to comprehension questions about age-appropriate reading passages and by their written responses to in-depth comprehension questions about the passages.
(2) Performance on State mathematics assessments shall be demonstrated by students' responses to questions about grade-appropriate content and by the quality of their responses to questions which require a written solution to a problem.
(3) Performance on State writing assessments shall be demonstrated by the quality of students' written compositions on a variety of topics and modes of writing. See 22 Pa. Code § 4.51(b)(1)--(3). Levels of proficiency established by the regulations are ''advanced, proficient, basic and below basic.'' See 22 Pa. Code § 4.51(b)(4).
Under the regulations, it is the responsibility of the Department to develop State assessments ''based on academic standards in mathematics, reading and writing under § 4.12 [(relating to academic standards)].'' See 22 Pa. Code § 4.51(c). In developing assessments, the Department is required ''to consult with educators, students, parents and citizens regarding the specific methods of assessment.'' Individual test results from the assessment are to be used in planning instruction ''only by parents, teachers, administrators and guidance counselors with a need to know based upon local board policy on testing and in reporting academic progress.'' Id. The Department and other Commonwealth entities are prohibited from collecting individual student test scores, and may only collect aggregate test scores by school and district. Id.
The State assessments must be administered annually and include assessments of the State academic standards in mathematics and reading at grades 3, 5, 8 and 11 and in writing at the elementary, middle and high school levels. See 22 Pa. Code § 4.51(d) and § 403.3(d) (relating to assessments). Students not achieving at the proficient level in the administration of State assessments in grade 11 must be provided one additional opportunity in grade 12 to demonstrate a proficient level on State assessments. See 22 Pa. Code § 4.51(e). The Secretary of Education has the authority to establish guidelines for the administration of the State assessment system. See 22 Pa. Code § 4.51(h).
Development and Approval of Descriptors and Scores
As part of the State assessment system established by the regulations, the Board delegated to the Department the very important task of developing specific criteria for each of the performance levels prescribed by § 4.51 (b)(4)--advanced, proficient, basic and below basic. Specifically, the Department is directed by the regulations to ''consult with educators, students, parents and citizens,'' and then to ''develop and recommend to the Board for its approval specific criteria for each performance level.'' Id.
As reported to the Board at its May 18, 2005, study session, the Department met with educators, parents, community and business leaders from across this Commonwealth to assist the Department in the validation of the performance levels descriptors and scores. Based on these efforts as described in detail for the Board at its June 30, 2005, meeting, the Department recommended the performance level descriptors and scores that the Board ultimately adopted at its June 30, 2005, meeting. Before adopting the performance level descriptors and scores on June 30, 2005, the Board provided members of the public in attendance with the opportunity to comment on the Department's recommendation. Following that meeting upon identification of an equating error, the Department recalculated the cut scores using correct data. The Department then verified the accuracy of the corrected cut scores by engaging an independent research organization to validate the corrected cut scores. The Department recommended and the Board approved the corrected cut scores at the Board meeting held on September 15, 2005.
The approved performance levels (as they appear infra) will be applied to the 2005 PSSA test scores, which will be released in September 2005. The Performance Level Descriptors, due to their length, are not included here but may be accessed on the Department's website: www. pde.state.pa.us. The Department and the Board will review the descriptors and scores periodically based on actual experience in using them and consider revisions as appropriate, using the same process prescribed by § 4.51(b)(4).
Persons with questions or needing additional information regarding the Board's approval of these performance levels descriptors and scores may contact Jim Buckheit, Executive Director, State Board of Education, 333 Market Street, Harrisburg, PA 17126-0333, (717) 787-3787 or TDD (717) 787-7367. Persons with questions or needing additional information regarding the development and implementation of them may contact Ray Young, Chief, Division of Assessment, 333 Market Street, Harrisburg, PA 17126-0333, (717) 787-4234 or TDD (717) 787-7367.
JIM BUCKHEIT,
Executive DirectorAPPENDIX PSSA Performance Level Scores, as approved by the State Board of Education, are as follows:
Performance Level Scores Grade 3 Mathematics Reading Advanced 1370 and up 1442 and up Proficient 1180-1369 1235-1441 Basic 1050-1179 1098-1234 Below Basic 1049 and below 1097 and below Grade 5 Mathematics Reading Advanced 1483 and up 1497 and up Proficient 1312-1482 1275-1496 Basic 1158-1311 1137-1274 Below Basic 1157 and below 1136 and below Grade 8 Mathematics Reading Advanced 1446 and up 1473 and up Proficient 1284-1445 1280-1472 Basic 1171-1283 1146-1279 Below Basic 1170 and below 1145 and below Grade 11 Mathematics Reading Advanced 1509 and up 1492 and up Proficient 1304-1508 1257-1491 Basic 1167-1303 1112-1256 Below Basic 1166 and below 1111 and below [Pa.B. Doc. No. 05-1844. Filed for public inspection September 30, 2005, 9:00 a.m.]
