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Upper Darby SD outlines PSSA online testing window, exemptions and supports
Summary
District staff briefed the board on this spring's Pennsylvania System of School Assessments (PSSAs), the statewide move to online testing, testing dates, device requirements, exemptions and accommodations for English learners and students with disabilities.
A district staff member presented the Upper Darby School District's plan for the Pennsylvania System of School Assessments (PSSAs), saying the annual tests for grades 3 through 8 in English language arts, mathematics and science will be delivered online this spring.
The presenter said the district's PSSA testing window begins in April. English language arts testing for grades 3–8 is scheduled for April 22–24, mathematics for April 28–29 and science for grades 5 and 8 on April 30 and May 1. Students must bring their district-issued Chromebooks fully charged on testing days because the district does not have spare devices.
The presenter described several statewide changes: the transition to online testing for all Pennsylvania districts by spring 2026 and a shift in the science test from fourth grade to fifth grade, with this year designated as a field-test year for the new science standard. The presenter also said item types have been updated to include technology-enhanced interactions, which the district has practiced in schools since February using released state items.
District staff explained rules and exceptions. Students may not have cellphones, smartwatches or other personal electronic devices while testing; discovery of such a device can lead to the test not being scored and the student receiving another test. Parents who believe the assessment conflicts with religious beliefs must review the test on district grounds with the principal, sign a confidentiality agreement required by the Pennsylvania Department of Education, and then submit a letter to the superintendent requesting an exemption. The presenter said the district follows Policy 903 for public-comment time limits and Policy 01/1927 for the religious-exemption review process.
On accommodations and alternatives, staff said English learners must take math and science tests immediately; they may delay the ELA test for one year after entering the district or state. Students with the most significant cognitive disabilities may take the Pennsylvania Alternate System of Assessment (PASA); staff said roughly under 2 percent of the district's students take the PASA and described it as an online assessment administered with a trained test assessor.
Board members asked whether partially depleted Chromebooks would resume testing; staff said the vendor platform typically allows the test to resume if power is restored within approximately 20 minutes and district assessment staff can reactivate a paused test. One board member asked about non-testing evaluations for students who are exempted; staff said the district uses common assessments and the NWEA MAP, which are aligned with state standards, to review student performance.
The presentation concluded with a reminder that the Pennsylvania Department of Education holds copyright to test materials, reinforcing the confidentiality and device restrictions for testing days.
District staff said more detailed family-facing communications were being sent through school principals and district channels ahead of the testing window.
