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District presents PSSA and Keystone review showing mixed results, staff says growth is occurring
Summary
District staff reviewed 2023–24 PSSA and Keystone results, highlighted statewide trends and local areas of growth — especially at middle school — and said the system is addressing foundational skill gaps and student resiliency.
North Hills School District administrators reviewed the district’s 2023–24 PSSA and Keystone results at the Feb. 6 board committee meeting, stressing that while some scores slid they have seen measurable gains after targeted interventions.
Dr. Williams presented statewide context and local results, saying national trends show declines in math and reading since the pandemic and that learning loss, rising student anxiety and chronic absenteeism are contributing factors. “We know there is room for improvement. We are willing to roll up our sleeves, and we are willing to do that work,” Williams said.
Williams said elementary schools remain well above the state average and that the middle school posted gains in every tested category, including a 6.3 percentage-point increase in math. She credited consistent curriculum implementation, cross‑curricular embedding of literacy and math skills, professional development for teachers and efforts to reduce test opt-outs. Williams pointed to an improvement in middle school open-ended math responses, which she described as an important driver of overall PSSA scores.
At the high school level, Williams discussed Keystone exams and noted cohort and banking rules: Keystone scores are banked through a student’s junior year and reflect end-of-course assessments taken at different grades. She said district literature and biology scores were stronger than algebra scores for the seniors’ cohort and that the district must continue work on algebra and foundational middle-school math skills. Williams also described state changes that provide multiple Keystone pathways and said those options have, in some cases, reduced emphasis on the standardized exam itself.
Board members asked about SAT/ACT performance for students who take accelerated middle-school math; Williams said the district is above state and national norms on those measures and offers SAT prep and expanded course options, including full-year college-level statistics. Staff described a math task force assembled to review placement, prerequisites, course offerings and supports such as tutoring and professional development. No formal board action was taken; staff said they will continue data-driven interventions and monitoring.
