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Norwin Board hears districtwide academic results showing above‑average PSSA, Keystone and college‑credit participation
Summary
The Norwin Board of Education heard a data presentation showing high passing rates across PSSA and Keystone assessments, rising AP participation and sustained SAT results. District leaders said elementary and middle school scores are consistently above county and state averages and outlined next steps for instruction and professional development.
The Norwin Board of Education heard a presentation on district academic outcomes for the 2023–24 school year Wednesday as staff flagged steady, above‑average performance across state assessments and growing participation in college‑credit programs.
Dr. McCracken, superintendent, opened the presentation and said the district uses assessment data “as a foundational element in our discussions regarding instruction, curriculum, and assessment.” Dr. Lauren Tully, director of secondary education and assessment, led the slide review and walked the board through PSSA, Keystone, Advanced Placement and other college‑credit measures.
The presentation showed that elementary PSSA passing rates have “been hovering around 80% for the past three years,” the district reported. Tully cited an example: third‑grade English language arts passing was 82% for 2024 compared with a 55% average for Pennsylvania third graders. The district noted elementary math increased roughly 10–15% across grades 3–6 over four years, and science passing improved in grades 4 and 8 (grade 4 up 13%, grade 8 up 17% over three years).
At the middle school level, Norwin reported seventh‑grade ELA performance roughly 25 percentage points higher than state and county averages, and steady gains in eighth‑grade scores. For keystone assessments the presentation said district Algebra I pass rates were 58.6% in 2024, described as about 30% higher than the state average; biology and literature scores also showed recovery and gains in recent years.
Tully summarized college‑preparatory results: 326 students participated in Advanced Placement testing in the past year and completed 474 AP assessments. The district reported that a majority of those students passed at least one AP exam (the presentation listed 82%), and that the AP pass rate has risen from the roughly 72% level cited for 2020. On SATs, Norwin reported average composite scores above the Pennsylvania average in recent test administrations (1161 in fall 2023; 1132 in spring 2024; 1159 in fall 2024, per slides).
Tully also described participation in College in the High School (CHS) offerings: Norwin offers 40 CHS courses across partner institutions, and 378 students took 593 course seats last year. The district said families paid about $136,000 total to partner colleges for CHS credits, and the district estimated that represented more than $1 million in full‑tuition savings compared with paying full college rates for the same credit.
Board members asked clarifying questions about participation and exemptions. A board member asked what share of the district’s students are exempt or opt out of testing; Tully answered that exempt students are about 1% of the district and another roughly 2% opt out, and that penalties occur only if nonparticipation rises above 5%.
Nut graf: School leaders said the presentation is intended to guide curriculum and professional development decisions; the district plans to use the data as the basis for its upcoming comprehensive plan and targeted instructional supports.
Board members and administrators said the results will inform the district’s comprehensive plan, with officials signaling continued emphasis on instructional professional development, AP/CHS expansion and targeted supports where growth is lagging.
Ending: Dr. McCracken and Dr. Tully said the presentation and underlying school‑level reports will be shared with building leaders, teachers and parents, and that more detail will appear in the district’s comprehensive planning discussions next month.
