Mifflin County reports mixed PSSA/Keystone results; district to prioritize math, targeted interventions

Chief Academic Officer Mr. Diarmet told the Mifflin County School District Board that district students produced mixed results on state assessments, with the district trailing state averages in early grades on PSSA ELA and math but performing competitively on several Keystone exams.

Diarmet said district results show the familiar pattern of rising scores in grades 3–5 and a drop in grades 6–7 before another increase by grade 8. “If the dot is on the line, that means our students are growing the equivalent of one year,” Diarmet said while describing the state growth metric used to assess progress on Keystone exams.

The report outlined subject‑level findings: district third‑grade ELA and math lag the state average, fourth‑grade science remains relatively strong, and fifth‑grade ELA exceeded the state average while fifth‑grade math improved from the previous year. At middle school grades, Diarmet said PSSA math proficiency statewide is low — “less than 35” percent proficient or advanced in some…