Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Education Testing topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Penncrest assessment data show ELA gains; math performance lags, district says
Summary
District assessment coordinator Aaron Vaughn told the school board that 2024 PSSA and Keystone results show gains in ELA and growth measures, while math remains an area of concern; the district outlined professional development and state testing transitions.
Aaron Vaughn, principal at New Wood Elementary School and Penncrest School District assessment coordinator, presented the district’s 2024 state testing and growth results at the board’s Jan. 13 work session. Vaughn reported that third-grade ELA proficiency was 64% advanced or proficient, fourth grade 55.4%, and eighth grade 45%, and that the district outperformed statewide averages in several ELA grades. He said math scores were weaker districtwide, with third grade about 59% proficient, grade 4 about 51%, grade 5 about 44%, grade 6 about 39%, grade 7 about 28% and grade 8 about 21%.
Vaughn emphasized the difference between achievement and growth measures, noting Penncrest’s PBOS (value-added) growth indicators showed above-predicted ELA growth in some middle grades, while math growth for grades 7–8 lagged. He outlined Keystone results at the high school: literature about 58% proficient or advanced, algebra about 30% and biology about 35%.
The presentation put results in three-year context (2022–24) and linked recent improvements in younger grades to reduced COVID disruption. "Kids lost months and months of school that we had to contend with," Vaughn said, arguing the 2024 third-grade cohort is the first largely unaffected group. He also described district efforts to address math, including visits and coaching by Kevin Morrow (PDE math contact), a virtual book study led by IU6 coach Ben Brost, and planned in-service work with Brost.
Vaughn described state changes that will affect testing: the adoption of new STEALS standards means grade 5 will take the field-test version of the new science exam this spring (no official scores generated from the field test), and next year Pennsylvania will move to fully online state exams. To prepare, the district is piloting the Firefly benchmark platform to mirror the online testing environment and PDE is providing webinars and online tool training for teachers and students.
Board members asked for additional benchmarking against districts with similar socioeconomic profiles. One board member, Erin (Board member), recommended a targeted comparison set of 10–20 similar districts so the board and staff can better contextualize performance and boost staff morale.
District officials concluded the presentation by reiterating that math is a statewide challenge and outlined continuing professional-development plans to raise student math reasoning and higher-depth questioning in classrooms.
