York Suburban School District performed exceptionally well on the Pennsylvania System of School Assessment (PSSA) tests.
The students exceeded the Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) level, and were above both the York County and state averages on the tests.
More than that, York Suburban’s scores continued to be higher than those for the district in 2011 and 2010.
For all the grades tested in the York Suburban School District, 90 percent of the students were proficient in math, 88 percent in reading, 78 percent in science, and 83 percent in writing.
The chart below demonstrates district-wide achievement:
|
Percentage of Students Proficient and Advanced |
||||||
| 2012 | 2011 | 2010 | ||||
| All Students | Math | Reading | Math | Reading | Math | Reading |
| York Suburban | 90 | 88 | 88 | 86 | 86 | 84 |
| AYP Target % | 78 | 81 | 67 | 73 | 56 | 64 |
| York Co. Average | 81 | 76 | 80 | 77 | 79 | 75 |
| PA Average | 76 | 72 | 77 | 74 | 76 | 72 |
The state targets have risen significantly in recent years, climbing from 56 percent proficiency in math and 63 percent in reading in 2010 to 89 percent in math and 91 percent in reading in 2013. The target for 2014 is 100 percent proficiency for all students on the state assessments.
Dr. Patricia Maloney, York Suburban School District Assistant Superintendent for Curriculum and Instruction, stated that while a subgroup at the high school level did not meet AYP proficiency levels, the overall student performance in math and reading has shown a steady increase over the past three years. “We are very proud of that and our students and staff should be commended for their accomplishments”.
Dr. Maloney cautioned that proficiency on the PSSA represents just one measurement of student achievement and that it is important to look at multiple sources of data to truly evaluate the effectiveness of a school or district.
KEYSTONE EXAMS
Another set of tests is on tap for York Suburban students: the Keystone Exams, which will be administered this school year.
Dr. Maloney noted the Keystone Exams will test students “statewide on algebra I, biology, and literature.” The tests will be given to 11th grade students this year for the purpose of AYP. Because class members may have taken the courses a year or two ago, there is a plan to provide a review for students.
The current eighth grade – the class of 2017 – will be the first group to take the end-of-course examinations, which then will be required for graduation.
A Keystone Exam General Information link can be found on the front page of the York Suburban High School webpage.