HARRISBURG – The 2015 School Performance Profile scores and Keystone Exam results were released to the public by the department Wednesday, announced Secretary of Education Pedro A. Rivera.
“Pennsylvania students are working toward college and career readiness, and posting School Performance Profile scores for schools with an 11th grade demonstrates school-level results in meeting that standard,” Rivera said.
“While SPP scores can be a useful tool in assessing school performance, the Department is engaged in conversations with multiple stakeholders to consider comprehensive measures in evaluating schools.”
Pennsylvania schools with an 11th grade will receive an SPP score this year, while those schools with a grade configuration without an 11th grade have been granted a one-year pause by the U.S. Department of Education in receiving an SPP score.
A school’s SPP score relies heavily on state assessment scores, but also includes college readiness tests, industry standards-based assessments, graduation, promotion, and attendance rates, as well as evidence of offering rigorous courses as other factors in the calculation.
Schools may also earn extra points beyond the 100 point scoring system for those students who have earned advanced scores on the state, industry, and Advanced Placement/International Baccalaureate exams.
Earlier this year, a one-year pause was instituted in furnishing SPP scores to schools that administered the PSSA, which was newly-aligned to the PA Core Standards. This one-year pause was aimed at preventing unintended consequences following the introduction of more rigorous, college and career-ready standards in Pennsylvania schools.
PDE also posted results from the Keystone Exams in Algebra I, Literature, and Biology. The scores released are the best “banked” student score to date. This means that if a student has taken a Keystone Exam prior to 11th grade, the score will show up in their 11th grade year as “banked.” A student may have taken a Keystone Exam more than once, however, only the highest score is banked for 11th grade.
Administering the Keystone Exams in Algebra I, Literature, and Biology fulfills a federal requirement. Rivera, however, emphasized that while standardized tests, like the Keystones, provide useful information for educators, stakeholders, and policymakers about the commonwealth’s students and schools PDE is currently working with Gov. Tom Wolf to identify additional, more holistic measures for evaluating students and schools.
School Performance Profile information can be found here: http://paschoolperformance.org/
The 2015 Keystone Exam results can be found at www.education.pa.gov, under K-12, Assessments and Accountability.