Blog

Meaningless Test Score Improvement in Pittsburgh Schools

Print Friendly, PDF & Email

The superintendent of the Pittsburgh School System was “thankful” that the 2014 PSSA results showed some slight improvement compared to 2013 for grades 3 to 8. But she was not overly worried or disappointed to report that grades 3 to 8 test results were still far below the levels of 2011. Well over 10 percent fewer students were reading and doing math at the proficient level than the percentages posted in 2011. Barely 53 percent of these grades reached proficiency in reading in the 2014 round of testing.  And what’s worse, the percentages of students scoring at the proficient level in both math and reading were lower than the percentages posted in 2008.

Apparently, the PSSA tests were not administered to 11th graders. The superintendent reported results for the new Keystone exam, which presumably will replace the PSSA test for 11 graders. Thus, there is no data with which to compare the performance of 11th graders with scores from 2012 or earlier. There was a brief note in the news report showing Westinghouse performing abominably on the Keystone test, a situation that prevailed for years on the PSSA tests.

It appears that the effect of offering generous scholarships for all who graduate has done little to enhance educational performance in the district. Some special magnet schools are doing okay but the bulk of the schools are still dreadful in their academic achievement.

So much money spent, so little to show for it. The never ending story. Only the names of the superintendents change.

Print Friendly, PDF & Email
Allegheny Institute
Allegheny Institute

The Allegheny Institute is a non-profit research and education organization. Our mission is to defend the interests of taxpayers, citizens and businesses against an increasingly burdensome and intrusive government.

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

Weekly insights on the markets and financial planning.

Recent Posts