What does this measure?

The percentage of students considered proficient or advanced on the Pennsylvania System of School Assessment (PSSA) Grade 8 English Language Arts exam, reported for both the total student population and those students defined as "historically underperforming." Pennsylvania defines historically underperforming groups as students with disabilities, economically disadvantaged students, and English language learners.

Why is this important?

The middle school reading examination serves as a checkpoint for high school preparation. Performance on this exam can help predict high school success in reading. Proficiency among historically underperforming students can show whether districts and education policymakers have made progress in closing the achievement gap between traditionally underserved groups and other students.

How is our county performing?

In 2019, 50% students in Berks County passed the PSSA Grade 8 English Language Arts exam, down from 56% in 2018. In contrast, 30% of historically underperforming students in Berks County passed the exam, down from 35% in 2018. Berks County's 2019 rates for both historically underperforming students and all students were below the statewide rates of 38% and 58% respectively.

Among local school districts, Wyomissing Area had highest 2019 proficiency rates for all students as a whole at 79%. Schuylkill Valley had the highest proficiency rates, for historically underperforming at 60%. Reading had the lowest proficiency rates, at 19% for both historically underperforming students and all students (historically underperforming students made up 98% of test takers).

For both all students and historically underperforming students, Berks County's proficiency rate was the lowest among comparison counties, lower than Lebanon County (58% and 36%), Lehigh (59% and 40%), Schuylkill (52% and 37%), Lancaster (60% and 37%), Chester (69% and 40%) and Montgomery (71% and 45%). Berks' share of historically underperforming students in eighth grade is similar to Schuylkill (56%) and higher than all other comparison counties which range from 34% (Chester) to 55% (Lehigh) of test takers.

Notes about the data

As assessments vary among states, it is not possible to include comparable data for the nation or other areas in this indicator. Data are from the Pennsylvania Department of Education.

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