Why a prominent Lehigh Valley superintendent is opting his own kids out of PSSA exams
Updated Mar 02, 2021;
Pennsylvania is allowing public schools to postpone state standardized tests until the fall amid the coronavirus pandemic, but two Lehigh Valley superintendents say districts need to focus on getting students back to full-time learning in schools, not testing.
The Pennsylvania Department of Education on Friday sent a letter to its federal counterpart announcing its decision to extend the testing window.
“Since the start of this pandemic, our work has been centered on protecting the health and safety of students, educators, and school staff across the state,” said Acting Secretary of Education Noe Ortega. “Our decision to extend the testing window continues to prioritize their health and safety and creates needed flexibilities for our unique school communities.”
Pennsylvania schools can delay standardized testing until fall
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Theyâre even less so during a pandemic.
Local school officials this week expressed frustration over the news that theyâll have to administer federally mandated, high-stakes tests during a year beset by sickness, quarantines, intermittent shifts to remote learning and potentially great learning loss.
âSimply put, these narrowly-focused, standardized assessments are just not that important right now after everything our students and staff have already endured,â Ephrata Area School District Superintendent Brian Troop said.
The U.S. Department of Education on Monday announced it would not be waiving the federal standardized test requirement as it did last year, despite social distancing, remote learning and student and staff quarantines still wreaking havoc on the nationâs schools due to the coronavirus pandemic. Instead, the department issued guidance to states, allowing them to either extend the testing window to the summer or fall, shorten the tests or admi