Curriculum, Instruction, Data and Assessments

According to the Pennsylvania Department of Education, during the development of the 2018 tests, the average total test difficulty did not change from previous years.  The equating procedure used for the PSSA adjusts for the difference to the test blueprint, making sure score meaning does not change.

 

The status of the Text Dependent Analysis (TDA) confirms Pennsylvania’s commitment to the importance of writing in preparation for College and Career Readiness.  It is important to remember that the ELA test continues to assess the writing and language standards.  Many of the writing standards are assessed in the Conventions of Standard English (Language) multiple-choice items and the TDA prompt.

 

English Language Arts

•     Grade 3:
  •      No Writing Prompt
  •      Stand Alone multiple choice reduced from 18 to 9 items
  •      No change in the number of Short Answer questions (2)
  •      4 Reporting Categories (was 5)
  •      Roughly 40 minutes overall reduction of testing time
     
•     Grades 4-8:
  •      No Writing Prompt
  •      Stand Alone multiple choice reduced from 18 to 9 items
  •      No change to the weight of the Text-Dependent Analysis (16 points); as a result, this will now count as 25% of the overall test (was 19%)
  •      4 Reporting Categories (was 5)
  •      Roughly 15 minutes overall reduction of testing time

Science

•      Reduction of multiple choice questions from 68 to 48 items for both grades 4 and 8
•      No change in distribution percentage of questions in the 4 reporting categories
•      Roughly 20 minutes overall reduction of testing time for both grades 4 and 8

Mathematics

•      Reduction of multiple choice questions from 72 to 52 items for all grades 3-8
•      No change in distribution percentage of questions in the 5 reporting categories
•      No change in number of Open-Ended questions (3 items); as a result, this will count as 23% of the overall test (was 17%)

 

 

Keystones Item Samples

 

AIMS Web