This week, Gov. Josh Shapiro and Secretary of Education Dr. Khalid N. Mumin announced changes to Pennsylvania's school assessment system. These changes aim to reduce the time students spend on standardized tests, alleviate test-related stress and anxiety, use question types that match how students learn, free up teachers to teach more, and save millions of dollars for the state.
Shapiro has listened to Pennsylvania students, parents, and teachers who feel burdened by standardized testing. He is delivering on his promise to reduce reliance on such tests and provide students and teachers with more flexibility for success.
The Shapiro Administration's plan to modernize the state's standardized testing system includes transitioning to online testing over the next two years, using question types that allow students to use familiar methods such as drag and drop, sorting and ranking, and graphic manipulation. They will also create a free, optional benchmark assessment tool for schools to help educators understand if students are on track to succeed on end-of-year exams.
“I’ve made it a point to listen to the voices of students, teachers, and parents in my Administration, and I’ve heard loud and clear how much of a burden standardized tests can be,” Shapiro said. “The changes will reduce that burden, shorten the amount of time students spend taking tests, and ensure schools get results faster so they can give students the support they need to succeed. Together, we can ensure that when our kids go to school they’re doing less testing and more learning.”
Shapiro mentioned that 32% of Pennsylvania schools have already started using online assessments. Over the next two school years, the remaining schools will move from traditional paper-and-pencil testing to online testing for the Pennsylvania System of School Assessment (PSSA) and Keystone Exams.
By 2026, all assessments will be online, and the Department of Education will start using technology-enhanced items like drag-and-drop, sorting, and graphic manipulation questions, which students already use daily. Paper-and-pencil assessments will still be available for students needing extra accommodations.
Online testing offers many advantages over paper tests, including saving the Commonwealth $6.5 million yearly once fully implemented. The shift to digital testing will also have significant environmental benefits, saving 85,788,522 printed pages annually and reducing the state's carbon footprint by cutting printing, packaging, and shipping.
Moreover, online testing will lead to faster results for schools. Currently, schools receive scoring reports over the summer months, making it challenging to use them for student scheduling, course content alignment, and resource allocation decisions. Switching to online testing will save district educators significant time, ranging from 10-20 hours in small schools to dozens of hours or even days in larger schools.
Under the new system, teachers can give support to students with disabilities more privately, and using technology-based items will also make tests shorter for students (and may shorten the state’s testing period).
Pa. in national spotlight as state model to reframe aging and eliminate age bias
Pennsylvania Department of Aging Secretary Jason Kavulich recently joined aging network leaders from across the country in Washington, D.C., for the National Center to Reframe Aging’s Summit 2024 — The Movement to Reframe Aging.
The summit focused on a shared aim to change the way we communicate, think, and act as we all go through aging.
“It was truly an honor to represent our Commonwealth in that space and on a national level to discuss how we are changing the narrative about aging while learning what is being done in other states,” said Secretary Kavulich. “We know that bias exists against aging. It is certainly something we are all encountering, especially within ourselves. It’s critical that we change the way we all think and speak about aging to avoid perpetuating that bias.”
The daylong summit brought together thought leaders, national experts, federal representatives, and local, regional, and state-based leaders to learn about the current movement to reframe aging, gain insight into what’s next, and exchange ideas for advancing an equitable and complete story about aging in America. In addition to a live audience, attendees from more than 1,200 locations participated online internationally.
During the discussion, Kavulich noted how the Department incorporated best practices from the National Center to Reframe Aging while developing Aging Our Way, PA — the soon-to-be-released 10-year strategic plan for older Pennsylvanians that will help transform service delivery to create the age-friendly Commonwealth that all residents deserve now and in the future.
“As we were developing Aging Our Way, PA, we refrained from using words like ‘vulnerable populations’ to describe older adults,” Kavulich said. “We were very conscientious in reframing the conversation about aging as being positive and something that we should all embrace.”
To learn more about Aging Our Way, PA and the services and programs provided by the Department of Aging, visit PDA’s website and Facebook page.
L&I’s Autism Awareness & Acceptance Walk, Resource Fair benefits Pa. students
Department of Labor & Industry (L&I) Secretary Nancy A. Walker this week joined more than 400 autism-support students and educators from 15 Pennsylvania schools for the 2024 Autism Awareness & Acceptance Walk and Resource Fair.
The annual event is held at L&I’s Hiram G. Andrews Center (HGAC) to celebrate autism awareness and showcase the state-operated facility’s offerings of post-secondary education, pre-employment transition and support services designed for people with disabilities.
Established in 1959 and operated through L&I’s Office of Vocational Rehabilitation (OVR), HGAC specializes in providing barrier-free education and job-readiness programs to people of all backgrounds and ability levels. HGAC served more than 1,200 individuals in 2023.
Walker stated that individuals with autism, as well as people with other disabilities, have a lot to offer in the workplace and the community. He praised the HGAC and CTI staff for helping individuals to unlock their potential and thrive in their chosen careers, achieving independence.
People interested in joining HGAC/CTI, along with their teachers and families, are welcome to visit the campus. They can schedule a tour or inquire about applying for admission by calling 1-800-762-4211 or 814-255-8200. Information is also available on L&I’s website.
Pennsylvania is investing $204 million to provide high-speed internet to 40,000 homes and businesses. Pennsylvania Broadband Development Authority (PBDA) Executive Director Brandon Carson announced that the PBDA has approved $204 million in grant awards for 53 projects in 42 counties across Pennsylvania. These projects will connect 40,000 homes and businesses, providing high-speed internet to over 100,000 people.
The grants, awarded to businesses and non-profits, will be matched by over $200 million in private investment, resulting in a combined investment of over $400 million. This will expand broadband in areas of Pennsylvania that currently have limited or no access to internet services.
Carson emphasized that the PBDA has worked diligently to secure funding to address access and connectivity issues affecting communities in Pennsylvania. He sees the $204 million in awards as a significant step towards connecting more Pennsylvanians to affordable, high-speed internet, which is crucial for healthy and productive living.
Project applications were assessed based on various criteria, including the size and scope of the unserved or under-served Pennsylvania community, the applicant's experience and ability to deploy high-speed broadband service successfully, affordability standards, workforce support, and a plan to ensure high adoption rates in proposed areas after the project's completion.
The BIP awards grants for line extension and development projects, as well as large-scale regional infrastructure projects. These grants are funded through the federal Capital Projects Fund.
To learn more about Pennsylvania Broadband Development Authority’s efforts to reduce the digital divide in the Commonwealth, visit their website.
Gov. Josh Shapiro and Secretary of Education Dr. Khalid N. Mumin announced changes to the state’s school assessment system. These changes aim to decrease the time students spend on standardized tests, reduce stress and anxiety, align question types with students' learning styles, allow teachers to allocate more time to teaching, and save millions of dollars for the Commonwealth.
