The percentage of students considered proficient or advanced on the Pennsylvania System of School Assessment (PSSA) Grade 8 Math 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.
The middle school math examination serves as a checkpoint for high school preparation. Performance on this exam can help predict high school success in math. 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.
In 2018, 29% of students in Berks County passed the PSSA Grade 8 Math exam, down from 33% in 2017. In 2018, 11% of historically underperforming students in Berks County passed the exam, down from 15% in 2017. Berks' historically underperforming eighth graders made up 54% of all eighth graders tested. Berks County's 2018 proficiency rate was slightly lower than statewide rates of 15% for historically underperforming and 31% for all students.
Local school districts with higher proficiency rates for students overall included Boyertown Area (50%), followed by Fleetwood Area at 46% and Olley Valley at 45%. Local school districts with higher proficiency rates for historically underperforming students included Boyertown Area, at 29% followed by Schuykill Valley at 27%, and Conread Weiser and Kutztown, at 21%. Reading had the lowest proficiency rates, at 3% for all students and 2% for historically underperforming students (historically underperforming students were 97% of eighth graders tested).
Berks County's proficiency rate for historically underperforming students was similar to to Schuylkill (11%), and somewhat lower than Lehigh (13%), Lebanon (14%), and Chester (15%). It was lower than Lancaster (18%) and Montgomery (21%). For all students, Berks County's proficiency rate was higher than Schuylkill (20%), but lower than Lebanon (30%), Lehigh (30%), Lancaster (36%), Chester (41%) and Montgomery (44%). Berks' share of historically underperforming students in eighth grade was the same as Lehigh (54%) but higher than all other comparison counties including Chester (35%), Montgomery (37%), Lebanon (46%), Schuylkill (48%) and Lancaster (49%).
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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All Students | Historically Underperforming | |
---|---|---|
Pennsylvania | 31% | 15% |
Berks County | 29% | 11% |
Berks County Regions | ||
Central | ||
Northeast | ||
South | ||
Southeast | ||
West | ||
Reading city | ||
Berks County Peers | ||
Chester County | 41% | 15% |
Lancaster County | 36% | 18% |
Lebanon County | 30% | 14% |
Lehigh County | 30% | 13% |
Montgomery County | 44% | 21% |
Schuylkill County | 20% | 11% |
School Districts | ||
Exeter Township School District | 40% | 13% |
Fleetwood Area School District | 46% | 19% |
Governor Mifflin School District | 23% | 13% |
Hamburg Area School District | 22% | 10% |
Kutztown Area School District | 35% | 21% |
Muhlenberg School District | 23% | 19% |
Antietam School District | 11% | 5% |
Oley Valley School District | 45% | 18% |
Reading School District | 3% | 2% |
Boyertown Area School District | 50% | 29% |
Schuylkill Valley School District | 45% | 27% |
Brandywine Heights Area School District | 25% | 8% |
Tulpehocken Area School District | 32% | 13% |
Conrad Weiser Area School District | 30% | 21% |
Twin Valley School District | 36% | 15% |
Daniel Boone Area School District | 41% | 14% |
Wilson School District | 32% | 19% |
Wyomissing Area School District | 31% | 11% |
All Students | Historically Underperforming | |
---|---|---|
Pennsylvania | 38,682 | 9,913 |
Berks County | 1,393 | 299 |
Berks County Regions | ||
Central | ||
Northeast | ||
South | ||
Southeast | ||
West | ||
Reading city | ||
Berks County Peers | ||
Chester County | 2,678 | 346 |
Lancaster County | 1,702 | 418 |
Lebanon County | 413 | 88 |
Lehigh County | 1,142 | 261 |
Montgomery County | 3,398 | 613 |
Schuylkill County | 267 | 73 |
School Districts | ||
Exeter Township School District | 121 | 13 |
Fleetwood Area School District | 88 | 14 |
Governor Mifflin School District | 77 | 23 |
Hamburg Area School District | 38 | 8 |
Kutztown Area School District | 36 | 9 |
Muhlenberg School District | 69 | 40 |
Antietam School District | 9 | 2 |
Oley Valley School District | 51 | 7 |
Reading School District | 28 | 24 |
Boyertown Area School District | 263 | 51 |
Schuylkill Valley School District | 75 | 17 |
Brandywine Heights Area School District | 28 | 4 |
Tulpehocken Area School District | 30 | 6 |
Conrad Weiser Area School District | 50 | 15 |
Twin Valley School District | 94 | 13 |
Daniel Boone Area School District | 105 | 13 |
Wilson School District | 55 | 21 |
Wyomissing Area School District | 46 | 8 |
All Students | Historically Underperforming | |
---|---|---|
Pennsylvania | 30% | 14% |
Berks County | 30% | 12% |
Berks County Regions | ||
Central | ||
Northeast | ||
South | ||
Southeast | ||
West | ||
Reading city | ||
Berks County Peers | ||
Chester County | 41% | 13% |
Lancaster County | 34% | 16% |
Lebanon County | 28% | 14% |
Lehigh County | 27% | 10% |
Montgomery County | 45% | 23% |
Schuylkill County | 18% | 8% |
School Districts | ||
Daniel Boone Area School District | 30% | 8% |
Wilson School District | 31% | 23% |
Wyomissing Area School District | 44% | 15% |
Exeter Township School District | 39% | 19% |
Fleetwood Area School District | 30% | 10% |
Governor Mifflin School District | 35% | 27% |
Hamburg Area School District | 31% | 20% |
Kutztown Area School District | 23% | 0% |
Muhlenberg School District | 21% | 13% |
Antietam School District | 12% | 6% |
Oley Valley School District | 37% | 24% |
Reading School District | 2% | 2% |
Boyertown Area School District | 43% | 22% |
Schuylkill Valley School District | 50% | 33% |
Brandywine Heights Area School District | 25% | 8% |
Tulpehocken Area School District | 28% | 12% |
Conrad Weiser Area School District | 39% | 15% |
Twin Valley School District | 50% | 28% |
All Students | Historically Underperforming | |
---|---|---|
Pennsylvania | 38,400 | 8,759 |
Berks County | 1,426 | 290 |
Berks County Regions | ||
Central | ||
Northeast | ||
South | ||
Southeast | ||
West | ||
Reading city | ||
Berks County Peers | ||
Chester County | 2,733 | 320 |
Lancaster County | 1,683 | 360 |
Lebanon County | 377 | 93 |
Lehigh County | 1,029 | 206 |
Montgomery County | 3,647 | 633 |
Schuylkill County | 237 | 60 |
School Districts | ||
Daniel Boone Area School District | 88 | 7 |
Wilson School District | 48 | 17 |
Wyomissing Area School District | 65 | 9 |
Exeter Township School District | 118 | 20 |
Fleetwood Area School District | 62 | 6 |
Governor Mifflin School District | 111 | 39 |
Hamburg Area School District | 56 | 16 |
Kutztown Area School District | 26 | 0 |
Muhlenberg School District | 57 | 19 |
Antietam School District | 7 | 2 |
Oley Valley School District | 49 | 9 |
Reading School District | 24 | 24 |
Boyertown Area School District | 227 | 34 |
Schuylkill Valley School District | 75 | 15 |
Brandywine Heights Area School District | 29 | 4 |
Tulpehocken Area School District | 29 | 6 |
Conrad Weiser Area School District | 76 | 11 |
Twin Valley School District | 129 | 26 |
INDICATORS | TREND | BERKS COUNTY |
---|---|
Quality Early Childhood Centers | Not Applicable |
Prekindergarten Participation | ![]() |
Students Eligible for Free/Reduced Price Lunch | ![]() |
English Language Learners | ![]() |
Students Receiving Special Education Services | ![]() |
Per Student Spending | ![]() |
Historically Underperforming Student Performance on Grade 3 English | ![]() |
Historically Underperforming Student Performance on Grade 3 Math | ![]() |
Historically Underperforming Student Performance on Grade 8 English | ![]() |
Historically Underperforming Student Performance on Grade 8 Math | ![]() |
Student Performance on High School English | ![]() |
Student Performance on High School Math | ![]() |
High School Cohort Graduation Rate | ![]() |
Education Levels of Adults, by Race/Ethnicity | ![]() |
Brain Drain/Gain | ![]() |
Plans of High School Graduates | ![]() |