What does this measure?

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.

Why is this important?

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.

How is our county performing?

In 2019, 29% of students in Berks County passed the PSSA Grade 8 Math exam, the same as in 2018. In 2019, 12% of historically underperforming students in Berks County passed the exam, up slightly from 11% in 2018. Berks' historically underperforming eighth graders made up 57% of all eighth graders tested. Berks County's 2019 proficiency rate was slightly lower than statewide rates of 15% for historically underperforming and 32% for all students.

Local school districts with higher proficiency rates for students overall included Boyertown Area (55%), followed by Wyomissing Area at 47% and Oley Valley at 44%. Local school districts with higher proficiency rates for historically underperforming students included Oley Valley, at 35% followed by Brandywine Heights at 32%, and Boyertown Area, at 29%. Reading had the lowest proficiency rates, at 3% for all students and 3% for historically underperforming students (historically underperforming students were 98% of eighth graders tested).

Berks County's proficiency rate for historically underperforming students was similar to Schuylkill (13%) and Lehigh (13%), and lower than Lebanon (14%), Chester (17%), Lancaster (18%) and Montgomery (22%). For all students, Berks County's proficiency rate was higher than Schuylkill (25%), but lower than Lebanon (32%), Lehigh (30%), Lancaster (37%), Chester (43%) and Montgomery (46%). Berks' share of historically underperforming students in eighth grade was similar to Schuylkill (56%) and Lehigh (54%) and higher than all other comparison counties including Chester (34%), Montgomery (37%), Lancaster (48%), Lebanon (49%).

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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