The Pennsylvania System of School Assessment exam time is drawing near, and so is the short window of time parents and caregivers can opt-out of having their child take the test.
Guardians have the right to withdraw their child from the standardized test under the PSSA Chapter Four Rules two weeks before testing, according to the state Department of Education regulations.
Chapter Four allows any parent or caregiver the ability to review the PSSA tests and exclude their child from all three exam areas, which include English/Language Arts, Math and Science, based on conflict with their religious beliefs.
“This is the only basis for a parent/guardian to excuse his or her child from the statewide assessments,” according to the Pennsylvania System of School Assessment Handbook for Assessment Coordinators.
Statistics from the PDE show in 2016, a total of 13 Dallas School District students and 14 Lake-Lehman School District students were withdrawn from taking the PSSA test under Chapter 4 rules.
The PDE data shows Dallas School District had seven students excluded from the English/Language Arts portion of the PSSA and six withdrawn from the math tests.
Lake-Lehman School District had six students opting out of the English/Language Arts and math sections plus two excluded from the Science tests, according to PDE.
Other districts such as Nanticoke Area and Northwest Area districts had no students opting out of taking the PSSA under Chapter Four.
The district with the highest Chapter Four opt-out rate in 2016 was Hazleton Area School District with 244 students, according to PDE documentation. One hundred and nine students were removed from taking the English/Language Arts tests, 106 students were withdrawn from math exams and 29 students were excluded from the Science PSSA.
To opt out of the test under Chapter Four is a four-step process, said Joseph Rogan, a professor emeritus of Teacher Education at Misericordia University in Dallas.
• First, parents need to contact their child’s school and request to see the test when it is available.
• Second, guardians are required to sign the Parent Confidentiality Agreement that states they will not reveal the contents of the test.
• Third, caregivers carefully review the PSSA exam.
• If guardians determine the test violates any personal religious beliefs, they must submit a written letter to the district’s superintendent stating they want their child excluded from the PSSA due to religious beliefs, Rogan said.
“The district can not deny it,” Rogan said but warns parents should have second thoughts about lying to opt-out of the PSSA.
There are no repercussions to the student for opting out of the exam, said Tracey Liparela, assistant to the Lake-Lehman School District Superintendent.
Students who opt-out do have an adverse effect on the district’s participation rate which also reflects on the school’s performance profile score, which could affect the teacher, Liparela said.
Rogan is aware many parents and caregivers have “different levels of awareness” about the opt-out option.
Liparela said Lake-Lehman School District sends out a letter before every PSSA test to inform parents the test is available for them to review and their rights under Chapter Four.
Dallas School District was unable to comment before deadline.
The PSSA is meant to be a teaching tool for education professionals to “draw conclusions on student performance on current curriculum standards set for each grade level,” Liparela said.
The test has created controversy with parents accusing educators of “teaching the test” and educators unhappy because they are denied the ability to “dive into novels and academic projects” due to test preparation, Rogan said.
“Parents should have second thoughts about standardized tests,” Rogan said. “They are harmful to students and teachers.”
Rogan is skeptical about the accuracy of the test results.
”I’ve been in schools and watched test taking,” he said. “Some students do not take the test seriously.”
PSSA test results are not released in time for teachers to incorporate curriculum to address trouble areas where students need additional help, Rogan said.
Liparela said the PSSA does provide the district with information on curriculum delivery and, if there are any gaps in the academic program, they are incorporated in the following year’s academic program.
