State and College Board Testing Accommodations Overview

Some students require testing accommodation to complete assessments that are state-mandated and/or for college and post-secondary programs. If your child receives assessment accommodations through their IEP or 504 Service Agreement, they are eligible to have applicable accommodations during state-mandated testing such as PSSA and Keystones and/or to apply for applicable accommodation in the PSAT, SAT, AP and ACT exams.

Pennsylvania System of School Assessment (PSSA) and Keystone accommodations for IEP and 504 students:

The annual Pennsylvania System School Assessment is a standards-based, criterion-referenced assessment, which provides students, parents, educators and citizens with an understanding of student and school performance related to the attainment of proficiency of the academic standards. These standards in English Language Arts, Mathematics, and Science and Technology identify what a student should know and be able to do at varying grade levels. 

Every Pennsylvania student in grades 3 through 8 is assessed in English Language Arts and Math. Every Pennsylvania student in grades 4 and 8 is assessed in Science.

Individual student scores, provided only by their respective schools, can be used to assist teachers in identifying students who may be in need of additional educational opportunities, and school scores provide information to schools and districts for curriculum and instruction improvement discussions and planning.

In compliance with §4.51(a)(4) of the PA School Code, the State Board of Education approved, "specific criteria for advanced, proficient, basic and below basic levels of performance." (Taken from the PA Department of Education website)

They Keystone exams were created to replace the Grade 11 PSSA and serve as one component of Pennsylvania's statewide high school graduation requirement. Keystone Exams will help school districts guide students toward meeting state standards. The exams are end-of-course assessments designed to assess proficiency in the subject areas of Algebra I, Literature, and Biology.  (Taken from the PA Department of Education website)

Testing accommodations that are provided by PDE are found here. Your child's IEP or 504 team will discuss annually how these accommodations may apply to your child and be implemented based on your child’s needs during the PSSA and Keystone window.

PSAT, SAT, AP, and ACT Exam Accommodations:

Some students require testing accommodation to complete assessments for college/post-secondary programs. If your child receives accommodation through their IEP or 504 Service Agreement, they is eligible to apply for applicable accommodation in the PSAT, SAT, AP, and ACT exams.