State assessment scores remained below pre-pandemic in 2021-22, according to data released last week by the Pennsylvania Department of Education.

Pennsylvania’s statewide assessments include the Pennsylvania System of School Assessment for grades 3 through 8; end-of-course Keystone Exams administered in middle and high school depending on when students take the corresponding subject; and the Pennsylvania Alternate System of Assessment that ensures equitable participation by students who are unable to participate in the general assessments.

Assessments must be administered in-person, which has affected assessment participation rates across the state over the past three years.

Six of 20 Times News area schools scored above the statewide average of 54.5% of students scoring proficient or advanced on the English Language Arts exam and 34.55% on the math exam. Meanwhile, 10 area schools exceeded the 62.4% average scoring proficient or advanced on the science exam.

Local administrators said while scores are showing a dip in performance following the pandemic, results have to be kept in perspective.

“The PSSAs are a snapshot of how students are performing on one test,” Dave McAndrew, Panther Valley superintendent said. “We understand the pandemic has really set our students back and our goal is to see growth every year. Our students and teachers are working hard and we are looking forward to better results this year.”

Matthew Link, Northern Lehigh superintendent, said the scores released do not come as a shock.

“It is no surprise that the negative impact of the pandemic on teaching and learning is evident in the state assessments results locally, across Pennsylvania, and from larger data sets that I have reviewed across the country,” Link said. “I think we will be recalibrating for a couple of years.”

PDE has also acknowledged that getting scores back up to par will be a work in progress.

“Like states across the nation, we are not yet seeing test results at pre-pandemic levels. However, student performance is generally improving year-over-year and schools across Pennsylvania are working overtime to accelerate learning and meet students where they are at as we emerge from the pandemic,” said Acting Secretary of Education Eric Hagarty. “We know that assessments show point-in-time data that does not reflect the full scope of learning happening in classrooms across the commonwealth, and we expect student performance will continue to improve as students and educators proceed with a more normalized, uninterrupted year of in-person learning.”

On the Keystone Exams, only Palmerton, Pleasant Valley and Tamaqua high schools exceeded the state average of 63.9% of students scoring proficient or advanced on the Algebra I test. Palmerton, Tamaqua, and Northern Lehigh exceeded the state average on the Biology exam, while Carbon Career and Technology Institute hit it right on the number at 41.9%. Palmerton and Pleasant Valley topped the state average of 64.9% scoring proficient or advanced on the Literature test.

With the data in hand, local school districts will get to work implementing strategies to target areas of improvement in future years.

“We have created a pathway for improvement through the work that has gone into our recently adopted comprehensive plan, district goals, and embedded through ongoing professional development and curriculum refresh cycles,” Link said.

Panther Valley, McAndrew said, has updated a lot of its curriculum to align to state standards.

“Math has been an area we are really emphasizing this year,” he added. “The pandemic has left many of our students behind and catching them is a focus. Panther Valley will be offering free tutoring to any student taking a state tested subject.”