introduction - pssa - video - resources

TAKING THE PSSA

PURPOSES

• The PSSA is the Pennsylvania System of School Assessment, a state assessment given to students in grades 3-8 and 11 in mathematics and reading and to students in grades 5, 8, and 11 in writing.
• The PSSA is not used to decide if you pass a grade
• The PSSA is used to show what you know and are able to do in mathematics, reading, writing, and science.
• The PSSA helps teachers find out if you need extra help in mathematics, reading, writing, or science.
• The scores affect what people think about your school, and the scores appear in newspapers and on the news – the public is interested in your school’s scores.
• Teachers, principals, government, parents, and the general public want to see how students are performing in school
• All public school students in Pennsylvania take the PSSA to see if students are learning the state academic standards
  Your parents and your school will get a copy of your scores after the next school year begins.

General Strategies

• Right before you begin the PSSA, relax and think positive thoughts.
• Find out if you will have a time limit, or if you will be able to work until you are finished - if your time is limited, pay attention to the time.
• Don't work too fast - take your time and think carefully.
• Remember, you can write whatever you want in your test booklet.
• Bbe sure that you fill in your answers on the answer sheet ("bubble sheet"), and do not write anything extra on that answer sheet,
• Rread all the answer choices before you select an answer
  watch out for trick answers - there may be a better answer choice.
• Watch out for words like never, always, all, and only
  try to put the question in your own words.
• In your test booklet, cross out any answer choices that you know are wrong.
• Answer all the questions, do not leave any blank
  if you cannot answer, guess.
• Try not to waste too much time on a question - you can skip a question, and move on to the next one, but remember to go back later and answer questions you skipped.
• In your test book, if you skip a question, circle the number so you can go back to it later.
• If you skip a question, also skip that number on your answer sheet so you are still on the right question number
  if you answered a question but you are not sure about it or you guessed, circle that number in your test book so you can go back later to try again.
• When you answer a question, circle the answer choice in your test book and fill in the bubble or circle on the answer sheet - then when you are finished, you can go back to make sure you filled in the right circle for each question
  carefully fill in the circles on the answer sheet, so the circles are completely filled and dark.
• On the answer sheet, be careful not to fill in two circles for a single question.
• Do not make any extra pencil marks on your answer sheet - extra marks can be counted like wrong answers.
• When you're finished, go back and check your answers - answer any questions you skipped and check ones you weren't sure about.
• Don't be afraid to change your answer when you go back, if you find a better answer.

* requires Acrobat Reader