Avonworth School District Assessments

Dear Avonworth families,

The Avonworth School District aims to provide an education that is customized to meet the needs of each learner. Part of this process includes creating a comprehensive assessment system to determine if we are accomplishing this goal. Most of the assessments occur in grades K-8 in order to ensure students are developing skills at the right pace in order to be ready for high school and life beyond high school.

In order to promote the skill development of our elementary and middle school students, the district utilizes a Multi-Tiered System of Support (MTSS) that provides students with targeted instruction based on their needs. In the primary and elementary buildings, this targeted instruction occurs during WIN (What I Need) time, which is built into the daily schedule. At the middle school, this support is provided during Focus period. A combination of classroom and district assessments are used to determine student needs. Then targeted interventions and enrichment activities are identified to match the needs of students in grades K-8. Instruction may be delivered by reading specialists, special education teachers, paraprofessionals, and/or general education teachers. Flexible grouping occurs based on student needs. 

The district uses several assessment tools as part of the comprehensive assessment system to help identify and meet the needs of students. Below are some of the major assessments that will be given over the course of the year at certain grade levels:

1. Students in K-8: Acadience measures basic early literacy to assess students’ readiness levels, will be given to students in grades K-6 and some 7-8 graders. Three times a year (Fall, Winter, and Spring), families will receive an Acadience letter that will provide information about your child’s reading skills. The letter will show your child’s performance in each assessed area for their grade level, as well as a composite score. While the composite score provides an overall picture of your child’s reading abilities, the individual assessments provide specific information about the areas for which your child may need targeted support or intervention. Acadience data specifically helps teachers determine rates of reading fluency and general understanding of a text.

2. Students in K-5: NWEA Measures of Academic Progress Growth, or MAP Growth, assessments as part of the comprehensive assessment system and will be administered in grades K-5. NWEA MAP Growth is a nationally normed, standardized achievement test which measures what students know and informs what they're ready to learn next by using a computer adaptive test that adjusts to the ability and knowledge of the student. Three times a year (Fall, Winter, Spring), families will receive a NWEA Map report that will provide you with an overall picture of your child’s math and reading scores as compared to students across the country. Your child's teacher will use the results of the NWEA MAP Growth assessments to better understand your child's individual needs and to help each student progress in the assessed areas. Because the assessment is a growth measure, it can track the growth of the student between testing events and over multiple years of testing.The Map Growth data also provides detailed information about students’ depth of reading comprehension.

3. Students in Grades 6-12: The Pennsylvania Classroom Diagnostic Tools (CDT) is a set of online assessments, divided by content areas (Literacy, Mathematics, and Science), and is designed to provide diagnostic information to guide instruction in order to support intervention and enrichment. A parent report is not available for this diagnostic assessment, but there are individual student reports that teachers can explain to parents.

4. Students in Grades 3-8:  ​The Pennsylvania System of School Assessments (PSSA) are given to students in grades 3-8 in the areas of math, English language arts and science. These assessments are standards-based, criterion-referenced assessments that provide students, parents, educators and citizens with an understanding of student and school performance related to the attainment of proficiency of the Pennsylvania academic standards. Parents will receive a report in the fall indicating the student’s performance on each test taken. 

   • Changing this year: The Department of Education informed school districts that the Science PSSA will be given to 5th graders instead of 4th graders in the 2024-2025 school year. The 8th graders will continue to take the science PSSA.

5. Students taking Algebra I, Biology, 10th grade Literature: The Keystone Exams help school districts guide students toward meeting Pennsylvania state standards. The exams are end-of-course assessments designed to assess proficiency in the subject areas of Algebra I, Biology, and Literature. Parents will receive a report in the fall indicating the student’s performance on each test taken.

 

Additional assessments are used at a more diagnostic level for students who struggle with learning. These assessments are typically administered by the school psychologist, specialists, and special education teachers. If you have questions about the additional assessments we use, please reach out to our Director of Students Services, Dr. Karam, at jkaram@avonworth.k12.pa.us, or our school psychologist, Ms. Kristina Busti, at kbusti@avonworth.k12.pa.us, or call 412-366-7171 x 1918.

For further information or if you have any questions about the district’s comprehensive assessment system, please reach out to your child’s building principal or counselor.

 

Sincerely,

Jillian Bichsel, Ed.D.
Assistant Superintendent