3rd Grade Achievement in Erie County

3rd Grade Achievement

Analysis Categories

What does this measure?

The percentage of students considered proficient or advanced on the Pennsylvania System of School Assessment (PSSA) Grade 3 English Language Arts and Math exams and reported for the total student population.

Why is this important?

Development of early math skills is an important part of elementary schooling and a foundation for continuing progress in not only math, but also science and related subjects. Third grade is also considered an important milestone in a student's career in terms of reading proficiency and is correlated to whether a student will graduate high school.

How is Erie County doing?

Of Erie County's 3rd grade PSSA testing scores among public schools, the students deemed Proficient averaged 31% across the schools in Math, whereas Proficient level averaged 47.4% in Reading. Down from 32.1% and up from 45.8% the previous year, respectively. Math and Reading Advanced Proficiency showed an opposite chance from 2018 to 2019, with Advanced Math proficiency rising to 26%, and Reading falling to 15.8%. Both Math and Reading showed a sharp decrease in Advanced level proficiency in the 2014-2015 school year as a result of that year's newly implemented cut score changes made by the PA State Board of Education, but are slowly regaining positive momentum. On average the Suburban and Rural schools showed higher Proficient and Advanced test scores overall.

EVS Indicators

EVS analyzes the data in each topic category using indicators, which report a targeted and digestible number, rate, or amount to represent Erie County as a whole. While this does not cover every aspect of the topic, it assists in establishing Erie's performance relative to the prior year(s). The indicators for the Education: 3rd Grade Achievement topic are:

  

This indicator measures the percentage of public school 3rd graders in Erie County achieving proficient and advanced reading standards. The trend for 3rd Graders Achieving Reading Standards is up and better from 2018 to 2019, with a reported increase  of +2.2% within the County.

  

This indicator measures the percentage of public school 3rd graders in Erie County achieving proficient and advanced mathstandards. The trend for 3rd Graders Achieving Math Standards is up and better from 2018 to 2019, with a reported increase  of +3.7% within the County.

About this Data

Data from the PA Department of Education as of 12/2020.