Two state lawmakers are pushing to end PSSA testing in schools in favor of locally based testing.

PSSA testing began in 1992 with English language arts and math tests given to third- through eighth-graders while fourth- and eighth-graders are tested in science. The tests, according to House Reps. Eric Nelson and Martina White, cost the state $48 million a year.

“The current process is flawed. PSSA tests rob schools of up to three weeks of instruction time and it takes months before results are returned. The Commonwealth deserves a better system,” said Nelson, R-Westmoreland. “It is time we stop teaching to the test and move forward with a system that tracks student growth. Benchmark testing is less expensive and provides real-time results to ensure student learning.”

Nelson and White propose allowing school districts to use three benchmark assessments during a child’s school year, with aggregate data from schools and districts still made available publicly. Many schools already use local testing in addition to the PSSA testing so they have testing data available to help determine a student’s aptitude while the child is still in a teacher’s class.

They say school superintendents and parents have told them it’s more important to have real-time data on students’ needs as they develop indivdiual education plans and academic performance.

“Benchmark testing technology is superior because it provides an objective, standardized, and nationally recognized way to evaluate and compare student performance, which helps teachers and administrators in decision-making and improving classroom innovation and efficiency,” said White, R-Philadelphia.

Nelson and White said another reason to change is a Pennsylvania Commonwealth Court decision earlier this year that will result in more money being spent in schools. The plaintiffs originally sued in 2014, arguing that Pennsylvania’s system of paying for public schools is failing the poorest districts and contending that billions more dollars in state aid are necessary to meet the state’s constitutional obligation. While the judge agreed, she also did not direct Pennsylvania’s politically divided Legislature on how much more state aid to distribute, or how.

“The recent Pennsylvania Commonwealth Court decision is going to result in considerable change in our state’s educational landscape,” White and Nelson wrote in their co-sponsorship memorandum. “Join us in helping to enable benchmark testing, comparison against national performance and real-time feedback become our improved future assessment tool for districts.”