On March 11, 2021, parents and guardians of Boyertown students received an email stating that state testing is to be continued. The email stated, “the federal Department of Education announced all states must continue to move forward with plans to have students complete state assessments this year.” The students would have to take these assessments physically in the building, and would not be able to take them from home or online.

The Department of Education originally announced this on February 22, 2021. The department mainly wants these tests done, “as a result of the pandemic and supporting the use of assessment data as a source of information for parents and educators to target resources and support, rather than for accountability purposes this year.” The department has also released some guidance to help schools administer testing and to make the tests more flexible, which are:

1.) Extending the testing window and to move them to summer or fall

2.) To give the tests remotely if possible

3.) Shortening the assessment to prioritize learning time

The Department also understands that individual states may need certain flexible options based on the circumstances across or in that state. They are prepared to discuss these options with those specific states that need these conditions. The Department of Education also expressed that they will be allowing states to request a waiver under the Every Student Succeeds Act. This waiver would mean that the school’s identity and accountability would not matter and it would be waiving the accountability provisions that relate to having a test participation rate of 95%.

Boyertown Area School District is currently working on their plans and timelines for PSSAs and Keystones. More information about Boyertown’s testing will be available soon, but for more information from the Department of Education click here.