The term “Three R’s of Education” was coined in 1807, emphasizing the fundamental skills of Reading, WRiting, and ARithmetic. More than two centuries later, this slogan remains ingrained in our education system. Although education has evolved significantly since then, the three R’s are still regarded as the cornerstone for learning other subjects. However, at Pennsbury, there seems to be a lack of concern, as our School Board prioritizes Restorative Practices and lavish expenditures on building projects.
Did The School District Misrepresent The Metrics Again?
In recent years, we’ve discovered that Pennsbury’s data analysis can be misleading, attempting to polish the reputation of a once highly respected school district. Instances include censoring a community member who tried to address incorrect data and being caught red-handed altering students’ ethnicity classifications. This has made it difficult to trust any numbers being presented. Does anyone genuinely believe that disciplinary incidents decreased by 65% in just one year? In that same presentation, Pennsbury also released the PSSA and Keystone scores.
As you review the PowerPoint presentation above, you’ll notice that Pennsbury’s performance appears on their face quite impressive. The district continues to outperform state averages, which include Philadelphia’s scores and thus drags down the overall metrics. However, the district’s baseline comparison only goes back to 2022, when PSSA scores were still significantly affected by COVID-19 and had not yet recovered. Although Pennsbury possesses pre-COVID data, they consciously chose not to use it as a baseline. Let’s delve into the reasons behind this decision by Superintendent Tom Smith and his Administrative staff.
Comparing Against Pre-Covid Data Tell Different Story
Our team at PSD411 meticulously investigated Pennsbury’s Board Docs to reveal the true numbers by downloading past Annual Achievement Report presentations. We accessed public record data going back to 2017 to evaluate Pennsbury students’ performance on standardized testing, specifically the PSSA test scores. When we examine these baselines across a longer date range, a very different narrative emerges.
PSSA English Test Scores
PSSA scores in English have significantly dropped since COVID-19 and have yet to recover. Previously, proficiency scores typically averaged in the mid-to-upper 70% range, but they have now fallen to the mid-to-upper 60% range. Even more concerning is that 2024 test scores declined in 5 out of 6 grade levels compared to 2023. In two grade levels, 6th and 8th grade, Pennsbury students recorded their lowest scores since 2017. Remarkably, Pennsbury students performed better in English during asynchronous virtual learning than they did in the classroom last school year.
PSSA Mathematics Test Scores
PSSA Math test scores have been one of the few bright spots at Pennsbury, though the District has historically lagged in Math compared to other subjects. Consequently, improving these scores was somewhat easier since the initial metrics were already low. While proficiency levels in English hover closer to 70%, Pennsbury middle school students have typically been below 50% proficiency annually in Math. During COVID, proficiency levels declined to the mid-20% range but have since rebounded to pre-pandemic norms. For 8th grade, students raised their proficiency score to 38%, but this still classifies Pennsbury at a “Below Basic” designation by the Department of Education.
PSSA Science Test Scores
PSSA Science test scores present a slightly different picture compared to the metrics for English and Math. The state only tests Science proficiency at the 4th and 8th grade levels. For 4th graders, proficiency scores remained steady during COVID and consistently exceeded 90%, earning Pennsbury an “Advanced” designation. The concerning aspect is the significant decline in scores from 4th to 8th grade. During COVID, 8th grade scores plummeted to the lower-50% range but have since rebounded to the lower-60% range in 2024. Pre-COVID, proficiency scores typically hovered in the upper-60% range. While these Science metrics are solid compared to state averages, the data reveals that Pennsbury students drop from an “Advanced” designation in 4th grade to a “Proficient” designation by 8th grade.
What Is The District Doing About The Poor Scores?
If you watched the January 16th Action Board Meeting, you’ll see that very little is being done. Instead of focusing on improving the learning environment for students, Board Members Jeannine Delwiche and Donna Petrecco defended their political attacks on fellow Board Member Donna Ahrens. Delwiche, with the support of her spouse, even tried to portray herself as the victim. After the presentation of standardized test scores and disciplinary data, the Board remained relatively quiet, not asking many questions or challenging the data. When elected representatives don’t show much concern about declining test scores, it sends a message to Pennsbury administrators that education doesn’t matter. It doesn’t seem that the Gay Pride Flags that Delwiche and Petrecco aggressively support in every classroom are doing much to improve educational testing scores.
Below is the YouTube stream from the meeting, click to play and it will take you directly to the Annual Achievement Report presentation at the meeting and how the Board questioned the Pennsbury administrators.