Decline in Pa. Elementary and Middle-School Standardized Testing

The number of Pennsylvania students who took the PSSA tests in 2021 fell by nearly 30% when compared with totals from 2019, the last year the exams were administered. Pennsylvania canceled its standardized tests in 2020 as schools closed for in-person instruction. For 2021, a year when many students were learning remotely and returning in-person at different times, schools were allowed to delay testing until the fall.

Figures are in thousands

Chart: JOHN DUCHNESKIE / Staff Artist Source: SOURCE: Pennsylvania Department of Education