More Lancaster County students took the Keystone exams in 2023, but the scores in Algebra 1 and literature showed a significant decline compared to the previous year.
In 2023, a higher number of students in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, took the Keystone exams, a series of end-of-course standardized tests designed to assess proficiency in Algebra 1, literature, and biology. However, the results revealed a concerning trend, with fewer students scoring advanced or proficient in Algebra 1 and literature compared to the previous year. This decline in scores has raised questions about student achievement and the effectiveness of educational strategies in the county.
Keystone Exam Results in Lancaster County
The largest decline in scores was observed in Algebra 1, where only 34.2% of the 84,339 students who took the exam scored advanced or proficient in 2023, compared to 63.9% of 59,247 students in 2022. Similarly, in literature, the percentage of students scoring advanced or proficient dropped from 64.9% to 65.3%. However, there was a slight improvement in biology scores, with 50.7% of students scoring advanced or proficient, up from 41.9% the previous year.
District Performance in Lancaster County
Among the public school districts in Lancaster County, only a few showed a slight improvement in literature scores compared to the previous year. Hempfield School District saw a 4% increase in students scoring advanced or proficient in both the Algebra 1 and literature exams. Penn Manor School District was the only district to show improvement in Algebra 1, with a significant increase in the percentage of students scoring proficient or advanced.
Statewide Comparison
Statewide, the percentage of students scoring advanced or proficient in biology and literature improved slightly compared to the previous year. However, Lancaster County districts performed better than the state average in both subjects, with only a few exceptions. In Algebra 1, six districts performed worse than the state average.
Factors Contributing to Success
Pequea Valley School District was one of the few districts that had higher percentages of students scoring advanced or proficient than the state average in all three subjects. Assistant Superintendent Rich Eby attributes their success to the district’s focus on aligning courses with the tested subjects. For example, students take agricultural biology and biology in 10th grade, which pairs well with the district’s award-winning agricultural program. The district also pairs its ninth-grade STEM course with Algebra 1, providing hands-on learning opportunities.
Challenges and Strategies
While Pequea Valley has seen progress, Eby acknowledges the challenges they face in hiring enough paraprofessionals to fully support students. The district’s multi-tiered systems of support require interventionists to work with students individually or in small groups to address deficiencies in the tested courses. Eby also highlights the importance of familiarizing students with the format and framing of the Keystone questions to better prepare them for the exams.
Conclusion:
The decline in Keystone exam scores in Lancaster County, particularly in Algebra 1 and literature, raises concerns about student achievement and the effectiveness of educational strategies. While some districts have shown improvement, challenges in hiring support staff and addressing individual student needs remain. As educators continue to strive for alignment between education and post-secondary goals, it is essential to evaluate and adapt instructional methods to ensure student success.
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