Local school officials will get a preview of their students’ state assessment scores, beginning today, ahead of a planned public release of the data next week, according to a letter from Education Secretary Noe Ortega in response to criticism from House Republicans leaders.
In his letter, Ortega said the test results were delayed because so many students failed to take the tests that state officials questioned whether the data would be “valid, reliable and representative.”
Due to COVID-related student absences, only about 71 percent of students took the tests, compared to a normal year’s participation rate of about 97 percent.
Even so, PDE plans to release its findings on its website on March 1.