Gov. Josh Shapiro and other state officials were at Northgate Middle/High School on April 18 to announce changes to the state assessment system.
The governor said all state assessment testing will transition to digital testing by 2026 to create a more efficient testing process for both students and teachers. Northgate has served as a model for digital testing after implementing it for all secondary students this past school year.
"I wanted to be here today because this is a school that gets it," Gov. Josh Shapiro said about Northgate during his news conference at the school, referencing the district's efforts to shift to digital testing for state assessments. "This is a school that understands how to use these tests effectively — how to meet students where they are to make sure they and their teachers are empowered. I wanted to be here today to hold you up as an example to others across this Commonwealth."
Chris Caton, director of curriculum, noted that digital testing has resulted in a number of benefits, including less time to manage materials and increased security. He also noted students prefer the online test with their Chromebooks rather than completing written exams.
"When discussing Northgate’s achievements, standardize testing often takes a back seat for me," Caton said, referencing a variety of ongoing initiatives aimed at creating a more holistic learning environment. "While assessing student achievement It’s important and necessary, it shouldn’t dictate out approach. But it is important and it’s our aim to execute it with excellence and with a student-centric mindset."
Northgate High School junior Carrie Wynn said the digital testing more closely matches the way students learn in the classroom every day. The familiarity helps alleviate some of the stresses that come with the assessments.
"I can’t stand here today and say that moving to online testing has made me more excited for these tests, but it was not the nerve wracking change that I had anticipated," she said. "In fact, it was more similar to the way we learn in class."
Other state officials also spoke during the news conference in the library, including state Secretary of Education Khalid Mumin, state Sen. Way Fontana and state Rep. Emily Kinkead.
Kinkead credited Northgate for being a leader in innovation.
“Northgate has a strong history of taking a student-first approach to maximize the accessibility and efficiency of its programming, including standardized testing,” Kinkead said. “While these tests are necessary to secure federal funds, most of the teachers, students, and staff who tackle the PSSAs and Keystones every year feel strongly that they have become an obstacle to the larger objectives of our education system and need major reforms like this.”
Read more about the governor's announcement: https://bit.ly/4b1zi20