The state Education Department recently released results of the 2025 PSSA tests taken by third through eighth graders. PSSAs are administered in grades 3-8 for English Language Arts and Mathematics, as well as grades 5 and 8 for Science & Technology.

Statewide, PSSA proficiency rates in math increased for the second consecutive year from 40.2% to 41.7%, while Warren County’s proficiency rates decreased from 32.4% in 2024 to 29% in 2025. PSSA proficiency rates decreased statewide by 4% from 2024 from 53.9% to 49.9% in English language arts, while in Warren County proficiency decreased by 5% year over year in ELA from 39.8% in 2024 to 34.8% in 2025.

ENGLISH LANGUAGE ARTS

RESULTS ACROSS THE COUNTY

The news wasn’t all bad on the ELA tests across the county. The county’s fourth graders saw proficiency increase from 29% to 33.1%, though the rest of the grade levels saw decreases in proficiency. Third grade proficiency on ELA testing decreased from 38.6% to 34.8%; fifth grade proficiency decreased from 47.3% in 2024 to 30.3% in 2025; sixth grade proficiency decreased from 43.7% to 40.1%; seventh grade proficiency decreased from 39.4% to 32.6% and eighth grade proficiency decreased from 40.4% to 33.6%.

Individual school proficiency rates are:

At the Warren Area Elementary Center, 26.1% of students were proficient, with 26% of third graders proficient and 26.3% of fourth-graders. Proficiency rates improved at Beaty-Warren Middle School (31.9% of all students), including fifth grade – 27.2%, sixth grade – 38.2%, seventh grade – 34%, eighth grade – 28.8%.

Eisenhower elementary saw 53.1% of test-takers proficient in ELA, with third graders coming in at 54.2% proficient, fourth graders at 62.2% proficient and fifth graders at 44.4% proficient. Numbers dipped a bit at Eisenhower Middle-High School, with 44.8% of students proficient in ELA. More than half of the school’s sixth grade students were proficient (50.9%), followed by 38.3% of seventh graders and 44.3% of fifth grade students.

In Sheffield, 28.4% of third through fifth graders were proficient in ELA, including 35.6% of third graders, 29.6% of fourth graders and 16.7% of fifth graders. The numbers were better in Sheffield’s middle/high school results, with 35.6% of students proficient, including 38.5% of sixth graders, 29% of seventh graders and 38.7% of eighth graders.

Roughly a third of Youngsville third through eighth graders were proficient in ELA (32.6% of all test takers). At Youngsville Elementary School, 33.3% of students were proficient, including 39.2% of third graders, 26.7% of fourth graders, 26.7% of fourth graders and 33.3% of fifth graders. Youngsville Middle-High School proficiency on the ELA tests was 32.6%, including 37% of sixth graders, 25.5% of seventh graders and 35.3% of eighth graders.

This year’s state budget included funding to expand early literacy programs in schools across the Commonwealth and a requirement for all public schools to adopt evidence-based reading curriculum and identify and provide targeted assistance to students with reading deficiencies.

“Nothing we do in education is more important than making sure every child can read,” said Representative Jason Ortitay. “That’s why I’ve spent years championing early literacy reforms that bring evidence-aligned, structured literacy instruction into every Pennsylvania classroom. These changes will give teachers the tools they need and students the strong foundation they deserve, no matter where they live. I’m grateful to Secretary Rowe and the Department of Education for their partnership in moving this work forward and helping turn a vision for stronger reading instruction into real, lasting progress for children across the Commonwealth.”

MATH PROFICIENCY

Math proficiency was down across the board for third through eighth graders in Warren County, decreasing from 40% in 2024 to 36.6% in 2025 for third graders; 39.6% to 39% for fourth graders, 42% to 33.7% for fifth graders, 29.7% to 27.7% for sixth graders, 24.8% to 22.3% for seventh grade students and 19.5% to 18% for eighth graders. Overall, proficiency for all Warren County students taking the third through eighth grade math tests decreased from 32.4% to 29%.

Proficiency at the Warren Area Elementary Center was 33.2%, which included 34.4% of third graders and 32.1% of fourth graders. Proficiency decreased at Beaty-Warren Middle School to 23.7%, peaking at 28.6% of fifth graders achieving proficiency followed by 23.6% of sixth graders, 26.1% of seventh graders and 17.5% of eighth graders.

At Eisenhower, 53.4% of elementary school students were proficient, including 43.8% of third graders, 64.4% of fourth graders and 52.8% of fifth graders. Proficiency decreased in middle school at Eisenhower to 25.9%, including 29.8% of sixth graders, 23.4% of seventh graders and 24.3% of eighth graders.

Proficiency rates were below 30% at Sheffield, where 29.4% of elementary school students and 21.8% of middle school students were proficient on the PSSA math exam. Proficiency rates in individual grade levels at Sheffield were: third grade – 37.8%, fourth grade – 29.6%, fifth grade – 16.7, sixth grade – 17.9%, seventh grade – 22.6%, and eighth grade – 25.8%.

Youngsville Elementary school students achieved 39.3% proficiency in math, including 37.3% of third graders, 40% of fourth graders and 41% of fifth graders. Proficiency remained higher than the district average in sixth grade (45.7%) but dipped to 8.7% among seventh graders and 7.8% among eighth graders for a middle school proficiency rate of 20.3%.