Pennsylvania Practice Tests
Pennsylvania Practice Books and Flashcards
PSSA·
Pennsylvania's State Tests at a Glance
In grades 3 through 8, the PSSA covers English language arts and math every year, plus science in grades 5 and 8. The tests are given online, and paper tests are used only for students who qualify for a paper accommodation. The PSSA is untimed: students may take as much time as they need, and the times below are the state's estimates for scheduling. Testing takes place in the spring.
English Language Arts
| Grade | Format | Time | What’s tested |
|---|---|---|---|
| Grade 3 | Three sections; one short written answer in each section | Untimed; about 50 to 60 minutes each for Sections 1 and 3, and 30 to 40 minutes for Section 2 | Literature text (33 to 47%), informational text (33 to 47%), conventions of standard English (20%) |
| Grades 4, 5, 6, 7 and 8 | Three sections; a text-dependent analysis essay in Sections 2 and 3 | Untimed; about 70 to 80 minutes each for Sections 1 and 3, and 65 to 75 minutes for Section 2 | Literature text (24 to 37%), informational text (24 to 37%), text-dependent analysis essay (25%), conventions of standard English (14%) |
For the text-dependent analysis essay, students analyze a passage and use evidence from it to write an essay. Schools may give no more than two ELA sections in one day.
Mathematics
| Grade | Format | Time | What’s tested |
|---|---|---|---|
| Grade 3 | Two sections; no calculator | Untimed; about 70 to 80 minutes per section | Operations and algebraic thinking (26 to 32%), measurement and data (26 to 32%), numbers and operations in base ten (14 to 17%), fractions (14 to 17%), geometry (14 to 17%) |
| Grade 4 | Two sections; no calculator on the first questions of Section 1, calculator after that; formula sheet | Untimed; about 70 to 80 minutes per section | Operations and algebraic thinking (24 to 28%), fractions (20 to 25%), numbers and operations in base ten (18 to 22%), measurement and data (17 to 21%), geometry (14 to 17%) |
| Grade 5 | Two sections; no calculator on the first questions of Section 1, calculator after that; formula sheet | Untimed; about 70 to 80 minutes per section | Fractions (26 to 30%), numbers and operations in base ten (24 to 28%), measurement and data (17 to 21%), operations and algebraic thinking (14 to 17%), geometry (14 to 17%) |
| Grade 6 | Two sections; no calculator on the first questions of Section 1, calculator after that; formula sheet | Untimed; about 70 to 80 minutes per section | Expressions and equations (26 to 30%), the number system (18 to 22%), statistics and probability (18 to 22%), ratios and proportional relationships (17 to 21%), geometry (14 to 17%) |
| Grade 7 | Two sections; no calculator on the first questions of Section 1, calculator after that; formula sheet | Untimed; about 70 to 80 minutes per section | Ratios and proportional relationships (24 to 28%), expressions and equations (24 to 28%), geometry (18 to 22%), the number system (14 to 17%), statistics and probability (14 to 17%) |
| Grade 8 | Two sections; no calculator on the first questions of Section 1, calculator after that; formula sheet | Untimed; about 70 to 80 minutes per section | Expressions and equations (30 to 35%), functions (20 to 25%), geometry (17 to 21%), the number system (14 to 17%), statistics and probability (14 to 17%) |
Each section mixes multiple-choice and interactive questions with open-ended questions where students show their work. An online calculator is built into the test, and students may bring their own if it meets Pennsylvania's calculator policy.
Science
| Grade | Format | Time | What’s tested |
|---|---|---|---|
| Grades 5 and 8 | Two sections; calculator allowed | Untimed; about 40 to 50 minutes per section | Life sciences and environmental literacy and sustainability, physical sciences, earth and space sciences, technology and engineering (20 to 30% each) |
The science test is built on Pennsylvania's STEELS science standards and can include science scenarios: a short report of a class project or experiment, with graphics, charts or tables, that students use to answer questions.