Curriculum & Instruction
The Pottsgrove School District's Curriculum Department is responsible for grades K-12 curriculum, instruction, assessment, and professional learning. The Curriculum Department works in partnership with building principals and classroom teachers to develop a curriculum that articulates all instructional pacing, content, and rigor.
There is an emphasis on an intensive and rigorous curriculum renewal process through which all content areas and grade levels are evaluated. The end goal is to ensure that all students reach their fullest potential through articulated instruction per the Pennsylvania Core Standards.
- Curriculum
- State Testing Resources
- Act 158 Graduation Requirements
- MTSS Framework
- Title I
- Homeschooling
- English as a Second Language
Curriculum
State Testing Resources
- PSSA Testing Reources
- Keystone Exam Practice Tests/Resources
- Keystone Exam FAQ
- Keystone Exam Policies
- State Testing Dates
PSSA Testing Reources
Keystone Exam Practice Tests/Resources
Keystone Exam Resource Materials
Khan Academy
Khan Academy has a variety of video resources that students can use to review the material covered in their Algebra I and Biology classes.
Access to these resources is free and if your student would like to track their progress, they can sign up for an account. An account is not necessary to access the content.
Keystone Exam FAQ
Información de Keystones para Padres
What are the Keystone Exams?
The Keystone Exams are end-of-course assessments designed to evaluate proficiency in the academic content areas of Algebra I, English Literature, and Biology.
Who will participate in the Keystone Exams?
Students will take the Keystone Exams at or near the end of a Keystone-related course. The Keystone-related courses are 10th-grade English, Algebra I, and Biology.
Any students who previously completed a Keystone-related course but do not have a score on file will also test.
Additionally, any students who have already taken a Keystone Exam and did not score Proficient or Advanced will be provided the opportunity to retest.
What types of questions are in the Keystone Exams?
The Keystone Exams will include multiple-choice questions and constructed-response, or open-ended, questions. For each Keystone Exam, approximately 60 percent to 75 percent of the total score will be from multiple-choice questions and 25 percent to 40 percent of the total score will be from constructed-response questions.
How is a student’s score determined and recorded?
The student’s best overall score is determined by calculating the highest overall module score from any exam (each Keystone Exam consists of two modules). Each student’s best overall score will be banked until their 11th-grade year, where it will be reported for the Pennsylvania Future Ready Index, school, state, and county-wide accountability data.
These scores can also be used in meeting the Pennsylvania Academic Proficiency Requirements set forth in Act 158 for graduation.
Are the Keystone Exams a graduation requirement for my student?
Participation in state assessments, particularly Keystone Exams, remains part of the federal accountability requirement.
Scoring Proficient or Advanced on Keystone Exams is also the first measure used in meeting the Pennsylvania Academic Proficiency Requirements set forth in Act 158 for graduation.
Keystone Retesting
Students who do not score proficient on the Keystone exam may retake the exam until the completion of their junior year.
When will this year’s Keystone Exams be held?
We routinely host Keystone Exams two times during the year. End-of-Course Exams are held in May. Retesting is done during December or January as well as during the End of Course window in May.
May parents see the Keystone Exams?
Parents and guardians may review the Keystone Exams if they believe they may be in conflict with their religious beliefs by making arrangements with the School Assessment Coordinator once the exams arrive at the school. Confidentiality agreements must be signed, and no copies of the Keystone Exams, notes about, or photos of the exam questions will be permitted to leave the school.
What if I want to opt my student out of the Keystone Exams?
If, after reviewing the Keystone Exams, parents or guardians do not want their child to participate in one or all of the exams due to a conflict with their religious beliefs, they may write a letter specifying their objection to the School Assessment Coordinator to request their child be excused from the exam(s).
Being excused from participation in the Keystone Exams does not excuse the student from meeting the Pennsylvania Academic Proficiency Requirements set forth in Act 158 for graduation.
What if I do not want my student retested in the same subject?
If your student has already taken the exam and was not proficient, you may request that they not be retested. To do this, you must submit a signed letter to the School Assessment Coordinator specifying this request. This letter will not exclude students from taking exams in which they have not already been tested.
Students who choose not to retest will still need to meet the Pennsylvania Academic Proficiency Requirements set forth in Act 158 for graduation. However, they will not be able to meet it using the Keystone Exam Proficiency Pathway.
For example: If Student A took the Algebra I Keystone Exam in 9th Grade and you wish for them not to take it again, a letter must be provided to the School Assessment Coordinator.
Who is the School Assessment Coordinator?
Currently, the School Assessment Coordinator role is filled by the High School Assistant Principal.
What are the Pennsylvania Academic Proficiency Requirements?
The Pennsylvania Academic Proficiency Requirements are statewide requirements that students must meet in order to earn their diplomas. The Department of Education laid out five different pathways for students to meet these requirements: The Keystone Proficiency Pathway, The Keystone Composite Score Pathway, The CTE Concentrator Pathway, The Alternative Assessment Pathway, and the Evidenced Based Pathway.
More details about these requirements can be found in the High School Program of Study.
Keystone Exam Policies
State Testing Dates
2026-2027 PSSA Assessment Schedule
| Assessment | Dates | Grades |
|---|---|---|
| English Language Arts | April 26–30, 2027 | Grades 3–8 |
| Mathematics, Science, and Make-ups | May 3–14, 2027 | Grades 3–8 |
2026-2027 Keystone Assessment Schedule
| Assessment Window | Dates |
|---|---|
| Winter | December 7–18, 2026 |
| Winter | January 4–15, 2027 |
| Spring | May 17–28, 2027 |
Act 158 Graduation Requirements
Overview
Act 158 of 2018, signed into law by Governor Wolf on October 24, 2019, shifts
Pennsylvania’s reliance on high stakes testing as a graduation requirement to provide alternatives for high school students to demonstrate readiness for postsecondary success. Formerly, Pennsylvania’s statewide graduation requirement was more restrictive, requiring most students to pass the Keystone Exams (end of course exams in Algebra I, Literature, and Biology) in order to graduate. Act 158 expands the options for students to demonstrate postsecondary readiness through four additional pathways that more fully illustrate college, career, and community readiness. The statewide graduation requirement, as identified within Act 158, took effect for the graduating class of 2023.
Important Information to Note:
- Keystone Exams will continue as the statewide assessment that Pennsylvania uses to comply with accountability requirements set forth in the federal Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA).
- Although a student may no longer be required to achieve proficiency on the Keystone Exams to graduate, students are required to take the Keystone Exams for purposes of federal accountability.
Requirements
Requirements:
The following options exist to meet the statewide graduation requirement:
- Keystone Proficiency Pathway: Requires students to score proficient or advanced on each Keystone Exam—Algebra I, Literature, and Biology. Keystone Composite Pathway: Requires students to earn a satisfactory composite score on the Algebra I, Literature, and Biology Keystone Exams while achieving at least a proficient score on at least one of the three exams and no less than a basic score on the remaining two.
- Alternative Assessment Pathway: Requires students to successfully complete locally established grade-based requirements for academic content areas associated with each Keystone Exam on which the student did not achieve proficiency and one of the a variety of other indicators.
- Evidence Based Pathway: Requires students to successfully complete locally established grade-based requirements for academic content areas associated with each Keystone Exam on which the student did not achieve proficiency and demonstration of three pieces of evidence consistent with the student’s goals and career plans.
- CTE Pathway: For Career and Technical Education (CTE) Concentrators, students are required to successfully complete locally established grade-based requirements for academic content areas associated with each Keystone Exam on which the student did not achieve proficiency and attain an industry-based competency certification related to the CTE Concentrator’s program of study or demonstration of a high likelihood of success on an approved industry-based competency assessment or readiness for continued meaningful engagement in the CTE Concentrator’s program of study.
Graduation Pathways
MTSS Framework
One goal of the Pottsgrove School District is to ensure that all students are provided with
the appropriate tools for academic and life-long success. This is accomplished not only
with regular instruction within the classroom, but also through a Multi-Tiered System of
Supports (MTSS).
the appropriate tools for academic and life-long success. This is accomplished not only
with regular instruction within the classroom, but also through a Multi-Tiered System of
Supports (MTSS).
Multi-Tiered System of Supports is an approach that provides targeted instruction based
upon the needs of each student. It allows for additional instructional supports using
enrichments and interventions that are adjusted based upon student progress. MTSS is a preventative measure to ensure all students remain on track toward college and/or career readiness. The MTSS framework consists of three levels of instruction that build on one another. The intensity of instruction increases with each tier as indicated below:
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Tier 1 is the high-quality instruction provided to all students in general education classrooms.
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Tier 2 provides instruction targeted to meet the needs of some students requiring additional instructional support and extension.
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Tier 3 includes intensive interventions to meet the needs of individual students.
In Pottsgrove School District buildings, each classroom provides daily blocks of time
through which teacher provide on grade level instruction. In addition, students receive
extra mathematics and literacy instruction in an area of need based on a current review of his/her assessment data. This will occur during a WIN (What I Need) period in groups that meet every day for 30 minutes. Throughout the year, additional data will be reviewed so tier assignments can be changed as the needs of students shift. During this time, students may or may not move to a different classroom.
through which teacher provide on grade level instruction. In addition, students receive
extra mathematics and literacy instruction in an area of need based on a current review of his/her assessment data. This will occur during a WIN (What I Need) period in groups that meet every day for 30 minutes. Throughout the year, additional data will be reviewed so tier assignments can be changed as the needs of students shift. During this time, students may or may not move to a different classroom.
Title I
Title I is a federally funded supplemental education program that provides financial assistance to improve educational outcomes for children. The Pottsgrove School District receives funding based upon the number of students in a building who qualify for the free and reduced lunch program. Title I funds are designed to help children meet state content and performance standards. Within Pottsgrove School District, each of the three elementary buildings receive these funds and students receive targeted assistance through small group instruction during the school day.
Pottsgrove School District follows an established assessment calendar through which data is collected. This information is used, in part, to identify students that qualify for Title I services. The assessments include the Aimsweb battery of assessments for math and reading as well as the Exact Path Diagnostic Assessment.
When a student qualifies for Title I services, families receive communication with an invitation for the student to participate. During the school year, there are several opportunities for parents to be involved with Title I programming.
Title I Staff
- Mr. Daniel Vorhis: Director of Education and Assessment
Lower Pottsgrove Elementary
- Ms. Maura Lundstrom: Reading Specialist
- Mrs. Allison Stiles: Reading Specialist
- Ms. Michele Horger: Reading Specialist
Ringing Rocks Elementary
- Ms. Deborah Stuart: Reading Specialist
West Pottsgrove Elementary
- Ms. Shandy Farin: Reading Specialist
- Mrs. Leah Quigley: Reading Specialist
Homeschooling
Welcome to your main source for information regarding home schooling your student(s) in the Pottsgrove School District. All the forms and information you need to get started are available here.
Please note the following points of particular importance:
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A notarized affidavit or unsworn homeschool declaration of the parent or guardian or other person having legal custody of the child or children must be filed prior to the commencement of the Home Education Program.
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A notarized affidavit or unsworn homeschool declaration must be filed annually thereafter on August 1st with the Superintendent. Please submit your homeschooling affidavit, an outline of your child's academic subject goals and health and immunization records by visiting the District Office.
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District Office: 1301 Kauffman Road, Pottstown, PA 19464
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Office Hours: Monday - Friday, 8:00 am - 4:00 pm during the school year. Monday - Thursday, 8:00 am - 4:00 pm in the summer.
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- Nationally normed testing is required for all students in grade 3, 5, and 8. For more information, please visit the Pennsylvania Department of Education website.
If your homeschooler participates in a PGSD extra-curricular activity such as instrument lessons, the school play, or a sport, please give us your contact information so that we can share it with the school building secretary in case of an emergency.
Further questions? Please contact the Office of Curriculum and Staff Development - 610-327-2277 ext. 1053.
Homeschool Forms and Resources
English as a Second Language
English as a Second Language (ESL) is an instructional program for students whose dominant language is not English. The purpose of the program is to increase the English language proficiency of eligible students so they can attain academic standards and achieve success in the classroom.
Features of the ESL Program:
- ESL instruction is offered in grades K-12
- ESL students receive specifically designed instruction based upon individual English proficiency level
- ESL students also attend math, science, social studies and other general education classes
- The ESL program provides total English immersion for students
- ESL students are given the support needed to effectively adjust to American culture
- ESL classes are an individualized, student-centered learning environment
ESL Teachers
- Mr. Dan Flannery, Grades 6-12, 610- 326-5105 ext. 7307
- Mrs. Jennifer Godinez, Grades K-5, 610-323-7510 ext. 6596
Contact Us
Daniel Vorhis
Director of Education and Assessment
Cassandra Hissner
Administrative Assistant for Curriculum and Technology
Jenna Rushin
Reporting and Data Specialist