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Each year, the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania assigns an Act 13 Building Score to every public school in the state. This score, out of 100 points, is calculated primarily using student achievement and growth scores on the annual PSSA or Keystone Exams. These building scores, along with other data related to the state’s standardized tests, were recently released for the previous school year (2023–2024). The building scores provide a valuable tool for understanding how we compare to other schools in the county and state.

Rock L. Butler Middle School earned a building score of 84.9, ranking us as the 256th school in the state out of 2,737 schools. In other words, our building score places us in the top 9% of all schools statewide and among the top 10 middle schools in Pennsylvania.

The building score is determined using both the PSSA achievement scores and PSSA growth scores of the students in the school. An achievement score refers to a student’s performance on the exam, measured against established standards or benchmarks. It indicates how well a student has mastered the content being assessed. Essentially, an achievement score tells us the grade a student earned on an exam and whether they passed. Growth scores, on the other hand, measure the progress a student makes over time, regardless of their starting point. The PSSA growth score demonstrates how much a student improved from one year to the next.

Our school serves students in grades 5–8, meaning all students take both the Math PSSA exam and the English Language Arts (ELA) exam each year. Additionally, our 8th-grade students take the Science PSSA exam. Across all grades and tested subjects, our PSSA achievement scores are well above the state average. However, our PSSA growth scores are even more impressive, with an overall Math growth score of 99.8 compared to the state average of 74.9, and an ELA growth score of 97.0 compared to the state average of 75.4.

Aside from the hard work and diligence of our students and the commitment of their parents, I attribute our students’ outstanding academic performance to three key factors. First is our exceptional teaching and support staff. Our teachers are highly trained, skilled, and experienced professionals who work diligently to meet the unique needs of every student in their classrooms each day. Second is our commitment to data-driven instruction. Our district has invested in various instructional resources and diagnostic tools that allow us to tailor our teaching to maximize growth for every individual student. Third is the excellent school climate we have worked hard to create and maintain. We hold exceptionally high standards for our students, both academically and behaviorally. The care our staff shows for each student, along with the variety of courses, clubs, and extracurricular activities available, makes Rock L. Butler Middle School an outstanding school.

Although state standardized tests often carry negative connotations, it is important to remember that these exams hold schools accountable. They provide an accurate comparison of our students’ academic performance against that of students and schools across the state. Once again, we are incredibly proud of our students’ achievements and thrilled to know their performance is among the best in Pennsylvania.