Today School District of Philadelphia officials are expected to reveal the results of the Pennsylvania State Student Assessment and also report on how students are progressing after five years.

When Philadelphia’s public schools were taken over by the state in 2002, former district CEO Paul Vallas and the School Reform Commission (SRC) were brought in to help produce better results in state tests.

In 2002, only 29 percent of students were advanced or proficient in reading and only 19.5 percent were advanced or proficient in math.

Last year’s PSSA results showed moderate progress, but both Vallas and SRC Chairman James Nevels said that much more improvement was needed. In 2006, 38 percent of students were advanced or proficient in reading and 41 percent are advanced or proficient in math.

“In spite of all of this incredible progress, there are still too many children not performing at grade level,” Nevels said in a previous report. “We must redouble our efforts and everywhere possible recommit ourselves to public-education reform so that every child at every grade can excel in school.”

The PSSA exam is given in the spring in grades three, five, eight and 11.

Student-achievement levels are measured as advanced, proficient, basic and below basic.

Only those scoring advanced or proficient are considered to have passed the exam.

The scores are looked at by the state Department of Education to determine, which schools have made “adequate yearly progress” under the federal No Child Left Behind law.  

The 2007 PSSA scores will be revealed today at the School of the Future. The scores will be unveiled to 267 district principals who are attending their annual summer training at the Microsoft-based high school.

Interim School District CEO Thomas Brady was unable to comment as of Tribune press time.