April 21, 2026
As has been communicated leading up to this week's PSSA test, for the first time all testing will be hosted via the state's online testing platform, DRC. While some schools and districts began testing yesterday, all schools statewide tested today. This caused significant issues for students, faculty, and support staff. These issues were experienced statewide.
When a system fails, not only do our students bear the burden of lost instructional time, disrupted testing environments, and added stress, but our faculty, staff, and administration must troubleshoot and respond with professionalism and persistence to navigate not only the testing platform but also the rest of the day academically, socially, and emotionally.
It is possible that your students may come home frustrated, concerned, and confused about the platform issues experienced today. They do not bear those sentiments alone. As parent, educator, and superintendent of schools, my awareness of these significant technical failures within the state's testing platform, which were entirely outside of the control of our schools and district, does not lessen my frustration about the impact on our a students and staff.
We have been informed that the state is working on these experienced and anticipated issues and hope to have them resolved moving forward. My optimistic view about the functionality of the DRC software does not erase my concern about these issues arising during such a high-stakes testing window.
Our students deserve systems that are thoughtfully developed, as well as functional. In that effort, my administrative team and I will continue to strongly advocate on behalf of our students. Please know that when unforeseen issues emerge, not only will I seek to find solutions, but also communicate with you, parents and community members, any and all relevant information.
Thank you for your continued support of our students and staff,
Dr. John S. Bickhart
Superintendent