The PASA is an assessment of a sampling of reading, math and science skills for students with the most severe cognitive disabilities. Like the PSSA, the PASA is designed to take a snapshot of students’ typical performance on a small sample of academic skills from the PA Alternate Standards and Alternate Anchors, which were derived from the PA Academic Standards and Assessment Anchors.

Students are assigned tests at a specific level of difficulty (A, B, or C) for Reading, Mathematics, and Science and may be assigned one difficulty level (A, B, or C) for reading and the same or a different difficulty level mathematics or science.