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Pennsylvania Grade 4 ELA: what your child's PSSA score means

On Pennsylvania's PSSA, Grade 4 English Language Arts (ELA) is reported on a scale from 600 to 1500, and each score falls into one of 4 performance levels. Reaching Proficient (at 1000 or above) is the state's grade-level, on-track benchmark.

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Score ranges by performance level

LevelScore rangeWhat it means
Below Basic600–886The lowest level, well below grade-level expectations
Basic887–999Approaching grade-level expectations
Proficient1000–1106Meeting grade-level expectations (the state proficiency line)
Advanced1107–1500The highest level, above grade-level expectations

How Pennsylvania students scored (2025)

17%34%35%14%

Statewide in 2025, about 49% of Grade 4 students reached Proficient or Advanced in ELA. The bar above shows the share at each level (left = lowest).

Is a particular score good?

A score's meaning depends on where it lands in the ranges above, and on how it compares to other students. Our free tool turns a score into an estimated percentile versus the child's school, district and the whole state, so you can see exactly where a score stands, not just its level.

Look up your child's percentile →

Explore other grades & subjects

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State Test Scores is an independent tool, not affiliated with or endorsed by any state education department or agency. Percentiles are statistical estimates from public performance-level data (Pennsylvania Department of Education (PSSA)), not official rankings.
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