Over the past decade, Pennsylvania public school students have learned that with the first signs of spring come state-mandated tests.

Thousands in grades three through eight and grade 11 will take the reading and math portion of the Pennsylvania System of Schools Assessment exams next week.

Many students also have come to expect throughout the school year attention to test-taking strategies, practice items and ways to develop positive attitudes. That's because the results of the tests -- mandated by the federal No Child Left Behind Act -- have huge implications for schools and districts.

Student performance in math, reading, writing and science is scored on four levels -- below basic, basic, proficient and advanced.

Districts and schools that achieve "Adequate Yearly Progress" are rewarded. Schools that do not meet the requirement must develop plans for improvement. Those that are chronically below the bar face strong sanctions.

Aware that the conventional advice to students about test-taking -- get a good night's rest, eat a good breakfast -- is not enough to ensure quality results, some districts apply basic psychology to motivate test-takers.

It's a trend, albeit not one that all districts subscribe to.

Penn Hills is one of the districts that uses rewards to get kids tuned in to testing.

"We do it to give the tests the seriousness they deserve and require," said Teresita Kolenchak, district director of public relations.

Each Penn Hills school has a celebration for students who achieve proficiency on the tests.

"This could be a dance, pizza party, ice cream social, etc., depending on the grade level we are talking about," she said.

High school students get a math and English "question of the day." Those who answer correctly enter a raffle, as do students who have perfect attendance on all portions of the test. Prizes include iPods and gift cards.

Linton Middle School students have a similar drawing. In addition, middle schoolers who achieve proficient or advanced scores, or who improve their scores by 10 percent over the previous year, can enter a special drawing to throw a pie in a teacher's face -- among those teachers who agree to participate.

At the elementary level, schools post banners and hold pep rallies to generate enthusiasm about the tests. Pencils with messages such as "Do you best on the test" and "PSSA all the way" are distributed.

Students make buttons bearing encouraging messages to wear during testing. They create pet rocks to keep on their desk during testing to remind them to do their best.

Washington Elementary third-grader Marianna Wolf is painting and decorating her rock this week. It will have eyes and a cloth cape.

Penn Hills also delays the start of school by two hours on testing days for students in grades for which PSSA testing is not required -- nine, 10 and 12. The delay, also used by Steel Valley and some other districts, is meant to keep schools quiet and free of distraction.

All incentives across the district are tied to attendance, participation and effort, said Renel Williams, director of teaching, learning and assessment.

"The rationale is to motivate students to put forth their best effort. It also alleviates some of the pressure that comes with the PSSAs by focusing on the effort the students put forth and just asking them to do their best."

Ms. Kolenchak said increases in scores, participation and attendance have been noted, including 100 percent attendance and participation in some buildings for the writing part of the PSSA, given a few weeks ago.

The cost for high school and middle school incentives is not paid with local tax dollars but from state funds, she said.

"The money was allocated through our Distinguished Educator initiative and school improvement funds."

PTA and other school funds cover the elementary incentives.

She added that incentives are particularly important in schools that have not yet met Adequate Yearly Progress, as well as those that are striving to maintain that level of achievement or improve upon it.

Penn Hills has met Adequate Yearly Progress as a district, but its high school and middle school are still working toward that designation.

Incentives may provide a boost to 11th-grade test-takers who must score "proficient" in math and reading to graduate. In at least one district, Norwin, the PSSA counts as a credit toward graduation and scores are figured in the students' grade-point averages.

Highlands is another district that uses test-related incentives. High school students who improve scores over the previous year, as well as meet Adequate Yearly Progress, are rewarded with a field trip, said assistant principal Debbie Beucker.

The reward "motivates students to achieve,. They love picking where the class trip goes."

Woodland Hills also employs motivation techniques to gear up for the PSSAs.

The Steelers' Ryan Mundy, a Woodland Hills grad and honor student, will speak about academic achievement at a middle school assembly this week. Following the PSSAs, middle school students will be treated to a band concert. At Dickson Elementary, teachers raised money to hold a bicycle raffle.

Some districts steer clear of test-related incentives. Gateway, Greensburg Salem, Norwin High School and Franklin Regional are among that group.

Shelley Shaneyfelt, director of instructional services and public relations for Franklin Regional, explained that the district avoids test incentives because "we want students to take intrinsic pride in their work. Offering a reward for their performance on a test sends the wrong message about the importance of the test."

"Besides," she added, "what happens to the individual student who tries his/her best and still doesn't make the cutoff? Should they be denied the reward?"

Peter Gula, an eighth-grader at Linton, said he likes the incentives and admits that the chance to throw a pie in a teacher's face is a "pretty good" one.

"It could be a teacher you like or one you don't. You can get back at them."

Peter, who usually scores in the advanced level on the PSSA, doubts that rewards can motivate middle or high school students who have decided not to change. "Some kids won't even try," he said.

But if schools continue to provide incentives for testing, he believes it will change student behavior over time.

"The younger kids will grow up on that," he said.

Penn Hills' Washington Elementary is one of 10 schools nationwide to win a $10,000 health and wellness grant from the Cartoon Network's National Recess Week program.

Nearly 7,000 public and private elementary schools competed for the grants. The winning schools were chosen at random and were selected from five regions -- two schools per territory.

National Recess Week, celebrated March 2 through Friday, is part of a campaign to inspire kids to get healthy and active, mentally and physically. The use of the money for Washington school has not been determined.