Keystone Exams & Graduation Pathways

PENNSYLVANIA KEYSTONE EXAMS

School districts across the nation and within the state of Pennsylvania are held accountable for ensuring that all students receive a high quality standards-based education.  Pennsylvania has adopted the Pennsylvania Core Standards, standards aligned with expectations for success in college and in the workplace.  

The Keystone Exams are end-of-course assessments designed to evaluate proficiency in academic content.  Students, regardless of grade, enrolled in a Keystone related course will participate in the Keystone Exam at the end of the course.  All students must participate in the Algebra 1, Literature, and Biology Keystone Exams by the end of 11th grade.  In addition, a student’s highest performance level on a Keystone Exam will be reported on all student transcripts.  

In an effort to meet the requirements set forth by the Pennsylvania Department of Education (PDE), Whitehall High School requires that students demonstrate academic proficiency on the Keystone Exams.  Students who do not score proficient or above on a Keystone Exam will be encouraged to participate in remediation.  Remediation programs will be individualized and will target the specific skills requiring remediation as demonstrated by the Keystone Exams.  Throughout remediation, student progress and growth will be monitored and assessed.  Following participation in remediation, students will be encouraged to retake the Keystone Exam in order to demonstrate proficiency, as per Chapter 4 regulations set forth by the Pennsylvania Department of Education.  Once Keystone Exam testing results have been released to the district, an individualized student performance summary on each of the assessed areas will be mailed home.  This document should assist families in understanding how the student performed and in determining the most appropriate form of remediation, if necessary.  Students will be offered multiple opportunities to take the Keystone Exams throughout their high school careers.  Across the state, the Keystone Exams are administered three times each year – winter, spring, and summer.

Beginning with the Class of 2023, students must demonstrate proficiency on the Algebra 1, Literature, and Biology Keystone Exams or meet one of the alternative pathways in order to graduate.  In accordance with Act 158, the statewide graduation requirements take effect with the Class of 2023 and provide five options for students to meet the graduation requirements.  The Pathways to Graduation include: (1) Keystone Proficiency Pathway, (2) Keystone Composite Pathway, (3) Alternative Assessment Pathway, (4) Evidence-Based Pathway, and (5) Career and Technical Education Pathway.  While the first two pathways rely directly on the use of the Keystone Exams, the last three pathways expand the options for students to demonstrate postsecondary readiness using measures that more fully illustrate college, career, and community readiness.  PDE is in the process of designing these alternative pathways to graduation for students in the Class of 2023 and beyond who have not been able to score proficiency on one or more of the Keystone Exams.   

PENNSYLVANIA'S PATHWAYS TO GRADUATION

Students will need to meet one of the five pathways listed below:  

1. Keystone Proficient Pathway – score Proficient or Advanced on all three exams. 

2. Keystone Composite Pathway 

• Earn a satisfactory composite score of at least 4452 while achieving Proficiency on at least one exam and a minimum of Basic on the remaining two exams .

• Earn a satisfactory composite score of at least 2939 while achieving Proficiency on one of the exams and a minimum of Basic on the third exam (Eligible students include those who were awarded a non-numeric proficiency in Spring 2020 on one Keystone Exam).

3.  Alternative Assessment Pathway – One piece of evidence needed and examples include:

• Attainment of an approved alternative assessment score or better: 970 on the PSAT/NMSQT, 1010 on the SAT, 21 on the ACT, or 31 on the ASVAB AFQT

• Acceptance into a 4yr Institution of Higher Education for college-level coursework

4. Evidence-Based Pathway – Three pieces of evidence needed and examples include:

• List 1: One or more pieces of evidence from the following list:

  • • Attainment of a 3 or better on any AP Exam

    • Successful completion of any concurrent enrollment (dual enrollment) or postsecondary course

    • Attainment of industry-recognized credentialization

    • Acceptance into an other-than 4yr Institution of Higher Education for college-level coursework

• List 2: No more than two pieces of evidence from the following list:

  • • Attainment of Proficient or Advanced an any Keystone Exam

    • Successful completion of a service-learning project

    • Letter guaranteeing full-time employment or military enlistment

    • Completion of an internship, externship, or cooperative education program

    • Compliance with NCAA Division II academic requirements

5. Career and Technical Education Pathway – successful completion of industry-based competency certification through program of studies at LCTI

Pathways to Graduation Resources:

LINK to Pathways to Graduation Overview Presentation

LINK to  October 2023 Parent Letter - Winter Keystone Exam 2023-24 Registration Form 

LINK to PDE Graphic Summary

LINK to Service Learning Project Application or Process through Helper Helper

LINK to March 2024 Parent Letter - Graduation Pathways & Keystone Exams

LINK to Keystone Exam Alternative Pathway Request Form - New March 2024

Additional information pertaining to the Keystone Exams or revised graduation requirements may be obtained by visiting the PDE’s website at https://www.education.pa.gov and click on Data and Reporting - Assessments - Keystone Exams or Graduation Requirements or through the PDE’s SAS Portal.  Further information is also available through the Program of Studies Website.

2023-2024 Keystone Exam Testing Schedule

Winter Keystone Exam Testing Window: (Retesting)

Sign up By November 15, 2023 using the Keystone Exam 2023-24 Registration Form 

Literature: December 4, 2023

Biology: December 11, 2023

Algebra 1: January 4, 2024

Spring Keystone Exam Testing Window: (Retesting & End of Course Testing)

Literature: May 14, 2024

Algebra 1: May 15, 2024

Biology: May 16, 2024