This week, the State Board of Education gave its initial approval to draft revisions to Chapter 4 regulations (Academic Standards and Assessment), with many of the changes relating to high school graduation requirements and Keystone Exams. (Click here to read the PDE press release.) The approved draft included numerous changes to the version discussed at its last meeting in March; the Chapter 4 revisions will now be subject to the first stage of the regulatory review process. There will be additional opportunities for comment and change before the proposal becomes final and effective.

Among the key provisions of the revised Chapter 4 proposal:

•  The proposal references the Common Core Standards as the Pennsylvania Common Core Standards and requires full implementation of the PA 
Common Core in English Language Arts and Mathematics by July 1, 2013.
•  The proposal removes the requirement for districts to complete state-prescribed strategic planning every six years. However, when a district’s current   strategic plan is expired it will have to submit five plans currently required under other regulations to the Pennsylvania Department of Education (PDE) for approval as follows: Every six years plans for teacher induction (Ch. 49), student services (Ch. 12) and gifted education (Ch. 16). Every three years, plans for professional development (Ch. 49), and special education (Ch. 14).     
•  The plan changes the security policies for the Pennsylvania System of School Assessment by removing the current right of parents/guardians to review the exams prior to administration, except to determine whether the assessment conflicts with their religious beliefs.
•  The proposal extends the current graduation requirements to the Class of 2016, and new graduation requirements will begin with the Class of 2017.   
•  The proposal eliminates the requirement for students to complete a culminating project in order to graduate.
•  The number of Keystone Exams that will be offered will be reduced from 10 to 3, and they will be in these content areas: Algebra I, Literature and        Biology.
•  Two additional Keystone Exams will be required in future years contingent upon state funds being available for development of them and the project based   assessment with each. Beginning with the class of 2019, students will also have to pass a Composition Keystone Exam. Beginning with the class of   2020, students will also have to pass a Civics and Government Keystone Exam.   
•  Therefore, beginning with the Class of 2020, students will have to pass five Keystone Exams in order to graduate.
•  The department will develop five additional Keystone Exams that will be available for voluntary use by districts, subject to funding by the state. The        tests and schedule is as follows: In school year 2016-17: Geometry; in 2017-18: U.S. History; in 2018-19: Algebra II; in 2019-20: Chemistry; and in        2020-21: World History.   
•  Students must score proficient or above in the five required Keystone Exams in order to graduate. The exams will be stand-alone assessments and the requirement for a test score to count as one-third of the student’s grade is removed.
•  Students who do not demonstrate proficiency must participate in supplemental instruction until they demonstrate proficiency on the exam or exam module complete a project-based assessment. Project-based assessments will not be developed for the five non-required Keystone Exams.
•  A new  “emergency waiver” option is created for 12th grade students who were not successful in completing the Keystone Exams or the project-based        assessment. The chief school may request waivers from secretary of education on a case-by-case basis for good cause for those identified students.
•  A chief school administrator who requests waivers for more than 10% of students who participated in a project-based assessment must submit an action plan for approval to the secretary. The plan must identify improvements that school will implement to each course associated with the Keystone Exam content for which the waivers were requested.

Source: PSBA Legislative Report, May 11, 2012.