Key changes include:

• Changes decision of whether a student will graduate was from a state to a local decision, with the chief school administrators, rather than the Secretary, having authorization to grant waivers for their students.     

• Changes the name of the standards from Pennsylvania Common Core Standards to Pennsylvania Core Standards. These standards for English language arts and mathematics are based upon components of the national Common Core standards. The standards will take effect upon publication in the Pennsylvania Bulletin.

• Clarify that the state standards are applicable only to public schools and do not apply to private, religious or homeschooled students. The regulations apply to school districts, charter and cyber charter schools, and area vocational technical schools.

• Clarify that the state will not require school entities to utilize a statewide curriculum or statewide reading lists.

• Clarify that Pennsylvania will not participate as a governing state in any consortium for the development of a national assessment, except if one is deemed necessary for special education students and then only in consultation with parents, teachers and other interested parties.

• Clarify that PDE will not expand the collection of student data and will not collect personal family data due to implementation of the standards.

• Remove language requiring the transcript to designate whether the level was achieved by taking a Keystone Exam or by a project-based assessment. PSSA scores will continue to be included, and beginning in 2016-17, the performance level demonstrated, not the score, for each Keystone Exam will be on the transcript.

Other provisions under the Chapter 4 proposal:

Elimination of state-prescribed strategic plan – However, districts must continue to prepare plans required for teacher induction, student services, gifted education, professional development, special education and pre-kindergarten (if the school offers it).  

Keystone Exams – Keystone Exams will be developed in 5 content areas for graduation purposes: Literature, Algebra I, Biology, Composition and Civics and Government. Keystone Exams in Literature, Algebra I and Biology will serve a dual purpose as both graduation requirements and for state accountability as required under federal law.

High school graduation requirements – Effective with the graduating Class of 2017, students must demonstrate proficiency in Algebra I, Biology and Literature Keystone Exams or related project-based assessment. 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 Keystone Exam in Civics and Government. The proposal also eliminates the requirement for students to complete a culminating project in order to graduate.

Alternate pathways for CTC students – Students enrolled in a career and technical education program may demonstrate proficiency on the Keystone Exams or a Pennsylvania Skills Assessment (NOCTI exam) to meet the requirement for testing in Composition and Civics and Government.

Second, CTC students who did not demonstrate proficiency on the Biology Keystone Exam may participate in a project-based assessment without having to take the Keystone twice. These pathways relate only to graduation requirements; students would still be required to take Keystone Exams for state accountability purposes.

Parental opt-out – Parents/guardians have the right to review any state assessment to determine whether the assessment conflicts with their religious beliefs. In asserting a religious objection to the assessment, a parent/guardian must explain the objection in their written request for excusal. Students who are not taking Keystone Exams under the parental opt-out provision must take the project-based assessment for each subject area required for graduation.

Supplemental instruction – Students who did not score proficient on a Keystone Exams must participate in supplemental instruction prior to re-taking the Keystone/module. 

Project-based assessment – Students not able to demonstrate proficiency on an exam or whose parents opted them out of taking a Keystone Exam will participate in a project-based assessment.

Source: PSBA Legislative Report, Sept. 13, 2013.