The Pennsylvania Department of Education (PDE) will be conducting a webinar on Thursday, Nov. 17 from 2-4 p.m. to discuss the validation process for local assessments that may be used to meet the state’s new graduation requirements. Under the Chapter 4 regulations, school districts may use either the state developed Keystone Exams, locally developed and independently validated assessments, or a combination of Keystone Exams and local assessments to demonstrate proficiency for purposes of graduation. The information presented in the webinar will assist schools in making the decision to use the Keystone Exams, local assessments or a combination as a graduation requirement.
The webinar will:

1. Provide an update of the work being done by the Chapter 4 Local Assessment Validation Advisory Committee.
2. Review the new  “Local Assessment Validity Evaluation Handbook”? that describes the validity criteria for local assessments. The  “Local Assessment Validity Evaluation Handbook”? will be available for review prior to the webinar at:   www.pdesas.org/localassessmentvalidation.  
3. Review the proposed timeline for implementation of the validity process.

Register for PDE’s webinar at:   https://www2.gotomeeting.com/register/918555418

Source: PSBA Legislative Report, Oct. 27, 2011.