RULES AND REGULATIONS

Title 22—EDUCATION

STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION

[22 PA. CODE CH. 4]

Academic Standards and Assessment

[52 Pa.B. 3946]
[Saturday, July 16, 2022]

 The State Board of Education (Board) amends Chapter 4 (relating to academic standards and assessment) to read as set forth in Annex A. Notice of proposed rulemaking was published at 51 Pa.B. 3103 (June 5, 2021).

Statutory Authority

 The Board is acting under the authority of sections 2603-B and 2604-B of the Public School Code of 1949 (24 P.S. §§ 26-2603-B and 26-2604-B).

Purpose

 Chapter 4 sets forth requirements for State academic standards, State assessments and high school graduation for public schools across this Commonwealth, including school districts, area career and technical schools (ACTS), charter schools and cyber charter schools. This final-form rulemaking replaces the Academic Standards for Science and Technology and Environment and Ecology, as set forth in the current Appendix B, with the updated standards in the new Appendix B-1 and establishes a timeframe for implementation of updated standards. This final-form rulemaking also makes technical amendments unrelated to academic standards to align other provisions of the Chapter with changes to the Public School Code of 1949 (24 P.S. §§ 1-101—27-2702) enacted by, the act of June 21, 2017 (P.L. 200, No. 6) (Act 6 of 2017), the act of October 24, 2018 (P.L. 1146, No. 158) (Act 158 of 2018), the act of June 28, 2019 (P.L. 117, No. 16) (Act 16 of 2019) and the act of October 30, 2019 (P.L. 460, No. 76) (Act 76 of 2019) and the act of November 25, 2020 (P.L. 1294, No. 136) (Act 136 of 2020).

Background

 Businesses and industries involved in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) are growing in this Commonwealth, driving a demand for skilled and well-educated workers who are prepared to be successful in the 21st century economy. Data from the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics shows that STEM-related occupations have remained resilient during the economic crisis ignited by the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. Employment projections from the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics further show that STEM occupations are projected to grow by 8% through 2029, with an annual mean salary of $89,000. This is nearly parallel to the Pennsylvania Workforce Needs Assessment 2016—2026 that shows STEM jobs are predicted to grow at a rate of approximately 9% through 2026, and that there are more than 13,000 unfilled computer science and software development jobs. Scholars in this Commonwealth need to be equipped with the knowledge, skills and experiences that prepare them to enter into and be successful in the workforce.

 To best prepare students for the STEM economy and the 21st century workforce, the Department of Education's (Department) work is guided by a vision for equity, innovation and openness. The Department strives to establish a culture for learning across this Commonwealth that ensures every student can be included in high quality science education. Pennsylvania's Integrated Standards for Science, Environment, Ecology, Technology and Engineering (K—5), Pennsylvania's Integrated Standards for Science, Environment and Ecology (6—12) and Pennsylvania's Technology and Engineering Standards (6—12) were established on the following foundational principles:

 • Every student is capable of science, engineering, technological and environmental literacy.

 • Science, engineering, technology, environment and ecology should be explored through an integrated and active learning process.

 • Iteration and reflection are a critical component of the learning process.

 • Success depends upon the partnerships between educators, students, families, postsecondary providers and institutions, legislators, businesses and industries.

The process for reviewing and revising the State's current science and technology and environment and ecology standards, which were adopted in 2002, was guided by the Department's vision for learning and grounded in these core principles.

 The Board, in September 2019, directed the Department to begin the process of updating this Commonwealth's current Academic Standards for Science a3962nd Technology and Academic Standards for Environment and Ecology. Since their adoption in 2002, cognitive science has improved the understanding of how students learn and revealed the requirement for students to have a deeper knowledge of a complex and rapidly changing world. The Commonwealth's science standards must reflect this growing body of research so every student has a rigorous, responsive and just vision for science learning, equipping them with the skills to be successful in career and citizenry.

 To begin the review process, the Department, in collaboration with the American Institutes for Research, held 14 stakeholder engagement sessions across this Commonwealth from February 2020 through March 2020 to gather feedback on updating the Commonwealth's academic standards for science. The stakeholder sessions were held both in person and virtually. More than 951 members of the public provided input at these sessions, including elementary and secondary educators (35 educators from grades PreK—2, 77 educators from grades 3—5, 157 educators from grades 6—8, and 214 educators from grade 9—12), 164 school administrators, 27 intermediate unit staff, 88 postsecondary educators and 131 business and industry representatives. Stakeholder sessions also were attended by student teachers, representatives of community not-for-profit organizations, parents and students.

 In addition to the stakeholder sessions, the Department surveyed stakeholders and further collected data from surveys that organizations, including the Pennsylvania Science Teachers Association, conducted. Stakeholder feedback was captured in a report, ''Science and Technology & Environment and Ecology Standards: A National Landscape Scan and Pennsylvania Stakeholder Feedback,'' that summarized the current research and best practices regarding science, environment, ecology, technology and engineering standards. That report was presented to the Board at a public meeting in May 2020 and, at the same time, was made available to members of the public.

 In April 2020, the Department solicited applications from interested members of the public to serve on committees to review and revise the State's science standards. Applicants were nominated to serve on committees through a multi-reviewer process on the basis of their depth and breadth of expertise in: curriculum and standards development, understanding of the existing standards and current research, equity and access in education and meeting needs of diverse learners and overall education experience. Recommendations for individuals to serve on the Science Standards Content Committee and Steering Committee were considered by the Board at a public meeting and the Board approved nominees to serve on the committees in May 2020.

 In June and July of 2020, the committees met to review the initial stakeholder input gathered by the Department, as well as research-based frameworks and guidelines, such as the National Research Council's A Framework for K—12 Science Education: Practices, Crosscutting Concepts, and Core Ideas (2012), the North American Association for Environmental Education's K—12 Environmental Education: Guidelines for Excellence (2019), the Ecological Society of America's Four-Dimensional Ecology Education framework (2018), the International Technology and Engineering Educators Association's Standards for Technological and Engineering Literacy (2020), the International Society for Technology in Education's Standards for Students (2019), the National Council for Agricultural Education Agriculture Food and Natural Resources Career Cluster Content Standards (2015), and other National and international frameworks. Committee members also reviewed relevant information from Pennsylvania-specific documents, such as the Commonwealth's existing Academic Standards for Science and Technology and Academic Standards for Environment and Ecology, to inform the development of recommended revised standards. Committee members collaborated to identify key content within those research-informed frameworks and other key National and international standards in science, environment, ecology, technology, engineering and agriculture. They sought to identify cross-content connections while adding sustainability, Pennsylvania Career Ready Skills, and other Pennsylvania-specific contexts.

 Over 9 full-day convenings, committee members discussed the essential elements of academic standards. Attention to equity and access surfaced as foundational in the development of the standards recommendations. Equity in the context of the standards can be defined as a foundation of knowledge and skills critical for and accessible to all students, as well as ''a characteristic of the instructional environment that increases the capacity for everyone to participate in meaningful learning'' as described by Windschitl, Thompson and Braaten in their 2018 publication Ambitious Science Teaching. This begins with standards that are crafted to allow for the individual and personalized experiences, knowledge and skills students bring with them to the classroom.

 Following recommendations from current research to ensure equitable opportunities exist for all students, committee conversations and research indicating how students learn best, committee members worked over a series of 30 additional meetings to draft recommendations for revised State science standards. Interspersed throughout the drafting process, a series of focus groups engaged students, educators and business and industry representatives to garner additional input and feedback on the committees' work. Special care was made to ensure representatives of small business, along with students and educators from diverse backgrounds, were included in the focus groups. An invitation to provide input was extended to representatives of small businesses to satisfy a standard established in the Regulatory Review Act (RRA) (71 P.S. §§ 745.1—745.14) that requires agencies to solicit ideas and comments from small businesses and to examine the impact of a proposal on these businesses. The outgrowth of these efforts resulted in a set of recommended standards drafted with an attention to the committees' commitment to equity and inclusivity to open doors to STEM fields for all students. Therefore, these socially mediated practices embedded in the standards provide an equitable on-ramp for all students as they transition their developing and experience-based notions of the scientific world to conceptions that are scientifically-based.

 The committees' recommendations for updated standards—reflected in the Pennsylvania Integrated Standards for Science, Environment, Ecology, Technology and Engineering (Grades K—5), Pennsylvania Integrated Standards for Science, Environment and Ecology (Grades 6—12), and the Pennsylvania Technology and Engineering Standards (Grades 6—12)—were developed in parallel to ensure consistency, coherence and a cohesive K—12 integrated approach to science education in this Commonwealth.

 These recommendations for updated science standards were considered and adopted by the Board at a public meeting on September 9, 2020. Drafts of the proposed standards were posted to the Board's web site in advance of the meeting so that members of the public could access the content that was the subject of the Board's deliberations.

 In addition to the substantive effort to update the State's academic standards for science, the Board identified a need to review Chapter 4 for consistency with recent changes enacted to the Public School Code of 1949. This review identified five acts of the General Assembly, enacted since the most recent promulgation of Chapter 4—Act 6 of 2017, Act 158 of 2018, Act 16 of 2019, Act 76 of 2019 and Act 136 of 2020—that either added new sections or amended existing sections of the Public School Code of 1949 and address existing subject matter in Chapter 4. To address inconsistencies between the Public School Code of 1949 and Chapter 4 resulting from these acts, the Board undertook an effort to integrate a comprehensive set of technical amendments into the proposed rulemaking to conform Chapter 4 with changes to statute and to create consistency for affected parties. Technical amendments adopted in the Board's proposed rulemaking are maintained in this final-form rulemaking.

 Technical amendments were presented at the same time the Board considered substantive amendments to science standards to create efficiency in the rulemaking process. Technical amendments address provisions governing high school graduation requirements, Keystone Exams, compulsory school age and terminology updates. The Board identified a need to amend requirements related to Keystone Exams and high school graduation requirements to conform to changes enacted by Act 6 of 2017 that scaled back the number of Keystone Exams to be developed and established a new pathway to satisfy graduation requirements for eligible students pursuing career and technical education.

 The Board further identified a need to amend requirements established in Chapter 4 related to Keystone Exams and high school graduation requirements to conform to changes enacted by Act 136 of 2020 and Act 158 of 2018. Act 158 of 2018 put in place broad changes to graduation requirements that were not in concert with the existing provisions of Chapter 4, including creating additional pathways to satisfy State graduation requirements, extending the effective date for the use of Keystone Exams as part of graduation determinations, modifying requirements for administering and participating in both supplemental instruction and project-based assessment, establishing new parameters for issuing waivers to students who do not meet State graduation requirements and establishing new reporting requirements related to how students graduate. Act 136 of 2020 further delayed the use of Keystone Exams as a graduation requirement to the 2022-2023 school year.

 The breadth of amendments enacted in Act 6 of 2017, Act 158 of 2018 and Act 136 of 2020 necessitated updates to Chapter 4 to ensure that students, parents, educators and school administrators have a clear understanding of the State's expectations for high school graduation and that Chapter 4 does not conflict with these provisions.

 In Act 76 of 2019, the General Assembly adopted comprehensive terminology updates to the Public School Code of 1949 to replace the term ''vocational-technical education'' with ''career and technical education'' and to replace the term ''Area vocational technical school'' with ''Area career and technical school.'' The Board identified a need to update the same terminology used throughout Chapter 4 to be parallel with terminology now used in statute.

 Finally, Act 16 of 2019 enacted changes to the Public School Code of 1949 that included reducing the compulsory school age from 8 years of age to 6 years of age. A review of Act 16 of 2019 identified a need to update an existing provision of Chapter 4 pertaining to primary education to reflect the lowering of the compulsory school age.

 The Board's proposed rulemaking was published at 51 Pa.B. 3103 for a 30-day public comment period. The Board received and considered comments from educators, environmental organizations, legislators, the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, county conservation districts, professional associations and the public, as well as comments from the Independent Regulatory Review Commission (IRRC). Commentators raised concerns about whether certain content relevant to environment, ecology and agriculture either was omitted or weakly linked in the proposed new academic standards. Other commentators asked the Board to consider refinements to content addressed elsewhere in the proposed new standards.

 The Board's Committee on Academic Standards/Chapter 4—the Standing Committee of the Board delegated responsibility for preparing revised regulations for recommendation to the Board—met on September 8, 2021, to consider the next steps on the proposed rulemaking in response to public comment. To address stakeholder concerns specific to the content of the proposed new standards and to facilitate building consensus surrounding those concerns, the Academic Standards/Chapter 4 Committee determined that it would be prudent to seek additional input from content experts. As such, the Academic Standards/Chapter 4 Committee directed the Department to reconvene the Science Standards Content Committee and Steering Committee, designated through action of the Board in May 2020, to develop additional recommendations for the Committee's consideration. The Academic Standards/Chapter 4 Committee adopted a detailed charge to the Science Standards Content and Steering Committees requesting that those external advisory bodies review and formulate recommendations on how, or whether, all academic content-related concerns raised by stakeholders should be addressed in the proposed new standards.

 The Science Standards Content and Steering Committees met extensively throughout the fall of 2021 to consider and respond to the charge presented to them. On December 1, 2021, the Academic Standards/Chapter 4 Committee held a special meeting to receive recommendations from the Content and Steering Committees on stakeholder concerns related to the academic content of the new proposed standards. Those recommendations were presented in an open public meeting, made publicly accessible on the Board's web site and considered closely by the Board over the next few weeks.

 On January 13, 2022, the Board adopted final-form amendments to Chapter 4 as recommended by the Academic Standards/Chapter 4 Committee and the Council of Basic Education. These final-form amendments update the new science standards to reflect the recommendations developed by the Board's appointed advisory bodies of content experts. In response to stakeholder concerns, the Board has made changes in this final-form rulemaking to include the addition of a new fifth domain for ''Environmental Literacy and Sustainability,'' which was added to the standards across all grade levels. That new fifth domain incorporates essential principles of environmental education organized under the following three core ideas: 1) Agricultural and Environmental Systems and Resources; 2) Environmental Literacy Skills; and 3) Sustainability and Stewardship. This final-form rulemaking also makes additional clarifying amendments in response to comments submitted by IRRC.

Need for the rule

 Academic standards define what students should know and be able to do at specific grade levels. They establish goals for student learning. Academic standards do not represent a particular curriculum or instructional methodology. Rather, they provide a foundation for the development of local curriculum and serve as guideposts to which local curriculum should be aligned.

 As it pertains to the State's academic standards for science, this final-form rulemaking is necessary for three reasons.

 First, it is essential to set forth the academic standards that will serve as the substantive underpinning for high-quality instruction and assessment in the Commonwealth. Therefore, the Board is adopting the Pennsylvania Integrated Standards for Science, Environment, Ecology, Technology and Engineering (Grades K—5), Pennsylvania Integrated Standards for Science, Environment and Ecology (Grades 6—12), and the Pennsylvania Technology and Engineering Standards (Grades 6—12) as set forth in Appendix B-1.

 Second, this final-form rulemaking is necessary for this Commonwealth to remain academically and economically competitive with other American public education systems and economies, including those in neighboring states. As of the 2020-2021 school year, this Commonwealth's current Science and Technology and Environment and Ecology Standards were 18 years of age. Since 2013, science standards have been updated in 44 states across the country according to data compiled by the American Institutes for Research. This final-form rulemaking's updates to Pennsylvania's standards are designed to provide every student in this Commonwealth with the knowledge and skills to be successful in the 21st century global economy.

 Third, it is critical that the standards are inclusionary of and accessible for all students and educators in this Commonwealth. The standards have been designed to integrate the knowledge and skills core to the science, technology, engineering, environment and ecology disciplines while making explicit connections with Math, Language Arts and the Pennsylvania Career Ready Skills framework. The standards lay the foundation for students to apply knowledge and skills from known situations to novel contexts. The integrative nature of the standards makes explicit connections for educators and breaks down artificially created content ''silos'' to inspire connected student learning, preparing them for the workforce.

 This final-form rulemaking is necessary to further address inconsistencies between statute and existing provisions of Chapter 4 caused by changes enacted to the Public School Code of 1949 by the General Assembly. Incorporating a comprehensive set of technical amendments to conform Chapter 4 with changes in statute will create alignment across State-level education policies and create consistency for affected stakeholders in understanding expectations.

Provisions of this Final-Form Rulemaking

 This final-form rulemaking amends the following provisions in Chapter 4:

§ 4.3. Definitions

 The existing definition of ''AVTS—Area vocational-technical school'' is being replaced with a definition for ''ACTS—Area career and technical school.'' Within the definition, the term ''vocational-technical education'' is being updated to refer to ''career and technical education.'' These revisions reflect technical amendments to align the regulation with parallel terminology updates that were made globally throughout the Public School Code of 1949 by Act 76 of 2019. Technical amendments are incorporated throughout relevant sections of this final-form rulemaking to make existing references to AVTSs consistent with final amendments to this definition.

 This final-form rulemaking deletes the existing definition for ''Vocational-technical education'' and replaces it with a new definition for ''Career and Technical Education.'' Changes are not proposed to the narrative description of the definition as it appears under the existing definition of ''Vocational-technical education.'' The final amendments only replace the term being defined with the more current language (''career and technical education'') that was incorporated throughout the Public School Code of 1949 by Act 76 of 2019. Technical amendments are incorporated throughout relevant sections of this final-form rulemaking to replace existing references to ''vocational-technical education'' with ''career and technical education,'' making language consistent with final revisions to this definition and consistent with terminology now used in statute. This includes updating the terminology used in the existing definitions of ''Cooperative vocational-technical education,'' ''Employment area,'' ''School entity'' and ''School organization,'' as well as deleting the existing definition of ''Vocational-technical education.''

§ 4.4. General policies

 Cross-references to § 4.51b(j) (relating to Keystone Exams) are deleted from § 4.4(e)(1) and (3) (relating to general policies). Language in the original cross-reference set forth a schedule for the development of Keystone Exams in English Composition, Civics and Government, Geometry, United States History, Algebra II, Chemistry and World History. However, Act 6 of 2017 amended section 121(a) of the Public School Code of 1949 (24 P.S. § 1-121(a)) to delete the requirement for the Department to develop Keystone Exams in those subjects. Therefore, language in the existing § 4.51b(j) is deleted from this final-form rulemaking for consistency with changes enacted to the Public School Code of 1949 and, as such, cross-references to that existing subsection are deleted throughout § 4.4.

§ 4.11. Purpose of public education

 In § 4.11(g)(3) and (4) (relating to purpose of public education), the Board aligns the existing references to academic content areas with the structure of the new science standards established in § 4.12(a)(1)(ii) and (2)(ii) and (iii) (relating to academic standards). These revisions are presented to create consistency with the substantive changes to the academic standards in § 4.12(a)(1)(ii) and (2)(ii) and (iii).

§ 4.12. Academic standards

 Final amendments to § 4.12(a)(1)(i) and (ii) and (2)(i)—(iii) sunset the current Academic Standards in Science and Technology and Environment and Ecology (published in Chapter 4 as Appendix B) on June 30, 2025, and establish three new sets of academic standards in science that take effect July 1, 2025. New science standards, which will be published in Chapter 4 as Appendix B-1, are organized as follows: Pennsylvania Integrated Standards for Science, Environment, Ecology, Technology and Engineering (Grades K—5), Pennsylvania Integrated Standards for Science, Environment and Ecology (Grades 6—12), and Pennsylvania Technology and Engineering Standards (Grades 6—12).

 In the Board's proposed rulemaking, current standards were set to sunset on June 30, 2024, and new science standards were to take effect on July 1, 2024. Final amendments to these sections extend the effective date for transitioning to new academic standards to July 1, 2025, to maintain a commitment to providing a 3-year window for implementation. The effective date set forth in final amendments establishes an expectation that new science standards will be fully integrated into classroom instruction by the 2025-2026 school year. Final amendments to these sections also include a narrative description of each set of new academic standards.

 In § 4.12(i), the Board amends the 3-year timeframe for reviewing State academic standards and State assessments established in this section. Final revisions set forth that these reviews be conducted no sooner than every 5 years and no later than every 10 years. Conducting academic standards reviews every 3 years may not provide school entities adequate time to fully implement updated academic standards and gain experience in delivering instruction under those standards before commencing a review process that may result in additional modifications to those standards. The Board finds a range of 5 years to 10 years between reviews to be a more feasible timeframe.

§ 4.21. Elementary education: primary and intermediate levels

 The Board amends § 4.21(a) (relating to elementary education: primary and intermediate levels) to reflect a change to the compulsory school age enacted by Act 16 of 2019. Act 16 of 2019 reduced the age at which compulsory school attendance is required in this Commonwealth from 8 years of age to 6 years of age. Language in this section speaks to the age at which children ordinarily complete a primary school program and currently references 8 years of age. This language is amended to align with the statutory change that lowered the age for compulsory attendance to 6 years of age, the age at which students now are required to begin attending a primary school program.

 Existing requirements in § 4.21(e) set forth that planned instruction at the primary level shall align with State academic standards. Changes to § 4.21(e)(3) and (4) are editorial for consistency with the structure of new academic standards for science established in § 4.12.

 Likewise, amendments to § 4.21(f)(3) and (4) also are editorial to create consistency with the structure of new academic standards for science. These editorial changes conform planned instruction topics for intermediate grades, set forth in this section, with the structure of the Pennsylvania Integrated Standards for Science, Environment, Ecology, Technology and Engineering (Grades K—5) established in § 4.12(a)(1)(ii).

§ 4.22. Middle level education

 Revisions to § 4.22(c)(3) and (5) (relating to middle level education) conform the planned instruction topics for middle level education, set forth in these sections, with the structure of the Pennsylvania Integrated Standards for Science, Environment, Ecology, Technology and Engineering (Grades K—5), Pennsylvania Integrated Standards for Science, Environment and Ecology (Grades 6—12) and Pennsylvania Technology and Engineering Standards (Grades 6—12) established in § 4.12(a)(1)(ii) and (2)(ii) and (iii). These editorial changes create consistency with substantive changes in § 4.12.

§ 4.23. High school education

 Revisions to § 4.23(c)(3) and (5) (relating to high school education) conform the planned instruction topics for high school set forth in these sections with the structure of the Pennsylvania Integrated Standards for Science, Environment and Ecology (6—12) and the Pennsylvania Technology and Engineering Standards (grades 6—12) established in § 4.12(a)(2)(ii) and (iii). These editorial changes create consistency with substantive changes in § 4.12.

§ 4.24. High school graduation requirements

 In Act 6 of 2017, Act 158 of 2018 and Act 136 of 2020, the General Assembly enacted various changes to State high school graduation requirements. Act 6 of 2017 established new graduation requirements for students who are defined in statute as ''CTE Concentrators.'' The graduation pathway for CTE Concentrators and the definition of students who qualify to use this standard to meet graduation requirements are set forth in section 121(c) and (d) of the Public School Code of 1949.

 Act 158 of 2018 expanded the pathways that may be used to demonstrate readiness for graduation for general education students who are not CTE Concentrators. Act 158 of 2018 also delayed the effective date for use of the high school-level State assessments—Keystone Exams—as a graduation requirement. Among other changes, Act 158 of 2018 further established that students cannot be required to participate in a project-based assessment to satisfy graduation requirements, set forth that students who do not demonstrate proficiency on a Keystone Exam may be offered supplemental instruction but shall not be required to participate in this supplemental instruction and permitted the inclusion of Keystone Exam performance results on student transcripts at the discretion of each school entity.

 Act 136 of 2020 further delayed the use of Keystone Exams as a graduation requirement to the 2022-2023 school year.

 The amendments enacted to the Public School Code of 1949 by Act 6 of 2017, Act 158 of 2018 and Act 136 of 2020 supersede high school graduation policies established by the Board in Chapter 4. To the extent that the aforementioned amendments are in conflict with the existing regulation, the Board is making technical amendments to conform related provisions of Chapter 4 with the changes enacted by Act 6 of 2017, Act 158 of 2018 and Act 136 of 2020 to provide clarity and consistency between statute and regulation.

§ 4.24(a). High school graduation requirements

 Technical amendments to this section extend the date by which local governing boards must approve, publish and distribute graduation requirements to no later than the beginning of the 2020-2021 school year. The deadline for this action is extended for consistency with the date now set forth for this action in section 121(c.10) of the Public School Code of 1949.

§ 4.24(b). High school graduation requirements

 In its comments on the Board's proposed rulemaking, IRRC noted that § 4.24(b) (relating to high school graduation requirements) set forth high school graduation requirements through the 2015-2016 school year and subsection (c) set forth high school graduation requirements beginning in the 2022-2023 school year. IRRC noted that graduation requirements for the 2016-2017 through the 2021-2022 school years were not specified in the regulation and asked the Board to clarify this section to include the graduation requirements for the omitted years. In response to IRRC's request for clarity, the Board amends subsection (b) to specify that the high school graduation requirements set forth in that section remain in effect through the 2021-2022 school year. Consistent with the date established in Act 136 of 2020, graduation requirements that include Keystone Exams will take effect in the 2022-2023 school year as reflected in amendments to subsection (c).

§ 4.24(c) and (c)(1). High school graduation requirements

 Technical amendments to these sections delay the effective date of the sections to the 2022-2023 school year. These revisions create consistency with amendments to section 121(b)(1) of the Public School Code of 1949 that states ''. . .the use of Keystone Exams as a graduation requirement or as a benchmark for the need for participation in a project-based assessment shall be delayed until the 2022-2023 school year.''

§ 4.24(c)(1)(iii). High school graduation requirements

 Existing Board policy requires students to demonstrate proficiency in the current Academic Standards for Science and Technology and Environment and Ecology to satisfy State high school graduation requirements. In addition, Federal accountability policies require high school students to participate in a uniform State assessment in science and Pennsylvania's Keystone Exam in Biology has been approved by the United States Department of Education to satisfy this requirement. Final amendments to § 4.12(a)(1)(ii) and (2)(ii) and (iii) and Appendix B-1 replace the existing science standards cited in this section with new academic standards. Therefore, it is necessary to identify relevant content of the new standards that will be assessed for the purposes of high school graduation and Federal accountability. Amendments to this section make clear that future determinations related to high school graduation will be based on a student demonstrating proficiency in the new high school-level Science and Environment and Ecology standards presented in Appendix B-1.

 Further, in its comments on the Board's proposed rulemaking, IRRC noted that the new standards contained in Appendix B-1 will not take effect immediately. As such, IRRC requested that the Board add clarity to this section by specifying the respective effective dates when the current science standards in Appendix B will sunset and when the new standards in Appendix B-1 will take effect to ensure that the timetables for compliance are accurately stated. Final amendments to this section specify that, for the purposes of high school graduation, students must demonstrate proficiency in the standards in Appendix B through June 30, 2025, and that, beginning July 1, 2025, students must demonstrate proficiency in the Science, Environment and Ecology standards in Appendix B-1.

§ 4.24(c)(1)(iii)(A). High school graduation requirements

 Technical amendments to this section recognize that students may meet graduation requirements by attaining proficiency on Keystone Exams or by satisfying requirements of one of the pathways to graduation established by the General Assembly in section 121(c) and (c.1) of the Public School Code of 1949. Technical amendments to this section further remove reference to completion of a project-based assessment as a measure of proficiency to satisfy graduation requirements. Removal of the reference to project-based assessment conforms the regulation with section 121(c.5) of the Public School Code of 1949 that sets forth in statute that school entities may not be required to offer project-based assessments and that students may not be required to participate in or complete project-based assessments as established in § 4.51c.

§ 4.24(c)(1)(iii)(B)(I). High school graduation requirements

 Existing language in this section sets forth that validated local assessments used for the purpose of demonstrating graduation requirements must align with Biology-related content in current State academic standards. As the Board is updating the academic standards for science in this final-form rulemaking, revisions to this section identify the relevant new standards in § 4.12(a)(2)(ii) that contain Biology-related content for alignment with this section.

 Further, in its comments on the Board's proposed rulemaking, IRRC identified the need to make a clarifying amendment to § 4.24(c)(1)(iii)(B)(I) to delete the reference to ''Civics and Government.'' This reference is no longer necessary or relevant as Act 6 of 2017 deleted the requirement for the Department to establish Keystone Exams in the academic standards related to Civics and Government. As proficiency in standards related to Civics and Government no longer will be determined through State assessments, it is irrelevant to continue referencing Civics and Government in this section of Chapter 4 that defines how validated local assessments can be used as alternatives to Keystone Exams for the purposes of assessing proficiency for graduation in various academic standards.

§ 4.24(c)(1)(iii)(B)(III). High school graduation requirements

 Existing subsections (d)—(f) are deleted in this final-form rulemaking, necessitating technical updates to the identification of the remaining subsections. As a result, existing subsection (g) is relabeled sequentially as subsection (d). Technical amendments presented in subsection (c)(1)(iii)(B)(III) update the existing cross-reference to refer to the appropriate subsection as it has been relabeled due to amendments elsewhere in this final-form rulemaking.

§ 4.24(c)(1)(iii)(C). High school graduation requirements

 The use of Advanced (AP) and International Baccalaureate (IB) exams for satisfying high school graduation requirements was addressed by the General Assembly in the graduation pathways established by Act 158 of 2018. Pathways that include consideration of AP and IB exam scores are reflected in section 121(c.1) of the Public School Code of 1949. Use of these assessments for making graduation determinations, as defined by the General Assembly, is captured in the statutory reference presented in amendments to subsection (c)(1)(iii)(A) of this final-form rulemaking. Therefore, the Board deletes subsection (c)(1)(iii)(C) as it does not align with statutory amendments regarding the use of AP and IB exam scores as they pertain to high school graduation determinations and a cross-reference to the appropriate use of these exams as defined in statute is incorporated elsewhere in this final-form rulemaking.

§ 4.24(d) and (e). High school graduation requirements

 Act 6 of 2017 deleted language from statute directing the development of Keystone Exams in English Composition, Algebra II, Geometry, United States History, Chemistry, Civics and Government, and World History. Therefore, the Board deletes these sections from the regulation to conform to changes reflected in section 121(a) of the Public School Code of 1949 that eliminate Keystone Exams in these content areas. Further, existing language in subsections (d) and (e) provides for a student to demonstrate proficiency in academic standards in English Language Arts (Composition) and Civics and Government through a pathway including a Keystone Exam. This pathway is no longer feasible due to the elimination of Keystone Exams in these content areas by Act 6 of 2017 and, as such, the Board deletes the language from Chapter 4 in this final-form rulemaking.

§ 4.24(f). High school graduation requirements

 In Act 6 of 2017, the General Assembly established graduation requirements for students pursuing Career and Technical Education that are in conflict with the requirements for these students presented in subsection (f). Amendments to the Public School Code of 1949 established a definition for ''CTE Concentrator'' to define the population of students eligible to graduate under the pathway for CTE Concentrators set forth in section 121(c) of the Public School Code of 1949. Graduation requirements for CTE Concentrators are captured in the statutory reference presented in amendments to subsection (c)(1)(iii)(A) of this final-form rulemaking. Therefore, the Board deletes subsection (f) as its requirements do not align with statutory amendments regarding graduation measures for students who are CTE Concentrators and a reference to the graduation pathway for these students, as defined by the General Assembly, is incorporated elsewhere in this final-form rulemaking.

§ 4.24(d). (former subsection (g)) High school graduation requirements

 Due to the deletion of existing subsections (d)—(f), existing subsection (g) is being relabeled as subsection (d) to maintain sequential order of the remaining sections. Amendments to the designation for each section are carried through the end of § 4.24 to update the remaining subsections with appropriate sequential references due to the deletion of existing subsections (d)—(f).

§ 4.24(f). (former subsection (i)) High school graduation requirements

 The Board amends requirements for student transcripts set forth in this section to align with requirements as established in section 121(c.9) of the Public School Code of 1949. Current language in this section of the regulation requires performance levels attained on Keystone Exams, validated local assessments or project-based assessments to be recorded on student transcripts. The current language is in conflict with changes enacted by Act 158 of 2018 to the aforementioned section of the Public School Code of 1949 that permit, but do not require, performance levels demonstrated in each of the State academic standards, including the highest performance level attained on a Keystone Exam, to be included on a student's transcript. The changes enacted by Act 158 of 2018 grant discretion to each individual school entity to determine whether to present this information on transcripts and how this information may be included.

§ 4.24(h). (former subsection (k)) High school graduation requirements

 Act 158 of 2018 established section 121(c.4) of the Public School Code of 1949 governing supplemental instruction offered to students who do not demonstrate proficiency on a Keystone Exam or locally validated assessment. This statutory provision allows school entities to offer supplemental instruction but prohibits required participation by students in supplemental instruction. Statutory language governing supplemental instruction further requires that these offerings not intrude on time for participation in Career and Technical Education programming or instruction related to a student's career, military or postsecondary education plans. Existing requirements for supplemental instruction established in § 4.24(h) are in conflict with the changes enacted by Act 158 of 2018 as the language of the current regulation requires schools to offer supplemental instruction to students who do not demonstrate proficiency on a Keystone Exam or locally validated assessment and also requires students to participate in supplemental instruction. Therefore, the Board amends this section to align with changes in statute which set forth that students are not required to participate in supplemental instruction and that schools may, but are not required, to offer supplemental instruction.

§ 4.24(i). (former section 4.24(l)) High school graduation requirements

 Amendments to this section make technical edits to reflect the deletion of the existing subsections (d) and (e) as previously described. Amendments further align this section with language that addresses student transfers from an out-of-State school in section 121(c.8) of the Public School Code of 1949. Language in the current regulation that directs determinations of proficiency for out-of-State transfer students to be made ''subject to guidance developed by the Secretary'' is deleted as a parallel requirement does not exist in the aforementioned statutory provision that addresses these determinations.

§ 4.24(m). High school graduation requirements

 The Board deletes subsection (m) as the transitions facilitated under it are no longer relevant. As discussed previously, Act 6 of 2017 deleted language from the Public School Code of 1949 directing the Department to develop Keystone Exams in additional content areas beyond the exams already administered in Literature, Algebra I and Biology. Subsections (d) and (e) are deleted to conform with that change in statute. Therefore, language in this section that addresses successfully effectuating transitions to the existing requirements of subsections (d) and (e) is no longer relevant as Keystone Exams will not be developed in the academic standards identified in those sections. Further, language that addresses transition between subsections (b) and (c) is no longer relevant as it addresses requirements for the 2015-2016 and 2016-2017 school years that did not take effect due to delays in the implementation of Keystone Exams as amended in section 121(b)(1) of the Public School Code of 1949.

§ 4.24(i). High school graduation requirements

 The Board adds subsection (i) to conform this final-form rulemaking with section 121.1 of the Public School Code of 1949 (24 P.S. § 1-121.1). This technical amendment addresses conditions set forth in statute that suspend State requirements for students to take Keystone Exams in a year where the Federal government waives testing and accountability and requirements and, alternatively, provides for a student to be deemed proficient for the purposes of meeting the high school graduation requirements set forth in § 4.24 by demonstrating successful completion of locally-established, grade-based requirements for the academic content areas associated with each Keystone Exam. Final amendments to subsection (i) also reflect a clarifying amendment requested by IRRC to include a citation to the Every Student Succeeds Act (20 U.S.C.A. §§ 6301—7981) following cross-reference to the Elementary and Secondary Education Act.

§ 4.31. Career and technical education

 As described in amendments to § 4.3 (relating to definitions), updated terminology replacing ''vocational-technical education'' with ''career and technical education'' is presented throughout § 4.31 (relating to career and technical education) and other relevant sections of this final-form rulemaking.

§ 4.31(a). Career and technical education

 Amendments made previously in this final-form rulemaking reorganize § 4.24(g) as § 4.24(d). Section 4.31(a) includes a technical amendment to refer to the appropriate cross-reference as it is relabeled elsewhere in this final-form rulemaking to maintain sequential ordering.

§ 4.51. State assessment system

§ 4.51(a)(6). State assessment system

 Section 4.51 (relating to State assessment system) sets forth the purpose of the State assessment system and identifies the academic standards through which student proficiency is measured on a State assessment. State assessments aligned with current standards for Science and Technology and Environment and Ecology are administered at three points in a student's educational career—grade 4, grade 8 and following completion of coursework in Biology. Final amendments to § 4.12(a)(1)(ii) and (2)(ii) and (iii) will replace the standards to which these State assessments (the Pennsylvania System of School Assessment in Science and the Keystone Exam in Biology) are aligned. As such, the Board is amending § 4.51(a)(6) to align State assessments administered in science with the new science standards established in Appendix B-1 of this final-form rulemaking.

 Further, in its comments on the Board's proposed rulemaking, IRRC noted that the new standards contained in Appendix B-1 will not take effect immediately. As such, IRRC requested that the Board add clarity to this section by specifying the dates when State assessments will transition from being aligned to the current science standards in Appendix B to the new standards in Appendix B-1 to ensure that the timetables for compliance are accurately stated. In response to IRRC's request for clarity, final amendments to § 4.51(a)(6) specify that State assessments in science will be aligned to the standards in Appendix B through June 30, 2025, and that, beginning July 1, 2025, State assessments in science will be aligned to the standards in Appendix B-1. These timeframes are consistent with the effective date for full implementation of the new standards in Appendix B-1 established in § 4.12(a)(1)(ii) and (2)(ii) and (iii) and clarify that updated State assessments aligned with new academic standards will not occur until the end of the implementation period for fully integrating new standards into instruction.

§ 4.51a. Pennsylvania System of School Assessment

 Section 4.51a (relating to Pennsylvania System of School Assessment) sets forth requirements for the Pennsylvania System of School Assessment (PSSA). The PSSAs are State assessments administered in English Language Arts and Mathematics in grades 3 through 8 and in Science in grades 4 and 8.

 Subsection (a) directs the Department to develop PSSA exams that are ''standards-based and criterion referenced'' and delineates the standards in which PSSAs are administered, including the current Academic Standards in Science and Technology and Environment and Ecology. As previously noted, in this final-form rulemaking the Board adds new academic standards for science. Amendments to § 4.51a(a) align references to academic standards for science with the structure of the new science standards in Appendix B-1 of this final-form rulemaking.

 Further, in its comments on the Board's proposed rulemaking, IRRC noted that the new standards contained in Appendix B-1 will not take effect immediately. As such, IRRC requested that the Board add clarity to § 4.51a(b) by specifying the dates when the grade 4 and grade 8 PSSAs in Science will transition from being aligned to the current science standards in Appendix B to the new standards in Appendix B-1 to ensure that the timetables for compliance are accurately stated. In response to IRRC's request for clarity, final amendments to § 4.51a(b) specify that PSSAs in science will be aligned to the standards in Appendix B through June 30, 2025, and that, beginning July 1, 2025, the PSSAs in science will be aligned to the new standards in Appendix B-1. These timeframes are consistent with the effective date for full implementation of the new standards in Appendix B-1 established in § 4.12(a)(1)(ii) and (2)(ii) and (iii) and clarify that updated PSSAs aligned with new academic standards will not occur until the end of the implementation period for fully integrating new standards into instruction.

 Final amendments to § 4.51a(c) are presented for consistency with earlier technical amendments to align references to the current Academic Standards in Science and Technology and Environment and Ecology with the structure of the new standards in Appendix B-1.

§ 4.51b. Keystone Exams

 Section 4.51b contains requirements for Keystone Exams. The Keystone Exams are high school level State assessments administered in Algebra I, Literature and Biology. At present, content on these State assessments is aligned to the academic standards for Mathematics, English Language Arts, Science and Technology, and Environment and Ecology.

 The Board makes technical amendments to conform subsection (a)(1)—(4) with changes enacted by Act 6 of 2017. Act 6 of 2017 deleted language from section 121(a) of the Public School Code of 1949 that directed the Department to develop Keystone Exams in additional content areas beyond the existing exams for Literature, Algebra I and Biology. Therefore, provisions in subsection (a)(1)—(4) that direct the Department to develop Keystone Exams in Algebra II, Geometry, Composition, American History, World History, and Civics and Government are in conflict with changes to statute. Amendments to these sections delete language directing the development of Keystone Exams in content areas that no longer are included in statute and update language for grammatical consistency.

 In addition, amendments to subsection (a)(3) (former subsection (a)(4)) provide for the Keystone Exam in Biology to be updated to align to the new Pennsylvania Integrated Standards for Science, Environment and Ecology (grades 6—12) contained in Appendix B-1 of this final-form rulemaking. In its comments on the Board's proposed rulemaking, IRRC noted that the new standards contained in Appendix B-1 will not take effect immediately. As such, IRRC requested that the Board add clarity to subsection (a)(3) by specifying the dates when the Keystone Exam in Biology will transition from being aligned to the current science standards in Appendix B to the new standards in Appendix B-1 to ensure that the timetables for compliance are accurately stated.

 In response to IRRC's request for clarity, final amendments to subsection (a)(3) specify that the Keystone Exam in Biology will be aligned to the standards in Appendix B through June 30, 2025, and that, beginning July 1, 2025, the Keystone Exam in Biology will be aligned to the new standards in Appendix B-1. These timeframes are consistent with the effective date for full implementation of the new standards for grades 6—12 in Appendix B-1 established in § 4.12(a)(2)(ii) and (iii).

 Later in subsection (d), the Board makes technical amendments to conform with changes enacted by Act 158 of 2018. Through the addition of section 121(c.4) to the Public School Code of 1949, Act 158 of 2018 prohibits the required participation of students in supplementary instruction, which is inconsistent with existing language in subsection (d) that creates conditions regarding eligibility to retake a Keystone Exam that require successful completion of supplementary instruction as a prerequisite. Act 158 of 2018 further addressed the matter of Keystone Exam retakes in the addition of section 121(c.7) to the Public School Code of 1949. Statutory language in section 121(c.7) permits a student to retake a Keystone Exam only if the student or parent submits a written request. Existing language in subsection (d) does not specify that requests to retake a Keystone Exam must be submitted in writing. Therefore, revisions are being made to subsection (d) to align language in the regulation with relevant changes enacted by Act 158 of 2018 that address supplementary instruction and Keystone Exam retakes.

 In subsection (f), the Board makes technical amendments to conform with statutory changes enacted by Act 158 of 2018. As previously noted, Act 158 of 2018 prohibits required participation of students in supplemental instruction, as set forth in section 121(c.4)(5) of the Public School Code of 1949. Therefore, language regarding the provision of supplemental instruction in this section is being amended to replace the term ''shall'' with the term ''may'' to recognize that a student cannot be required to participate in supplemental instruction offerings.

 Additional amendments to subsection (f) are made to conform with section 121(c.5) of the Public School Code of 1949 which establishes that no school entities may be required to offer project-based assessments and students may not be required to participate in or complete a project-based assessment. Existing language in subsection (f) is inconsistent with these statutory changes as it would require a student to complete a project-based assessment if other conditions established in this subsection are not met. Therefore, the Board deletes language requiring students to complete a project-based assessment in certain circumstances to align subsection (f) with provisions governing project-based assessment as they now are set forth by the General Assembly in statute.

 A technical amendment to the statutory cross-reference in subsection (f) is also made in this final-form rulemaking to make the citation complete.

 Subsections (j) and (k) are deleted to conform with changes enacted by Act 6 of 2017 that eliminated language directing the Department to develop Keystone Exams in Algebra II, Geometry, composition, civics and government, world history, United States history and chemistry. These sections are no longer relevant as Keystone Exams in these content areas will not be developed.

 The Board amends § 4.51b(j) (former § 4.51(b)(1)) to recognize that the Federal Elementary and Secondary Education Act has been reauthorized as the Every Student Succeeds Act (20 U.S.C.A. §§ 6301—7981) and that Keystone Exams will continue to serve as the approved high school level accountability system under the Elementary and Secondary Education Act or its successor Federal statute. As requested by IRRC, final amendments to this section remove reference to the No Child Left Behind Act and, for clarity, replace that with reference to its current successor Federal statute—the Every Student Succeeds Act.

 The Board also amends § 4.51b(j) (former § 4.51(b)(1)) by deleting language that speaks to prospective approval of the Algebra I, Literature and Biology Keystone Exams by the United States Department of Education as this approval already has been granted. This section also includes a technical amendment updating the term ''AVTSs'' to ''ACTSs,'' consistent with parallel terminology changes that are incorporated throughout the chapter.

 Finally, the citation for § 4.51b(l), along with citations for § 4.51b(k)—(n), are relabeled to maintain sequential order of provisions due to the deletion of existing subsections 4.51b(j)—(k).

§ 4.51c. Project-based assessment

 Amendments to § 4.51c (relating to project-based assessment) conform the section with changes enacted by Act 6 of 2017 and Act 158 of 2018 and with a technical revision requested by IRRC.

 The Board deletes language in the existing § 4.51c(a) that directs project-based assessments to be developed in composition and civics and government that are aligned to the modules of the Keystone Exams. Act 6 of 2017 eliminated the development of Keystone Exams in composition and civics and government. Thus, developing project-based assessments in those content areas is no longer relevant as there will be no Keystone Exam modules in those content areas to which a project-based assessment could be aligned.

 The Board adds a reference to section 121(c.5) of the Public School Code of 1949 that governs participation in project-based assessment for clarity in the permissible use of project-based assessment by school entities and alignment with statutory changes that do not require districts to administer project-based assessment and that prohibit the required participation of students in project-based assessment.

 The Board deletes § 4.51c(b)—(g) to further conform the regulation with section 121(c.5) of the Public School Code of 1949. Language in these subsections sets forth requirements for the administration of project-based assessment and establishes criteria that may make a student eligible to participate in a project-based assessment, which is in conflict with section 121(c.5) of the Public School Code that does not require school entities to offer project-based assessments and prohibits required participation of students in project-based assessments.

 Finally, as directed by IRRC, the Board deletes the subsection ''(a)'' designation from § 4.51c in accordance with § 2.1(e) (relating to arrangement of Code) of the Pennsylvania Code and Bulletin Style Manual.

§ 4.51d. Waivers

 Act 158 of 2018 added section 121(c.3) to the Public School Code of 1949 that addresses the circumstances in which chief school administrators may grant waivers to demonstrations of proficiency required for high school graduation. Waiver provisions established in § 4.51d, including those related to the percentage of students who may qualify to receive a waiver, are inconsistent with the waiver requirements now established in statute. As such, the Board deletes language in § 4.51d(1)(i)—(iv) and (2) to create clarity surrounding waiver requirements by replacing this language with a reference to the waiver requirements established by the General Assembly in section 121(c.3) of the Public School Code of 1949.

 The citation for existing § 4.51d(3) is reorganized as § 4.51d(1) to align with the deletion of the subsections preceding it. Within that section, the Board is incorporating an additional technical amendment to ensure annual reporting on the number of waivers issued to students is conducted in a manner consistent with the reporting requirements for waivers set forth in section 121(c.11)(6) of the Public School Code of 1949.

 The Board also deletes § 4.51d(6) as it refers to action that would occur under § 4.51d(2) and this final-form rulemaking deletes paragraph (2).

 Finally, within § 4.51d, as well as within §§ 4.24, 4.51b and 4.51c, the Board makes technical corrections to the Purdon's citations to sections 121 and 121.1 of the Public School Code of 1949 as directed by IRRC. Throughout those sections, the citations are corrected to include the ''1-'' formatting that was omitted from each citation.

 Appendix B-1. In this final-form rulemaking the Board publishes Appendix B-1 as a new Appendix. Appendix B-1 contains three sets of new academic standards for science as follows: Pennsylvania Integrated Standards for Science, Environment, Ecology, Environment and Engineering (Grades K—5); Pennsylvania Integrated Standards for Science, Environment and Ecology (Grades 6—12); and Pennsylvania Technology and Engineering Standards (Grades 6—12).

 As described previously, final amendments to § 4.12(a)(1)(ii) and (2)(ii) and (iii) set forth a July 1, 2025, effective date for the new standards in Appendix B-1. Final amendments to § 4.12(a)(1)(i) and (2)(i) address the current science standards published in Appendix B and set forth that those standards will no longer be in effect as of June 30, 2025.

 The State's current Academic Standards for Science and Technology and Academic Standards for Environment and Ecology, adopted in 2002 and published as Appendix B within Chapter 4, were organized by topics of what students should know and be able to do by the end of fourth, seventh, tenth and eleventh grades. The new standards contained in Appendix B-1 of this final-form rulemaking reflect a shift to grade level expectations for kindergarten through fifth grade, allowing for clear learning progressions by grade in elementary school, and reflect a shift to grade bands for 6—8 and 9—12 allowing for greater flexibility in course design and progression at the middle and high school levels.

 The current Academic Standards for Science and Technology and Academic Standards for Environment and Ecology, adopted in 2002, also were organized into two separate sets of standards. As they pertain to the earliest grades, the new standards presented in Appendix B-1 of this final-form rulemaking reflect integration of Environment, Ecology, Science, Technology and Engineering education for kindergarten through fifth grade. The integration of Science, Environment, Ecology, Technology and Engineering into one document for kindergarten through fifth grades systemically ensures equity of the content covered at these early grades and enables educators to expose students to the interconnected nature of Science, Environment, Ecology, Technology and Engineering at the earliest grades. Further, the integration of Science, Environment, Ecology, Technology and Engineering, along with their application, reflects how these disciplines are practiced in the real world.

 The standards contained in Appendix B-1 of this final-form rulemaking also reflect a shift to the integration of Science with Environment and Ecology for grades 6—12, encouraging integration across the Science disciplines while promoting equity by ensuring the Environment and Ecology content is included in Science instruction for all students across all grades.

 Finally, the State's current Academic Standards for Science and Technology and Academic Standards for Environment and Ecology, adopted in 2002, were organized into two separate sets of standards documents with Technology and Engineering integrated across each set of standards. The standards presented in Appendix B-1 of this final-form rulemaking separate Technology and Engineering standards from the Science, Environment and Ecology standards for grades 6—12. The Board determined to present Technology and Engineering standards for grades 6—12 as a standalone document to provide the necessary content depth and breadth for related courses and experiences in middle and high school programs. Further, organizing these standards by grade bands provides flexibility for school districts in high school course offerings that sometimes include mixed grade levels in a course.

 The new standards presented in this final-form rulemaking are informed by seminal research in science, technology, environment and ecology education, such as the National Research Council's A Framework for K—12 Science Education, Standards for Technology and Engineering Literacy and the Environment and Ecology framework of the North American Association for Environmental Education. In addition, this final-form rulemaking considers the Commonwealth's context with clear connections to agriculture, career readiness and sustainability. This final-form rulemaking shifts away from a focus on the regurgitation of disciplinary content to a multi-dimensional approach for teaching and learning that includes cross-content connections such as the understanding of ''scale, proportion, and quantity'' and ''systems and system models,'' disciplinary core ideas such as ''physical sciences'' or ''life sciences,'' and practices like ''developing and using models'' or ''analyzing and interpreting data.'' This final-form rulemaking sets the conditions for students to work and learn across these multiple dimensions by better preparing students to apply skills and concepts in a novel context and demonstrating knowledge and skills gained through the learning experiences.

 Within the previously described framework, the Board made numerous amendments to the standards in this final-form rulemaking in response to concerns raised by stakeholders during public comment.

 To ensure that new academic standards reflect essential principles of environmental education, as suggested by stakeholders, the Board adds a new fifth domain for ''Environmental Literacy and Sustainability'' to the Pennsylvania Integrated Standards for Science, Environment, Ecology, Environment and Engineering (Grades K—5) and to the Pennsylvania Integrated Standards for Science, Environment and Ecology (Grades 6—12). This fifth domain incorporates essential principles of environmental education across all grade levels organized under three core ideas: 1) Agricultural and Environmental Systems and Resources; 2) Environmental Literacy Skills; and 3) Sustainability and Stewardship. The addition of this fifth domain is responsive to stakeholder concerns indicating that certain content related to environment, ecology and agriculture either was omitted or weakly linked in the Board's proposed standards, and also is responsive to the Pennsylvania Environmental Education Act's charge to fully integrate environmental education into K—12 education.

 Content in this new fifth domain was developed using standards and guidelines from relevant professional organizations, including the National Council for Agriculture, Food, and Natural Resources and North American Association of Environmental Educators, as well as Pennsylvania's current Environment and Ecology standards, environmental education research, and examples of how other states address environmental literacy and sustainability (including California, Louisiana, Maryland, Virginia, Washington and Wisconsin).

 The Pennsylvania Integrated Standards for Science, Environment, Ecology Environment and Engineering (Grades K—5) presented in the Board's proposed rulemaking included grade band standards for ''Environment and Ecology'' for grades K—2 and for grades 3—5. The proposed K—2 and 3—5 grade band standards for ''Environment and Ecology'' each are reorganized in this final-form rulemaking under a new domain for ''Environmental Literacy and Sustainability'' for consistency with how this domain is presented in standards across all grade levels. In addition, content in the proposed K—2 grade band and in the proposed 3—5 grade band for ''Environment and Ecology'' also is revised in response to this reorganization to reflect content that stakeholders identified as weakly linked or omitted in the proposed standards, to reduce redundancy, to ensure standards are placed where they are developmentally appropriate for students, and to respond to stakeholder concerns that the proposed standards were not written using three-dimensional language.

 The Board deletes a proposed K—2 standard that directed students to ''examine and express their own view on environmental issues'' in this final-form rulemaking. The standard was determined to be unnecessary as the overarching intent of the new fifth domain for ''Environmental Literacy and Sustainability'' is to provide instruction for students in environmental literacy. As such, the ability to examine and express their own views on environmental issues is a skill students will develop through instruction provided in other related standards and it is unnecessary to include this as a standalone standard.

 The Board deletes a proposed standard in the K—2 grade band for ''Environment and Ecology—Decision-Making and Action Skills'' that expected students to ''determine whether action is needed on selected environmental issues and whether they should be involved'' because it was determined to be more developmentally appropriate for students in grades 3—5. In the final-form amendments to Appendix B-1, the standard is rewritten and is now reflected in the Grade 3—5 standards for ''Environmental Literacy and Sustainability'' under the core idea for ''Sustainability and Stewardship.'' As amended, this Grade 3—5 band standard reads as follows, ''Construct an argument to support whether action is needed on a selected environmental issue and propose possible solutions.''

 A proposed standard in the K—2 grade band for ''Environment and Ecology—Decision-Making and Action Skills'' that expected students to ''develop an action strategy or design a solution for a specific local environmental issue of their choosing'' was determined to be redundant with another proposed K—2 standard. As such, the Board deletes it from the final-form amendments to the standards in Appendix B-1.

 A proposed standard in the K—2 grade band for ''Environment and Ecology—Decision-Making and Action Skills'' that expected students to ''identify environmental and social consequences of design solutions and civic actions, including their own actions'' is rewritten in three-dimensional language as requested by stakeholders. As such, the Board deletes the proposed standard from this final-form rulemaking and replaces and reorganizes with a rewritten standard in the new grades 3—5 domain for ''Environmental Literacy and Sustainability.'' The rewritten standard is included under the core idea for ''Agricultural and Environmental Systems and Resources'' as follows, ''Make a claim about the environmental and social impacts of design solutions and civic actions, including their own actions.''

 The previously referenced new standard for grades 3—5 further reflects the combination of standards that were included in the Board's proposed rulemaking for the 3—5 grade band. Standards in the proposed rulemaking for ''Environment and Ecology—Decision Making and Action Skills,'' expected students in grades 3—5 to, ''Identify, justify, and clarify their views on environmental issues and alternative ways to address them'' and to ''Evaluate whether action is needed in specific solutions, using environmental, cultural/social, and economic criteria. They decide whether they should be involved in that action.'' A standard in the proposed rulemaking for grades 3—5 in ''Environment and Ecology—Personal and Civic Responsibility'' expected students to, ''Describe the broad environmental, social, and economic consequences of their personal and group actions and, as appropriate, accept responsibility for their actions.'' Finally, a standard in the proposed rulemaking for grades 3—5 in ''Environment and Ecology—Human Systems'' expected students to, ''Describe how economic systems and economic decision-making influence natural resource use and management as well as environmental and human well-being.'' In this final-form rulemaking, the Board combines and amends these standards to use three-dimensional language as requested by stakeholders and to strengthen connections to the new ''Environmental Literacy and Sustainability'' standards for grades 6—12. Concepts included in those proposed standards are reflected in the new final standard for grades 3—5 that expects students to, ''Make a claim about the environmental and social impacts of design solutions and civic actions, including their own actions.''

 The Board deletes the three proposed standards in the K—2 grade band for ''Environment and Ecology—Personal and Civic Responsibility'' from this final-form rulemaking due to a lack of clarity and because they were not written in a three-dimensional manner as requested by stakeholders. The Board replaces these proposed standards with a rewritten standard in the new domain for ''Environmental Literacy and Sustainability'' for grades 3—5. The rewritten standard is included under the grades 3—5 core idea for ''Sustainability and Stewardship'' as follows, ''Examine ways you influence your local environment and community by collecting and displaying data.''

 The previously referenced new standard for grades 3—5 also replaces the proposed standard for grades 3—5 in ''Environment and Ecology—Decision-Making and Action Skills'' that expected students to, ''Use their research results to develop action strategies and design solutions at levels consistent with their maturity and preparation. As appropriate, they implement their plans.'' In this final-form rulemaking, that proposed standard is edited to reflect three-dimensional language, as requested by stakeholders, and to strengthen connections to the standards presented in the new standards in the ''Environmental Literacy and Sustainability'' domain for grades 6—12. As previously referenced, the revised standard for grades 3—5 now reads, ''Examine ways you influence your local environment and community by collecting and displaying data.''

 The Board deletes a proposed standard in the K—2 grade band for ''Environment and Ecology—Earth's Physical and Living Systems'' that expected students to ''describe the characteristics of Earth's physical systems, including air, water, and land'' and to ''explain how these systems interact with one another and identify changes in the physical environment over time'' from this final-form rulemaking for redundancy. The proposed standard is redundant to the grade 5 standard for ''Earth and Space Sciences—Earth's Systems # 1'' that expects student to, ''Develop a model using an example to describe ways the geosphere, biosphere, hydrosphere, and/or atmosphere interact.''

 The Board deletes a proposed standard in the K—2 grade band for ''Environment and Ecology—Earth's Physical and Living Systems'' that expected students to ''identify basic similarities and differences among a wide variety of living organisms'' and to ''explain ways that living organisms, including humans, affect the environment in which they live, and how their environment affects them'' from this final-form rulemaking to present the standard in three-dimensional language, as requested by stakeholders in public comment, and to strengthen its connection to Science and Engineering Practices and Disciplinary Core Ideas. The deleted proposed standard is replaced with a rewritten standard in the new domain for ''Environmental Literacy and Sustainability'' for grades 3—5. The rewritten standard is included under the grades 3—5 core idea for ''Agricultural and Environmental Systems and Resources'' as follows, ''Analyze how living organisms, including humans, affect the environment in which they live, and how their environment affects them.''

 The previously referenced new standard for grades 3—5 also reflects revisions to the proposed standard for grades 3—5 that expected students to, ''Explain ways that individual traits and group membership or affiliation influence perceptions of actions toward the environment. They describe how their environmental beliefs and values are shaped by their community and the larger society.'' In the Board's final revisions, the Board edits the proposed standard to increase the use of three-dimensional language, as requested by stakeholders, and to strengthen connections to the new ''Environmental Literacy and Sustainability'' standards for grades 6—12. The concepts in that proposed standard now are reflected in the final standard for grades 3—5 that expects students to, ''Analyze how living organisms, including humans, affect the environment in which they live, and how their environment affects them.''

 The Board deletes two proposed standards in the K—2 grade band for ''Environment and Ecology—Human Systems'' from this final-form rulemaking to reduce redundancy and to respond to stakeholder concerns that these standards were not written in a three-dimensional manner. These proposed standards are combined and rewritten in three-dimensional language in this final-form rulemaking. The revised standard is included in the new domain for ''Environmental Literacy and Sustainability'' for grades K—2 under the core idea for ''Agricultural and Environmental Systems and Resources'' as follows, ''Examine how people from different cultures and communities, including one's own, interact and express their belief about nature.''

 A proposed standard in the K—2 grade band for ''Environment and Ecology—Environment and Society'' that expected students to ''identify ways that people depend on, change, and are affected by the environment'' is rewritten and the rewritten standard is moved to a new section in the Board's final-form amendments to Appendix B-1.

 The rewritten standard is presented in the new domain for ''Environmental Literacy and Sustainability'' for Grades 3—5 under the core idea for ''Sustainability and Stewardship'' as follows, ''Critique ways that people depend on and change the environment.'' As amended in this final-form rulemaking, the standard continues to include language from the proposed standard that expected students to identify ''ways that people depend on and change the environment.'' However, language from the proposed standard that also expected students to identify ways that people ''are affected by the environment'' is not included in this final-form rulemaking because that theme is repeated in other standards. As such, maintaining the language in the revised standard would be redundant. The Board also replaces the word ''identify'' used in the proposed standard with the word ''critique'' in the rewritten final standard to establish a standard that expects students to demonstrate a higher depth of knowledge. The standard, as rewritten, also responds to stakeholder requests to revise the proposed standards to use three-dimensional language.

 The Board amends a proposed standard in the K—2 grade band for ''Environment and Ecology—Environment and Society'' that expected students to ''describe ways people harvest, re-distribute and use natural resources.'' The Board also reorganizes where the standard is included in Appendix B-1. The Board replaces the word ''describe'' in the proposed standard with the word ''categorize'' in this final-form rulemaking. This amendment establishes a standard that expects students to demonstrate a higher depth of knowledge. The revised standard is reorganized as part of the new grades K—2 domain for ''Environmental Literacy and Sustainability'' under the core idea for ''Agricultural and Environmental Systems and Resources.''

 The Board makes an editorial amendment to a proposed standard in the K—2 grade band for ''Environment and Ecology—Environment and Society'' that expected students to ''identify ways that places differ in their physical and human characteristics.'' The Board also reorganizes where the standard is included in Appendix B-1. The standard is reworded to clarify the meaning of the term ''places'' as used in the proposed standard. The revised standard reads as follows, ''Explain ways that places differ in their physical, their meaning, and their value and/or importance.'' The final revised standard is included in the new grades K—2 domain for ''Environmental Literacy and Sustainability'' under the core idea for ''Environmental Literacy Skills.''

 The Board deletes a proposed standard in the K—2 grade band for ''Environment and Ecology—Environment and Society'' that expected students to ''recognize that change is a normal part of individual and societal life'' from this final-form rulemaking and replaces it with a rewritten standard in a different section of this final-form rulemaking. This proposed standard is reworded in response to stakeholder concerns regarding sufficiency of the content of the standards to better reflect the full spectrum of standards in the NAAEE K—12 Environmental Education: Guidelines for Excellence. The final revised standard reads as follows, ''Investigate how perspectives over the use of resources and the development of technology have changed over time and resulted in conflict over the development of societies and nations.'' As amended in this final-form rulemaking, the standard is reorganized as part of the new grades 3—5 domain for ''Environmental Literacy and Sustainability'' under the core idea for ''Environmental Literacy Skills.''

 The new standard for grades 3—5 referenced previously also reflects a revision to a standard proposed for grades 3—5 under ''Environment and Ecology—Environment and Society.'' The Board deletes the standard within that section of the Board's proposed rulemaking that expected students to, ''Explain that human social systems are dynamic and that conflicts sometimes arise over differing and changing viewpoints about the environment and natural resources use and management'' from this final-form rulemaking. The Board edits the proposed standard to increase the use of three-dimensional language, as requested by stakeholders and to strengthen connections to the new ''Environmental Literacy and Sustainability'' standards for grades 6—12. As amended in this final-form rulemaking, concepts from the proposed standard now are reflected in the final standard that expects students in grades 3—5 to, ''Investigate how perspectives over the use of resources and the development of technology have changed over time and resulted in conflict over the development of societies and nations.''

 The Board rewrites a proposed standard in the K—2 grade band for ''Environment and Ecology—Skills for Analyzing and Investigating Environmental Issues'' that expected students to ''identify and investigate issues in their local environment and community'' in three-dimensional language as requested by stakeholders and reorganized in a different section of this final-form rulemaking. As such, the Board deletes the proposed standard from this final-form rulemaking and replaces it with a rewritten standard in the new K—2 domain for ''Environmental Literacy and Sustainability.'' The rewritten standard is included under the core idea for ''Environmental Literacy Skills'' as follows, ''Plan and carry out an investigation to address an issue in their local environment and community.''

 The Board amends the proposed standard in the K—2 grade band for ''Environment and Ecology—Skills for Analyzing and Investigating Environmental Issues'' that expected students to ''use their knowledge of how ecological and human systems are interconnected to describe the environmental and social consequences of local environmental issues'' in this final-form rulemaking to use three-dimensional language as requested by stakeholders. The revised standard also is reorganized in a different section in this final-form rulemaking. The proposed standard is revised as follows, ''Develop a model to demonstrate how local environmental issues are connected to larger local environment and human systems.'' As reorganized in this final-form rulemaking, the revised standard is included in the new grades 3—5 domain for ''Environmental Literacy and Sustainability'' under the core idea for ''Environmental Literacy Skills.''

 The new standard for grades 3—5 referenced previously also reflects a revision to the proposed standard for students in grades 3—5 for ''Environment and Ecology—Skills for Analyzing and Investigating Environmental Issues'' that expected students to, ''Demonstrate active listening, tolerance, adaptability, and openness as they work with others to gather a range of perspectives and information.'' That proposed standard is edited to increase the use of three-dimensional language, as requested by stakeholders, and to strengthen connections to the new ''Environmental Literacy and Sustainability'' standards for grades 6—12. As edited, the concepts in the proposed standard are now reflected in the final standard for grades 3—5 that expects students to, ''Develop a model to demonstrate how local environmental issues are connected to larger local environment and human systems.''

 Two proposed standards in the K—2 grade band for ''Environment and Ecology—Skills for Analyzing and Investigating Environmental Issues'' that expected students to ''develop plans, including possible design solutions, for addressing selected local environmental issues'' and to ''demonstrate openness and receptivity while listening to and working with others who have perspectives about the environment that are different from their own'' are combined with another standard in this final-form rulemaking. As such, the Board deletes those two proposed standards from this final-form rulemaking. This new combined standard is reflected in the final standard within the new grades K—2 domain for ''Environmental Literacy and Sustainability'' under the core idea for ''Environmental Literacy Skills'' that reads as follows, ''plan and carry out an investigation to address an issue in their local environment and community.''

 A standard in the proposed grades 3—5 domain for ''Environment and Ecology—Environment and Ecology'' under ''Earth's Physical and Living Systems'' expected students to, ''Describe the physical processes that shape Earth, including weather, climate, plate tectonics, and the hydrologic cycle. They explain how matter cycles and energy flows among the abiotic and biotic components of the environment. They describe how humans affect and are affected by Earth's physical systems.'' The Board deletes this standard from this final-form rulemaking due to a lack of clarity.

 Other standards in the Board's proposed rulemaking for grades 3—5 are deleted from this final-form rulemaking due to a lack of clarity and to revise the standards to use three-dimensional language as requested by stakeholders. These proposed standards are replaced by new standards. The proposed standards for students in grades 3—5 for ''Environment and Ecology'' that are deleted and replaced for these reasons are as follows: proposed standard # 4 under Decision-Making and Action Skills; proposed standards # 1 and # 2 under Personal and Civic Responsibility; proposed standard # 2 under Earth's Physical and Living Systems; proposed standards # 2 and # 3 under Human Systems; proposed standards # 1, # 2 and # 3 under Environment and Society; and proposed standards # 1, # 2 and # 3 under Skills for Analyzing and Investigating Environmental Issues.

 Alternatively, new standards for students in grades 3—5 are included in this final-form rulemaking to enhance clarity, to reflect three-dimensional language as requested by stakeholders, and to establish clear learning progressions relative to standards in the new fifth domain for students in grades 6—12. These standards are included in the new domain for ''Environmental Literacy and Sustainability'' for grades 3—5 under the core idea for ''Sustainability and Stewardship.'' The new standards included in this final-form rulemaking expect students to, ''critique ways that people depend on and change the environment,'' ''examine ways you influence your local environment and community by collecting and displaying data,'' and ''construct an argument to support whether action is needed on a selected environmental issue and propose possible solutions.''

 In this final-form rulemaking, the Board also amends the proposed Pennsylvania Integrated Standards for Science, Environment and Ecology (grades 6—12) to include a new domain on ''Environmental Literacy and Sustainability'' in both the grade band standards for grades 6—8 and in the grade band standards for grades 9—12. For consistency with how this domain is presented across all grade levels, the new fifth domain for ''Environmental Literacy and Sustainability'' for grades 6—8 and grades 9—12 also is organized under the following three core ideas: 1) Agricultural and Environmental Systems and Resources; 2) Environmental Literacy Skills; and 3) Sustainability and Stewardship. Adding a fifth domain to the standards for grades 6—12 that addresses content related to the environment, ecology and agriculture was suggested by multiple stakeholders as a way to satisfy stakeholder concerns surrounding the sufficiency of content in those areas.

 In direct response to stakeholder concerns, the new domain added to the standards for grades 6—8 includes standards that expect students to develop models to describe how agricultural and food systems function, including sustainable use of natural resources and the production, processing and management of food, fiber and energy. Standards in the new domain also set forth expectations for students in grades 6—8 to analyze and interpret data about how different societies and cultures use and manage natural resources differently, address the roles and functions of watersheds and wetlands, create expectations for students in this Commonwealth to explore how local environmental issues affect our State's human and natural systems, and establish requirements for instruction related to integrated pest management. Further, in response to stakeholder concerns, the final standards for students in grades 6—8 also expect students to receive instruction in how best management practices and environmental laws are designed to achieve environmental sustainability, to design a solution to an environmental issue to gain knowledge related to environmental stewardship, and to construct an explanation that describes regional environmental conditions and their implications on environmental justice and social equity.

 Standards included in the new ''Environmental Literacy and Sustainability'' domain for grades 9—12 in this final-form rulemaking also are created in direct response to stakeholder concerns about content that stakeholders identified as either omitted or weakly link in the Board's proposed rulemaking. The standards adopted in this final-form rulemaking expect students at the high school level to receive instruction in agricultural systems to ''analyze and interpret how issues, trends, technologies, and policies impact agricultural, food, and environmental systems and resources.'' They further expect high school students to be able to ''apply research and analytical skills to evaluate the conditions and motivations that lead to conflict, cooperation, and change among individual groups, and nations'' as they pertain to environment and society. The new standards included in this final-form rulemaking also set forth expectations for high school-level instruction in watersheds and wetlands, for applying research and analytical skills to investigate local, regional or global environmental issues, and for planning and conducting investigations utilizing environmental data about a local environmental issue. The standards in the new ''Environmental Literacy and Sustainability'' domain for grades 9—12 also require instruction to be provided in integrated pest management. Students in grades 9—12 further are expected to be able to ''analyze and evaluate how best management practices and environmental laws achieve sustainability of natural resources,'' to ''design and evaluate solutions in which individuals and societies can promote stewardship in environmental quality and community well-being,'' and to ''analyze and interpret data on a regional environmental condition and its implication on environmental justice and social equity.''

 In addition to adding a new fifth domain for ''Environmental Literacy and Sustainability'' across all grade levels, the Board made other amendments to the standards in this final-form rulemaking that also are responsive to stakeholder concerns.

 First, within the Kindergarten standards for Earth and Space Science, the Board amends the first standard under ''Earth's Systems.'' In the Board's proposed rulemaking, that standard expected students to, ''Use observations of local weather conditions to describe patterns over time.'' The phrase ''and share'' is added to the final standard in response to a stakeholder comment that communication is a critical part of three-dimensional learning and, as such, should be reflected in the standard.

 Next, the Board makes editorial revisions to the grade 3 standard for Life Sciences—Ecosystems: Interactions, Energy and Dynamics. In the proposed rulemaking, that standard expected students to, ''Construct an argument that some animals have physical and behavioral adaptations that help members survive.'' A stakeholder raised concern that, as proposed, the standard did not match the title of the section in which it is included and that it already appeared appropriately under the grade 3 standard for Life Sciences—Biological Evolution: Unity and Diversity # 2 that addresses evolutionary adaptations. In response to that stakeholder's concern, the standard is revised to read as follows in this final-form rulemaking, ''Construct an argument that some animals form groups that help members survive.''

 The Board also makes an editorial revision to the grade 5 standards for Physical Science—Matter and Its Interactions in response to a comment received from a stakeholder. The stakeholder questioned whether standard # 5 in that section is not three-dimensional and whether it is too similar to standard # 3 within that same section.

 As proposed, the grade 5 standard for Physical Science—Matter and Its Interactions # 5 questioned by the commentator expected students to, ''Interpret and analyze data and observations to make decisions about how to utilize materials based on their properties.'' Standard # 3 in that section that expects students to, ''Make and communicate observations and measurements to identify materials based on their properties.'' The Board disagrees that standard # 5 is redundant to standard # 3. Rather, standard # 5 builds upon other standards. Standard # 3 in this section focuses on identifying materials based on their properties, while standard # 5 in this section focuses on synthesizing skills, interpreting and analyzing. To provide clarity between the intent of the two distinct standards, in this final-form rulemaking the Board deletes the phrase ''and observations'' from standard # 5. This final grade 5 standard now reads as follows, ''Interpret and analyze data to make decisions about how to utilize materials based on their properties.''

 Finally, following a recommendation from the Science Standards Content Committee and Steering Committee, the Board amends a middle school standard for Life Sciences—Natural Selection and Adaptations. As proposed, this standard within grade 6—8 band of the Pennsylvania Integrated Standards for Science, Environment and Ecology (grades 6—12) expected students to, ''Analyze displays of pictorial data to compare patterns of similarities in embryological development across multiple species to identify relationships not evident in the fully formed anatomy.'' The emphasis of this standard is on inferring general patterns of relatedness among structures of different organisms by comparing the appearance of diagrams or pictures. In addition, the Science Standards Content Committee and Steering Committee advised that the Recapitulation Theory (Biogenetic Principle) is no longer scientifically valid. Furthermore, the standard was found to be written in a manner that overlaps with curricular decisions, and the developmental appropriateness for younger middle school students was questioned.

 In response to those considerations, in this final-form rulemaking the Board amends the grade 6—8 standard for Life Sciences—Natural Selection and Adaptations # 3 by replacing the term ''embryological development'' with ''anatomical structures.'' As amended, the final standard reads as follows, ''Analyze displays of pictorial data to compare patterns of similarities in their anatomical structures across multiple species of similar classification levels to identify relationships.''

Affected Parties

 This final-form rulemaking affects public school districts, ACTSs and charter and cyber charter schools in this Commonwealth and their employees and students, as well as educator preparation programs that prepare new teachers.

Cost and Paperwork Estimates

 This final-form rulemaking will not impose any costs on students. Further, this final-form rulemaking is not anticipated to impose new costs on programs that train new educators. The updated academic standards will act as a guide for redesigning some courses educator preparation programs deliver to individuals preparing to become teachers to ensure course content is aligned to current academic standards. This does not impose a new cost for additional coursework. Rather, the impact on educator preparation programs would shift the content of some existing courses, and the Department will provide educator preparation program faculty with access to implementation supports it will make available for updated science standards to support this work.

 Further, the Department will update its program framework guidelines for educators in the science, technology, environment, ecology and engineering fields to align with the new standards. Outreach conducted with the Pennsylvania Association of Colleges and Teacher Educators, which includes educator preparation programs at private colleges and universities, State-related universities and the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education (PASSHE), indicated that this final-form rulemaking will not impose a cost on the institutions. Educator preparation program updates occur through two basic means: as a part of faculty expectations or as Departmental service. Costs only would be incurred if updates occurred outside of the contract period (PASSHE faculty are 9-month employees), and approval for curriculum updates could take 12—18 months (2-3 semesters) at some institutions. The proposed rulemaking included a July 1, 2025, effective date for implementation of updated standards which should provide adequate time for educator preparation programs to make any necessary adjustments.

 As part of the stakeholder engagement convened by the Department in developing recommended standards updates, science educators were asked to complete a survey that included strategic questions to discern what academic standards K—12 schools utilize when creating their curriculum. The results of the survey indicated that, as of the 2019-2020 school year, approximately 42% of respondents in this Commonwealth reported using National frameworks in designing learning experiences, while between 35—37% reported having curriculum aligned to National standards and frameworks. This presumably will necessitate fewer or more minor adjustments to curriculum to align with the updated standards in this final-form rulemaking since the revised standards are informed by current National standards frameworks in their development and incorporate some elements of the frameworks already referenced by educators in response to the Department's question.

 For the purposes of this final-form rulemaking, school entities are considered local governments. To determine a specific estimate of the costs to local governments, the Board sought to determine the cost of implementing updated standards in the remaining school entities in this Commonwealth that did not report that they already are aligning their curriculum to current National standards and frameworks and, thus, would need to revise curriculum. School entities typically engage in curriculum review cycles every 5 to 6 years. Thus, the Board anticipates that efforts to implement the updated standards included in this final-form rulemaking will be reflected in school entities' existing budgetary practices for curriculum review and updates, therefore becoming part of a traditional cycle for updating school entity resources. As such, this final-form rulemaking does not add new costs in so much as it refines the focus of current instruction.

 At the State level, the Board anticipates that this final-form rulemaking will cost approximately $17,994,792 in total through Fiscal Year (FY) 2026-2027 to review and update the PSSA exams in Science, the Keystone Biology exam, the Pennsylvania Standards Aligned System resources, and to provide technical support for school entities. As a result of this final-form rulemaking, the Department anticipates a need to update the PSSA Science exams, administered in grades 4 and 8, and the Keystone Exam in Biology to align to the update to academic standards in science included in Appendix B-1 of this final-form rulemaking. To support implementation of the revised standards locally, the Department will provide educators with access to State-developed resources through the Standards Aligned System web site, professional learning, and on-going support and consultation. The Department will provide technical assistance supports through the expertise of its content advisors and additional professional learning supports through the Statewide System of Support deployed through collaboration with the existing network of regional Intermediate Units.

 Through collaboration with the State's 29 Intermediate Units, the Department drives professional learning to support science, technology, environment and ecology education through the Statewide System of Support. Since 2016, the Department has been driving professional learning to educators and school entities aligned to robust research, practice and recent guidance outlined by ''A Framework for K—12 Science Education: Practices, Crosscutting Concepts, and Core Ideas,'' ''Taking Science To School,'' and ''Science Teacher's Learning: Enhancing Opportunities Creating Supportive Contexts.'' Since 2016, the Department has invested more than $4.3 million in Federal and State funds to enhance educators' and school entities' ability to ensure all learners, especially those who have been historically underserved, are included in science, technology, engineering and environmental learning experiences. The investment has resulted in the development of an Open Education Resource STEM Toolkit, provision of research-aligned professional learning for thousands of educators across this Commonwealth, and school entities' building STEM Comprehensive plans. This upfront investment will support school entities in implementing the new standards included in this final-form rulemaking.

 Continued annual investments of $1.8 million in the Statewide System of Support will ensure each Intermediate Unit has a STEM Point of Contact with the expertise to deliver professional learning and technical assistance at no cost to school entities as they build towards implementation of the new Pennsylvania Integrated Standards for Science, Environment, Ecology, Technology and Engineering (grades K—5), Pennsylvania Integrated Standards for Science, Environment and Ecology (grades 6—12) and the Pennsylvania Technology and Engineering Standards (grades 6—12).

 In addition to the State-level investments in education infrastructure through the Intermediate Units, the Department employs content advisors who provide curriculum alignment supports for school entities across this Commonwealth. The Department has individual content advisors dedicated to science, technology, engineering, environment and ecology education with the expertise necessary to guide implementation for the field. Support for standards implementation by the Department, including updating, aligning and designing resources for school entities and educators, can be carried out with the current staff complement of content advisors. The resources developed by the Department will be curated on the Department's Standards Aligned System web site for voluntary use by school entities at no cost to the school entities.

 Following is an estimate of anticipated costs to the State to implement this final-form rulemaking on an annual basis through FY 2026-2027:

 FY 2021-2022: The estimated State cost is $1.827 million, which represents the annual investment in the Pennsylvania Statewide System of Support to deliver professional learning and technical assistance in Science, Technology, Engineering and Environment and Ecology education at no cost to educators. Professional learning and technical assistance delivered through this investment is provided through each of the State's 29 Intermediate Units.

 FY 2022-2023: The estimated State cost is $1.827 million, which represents the investment in the Pennsylvania Statewide System of Support that will support the creation of State-level resources to assist school entities and educators with implementation of the updated State academic standards in science. This investment will be directed toward work to redesign the professional learning and technical assistance made available at no cost to educators through the State's network of Intermediate Units to align with the new standards in this final-form rulemaking.

 FY 2023-2024: The estimated State cost is $9,258,797, which represents a sustained effort to support State-level resources to assist school entities and educators with implementation of the updated State academic standards in science and new work to revise State assessments administered in Science. Through an investment in the Pennsylvania Statewide System of Support, the State will continue to support efforts to redesign the content of professional learning and technical assistance made available at no cost to educators to align with the needs of school entities in implementing the new standards in this final-form rulemaking. The professional learning and technical assistance will be provided through the State's network of 29 Intermediate Units. The estimated cost also includes work necessary to revise State assessments administered in Science to align with the new standards in Appendix B-1 of this final-form rulemaking. Anticipated costs include aligning the State assessment question bank to reflect the content of the updated science standards in the regulation and modernizing the testing process towards technology-enhanced items. Updated performance-based academic standards will enable adjustments to State assessments that enable automated scoring.

 FY 2024-2025: The estimated State cost is $2,891,071, which reflects efforts to continue refining State assessment items and resources for educators to align with the new standards as previously described.

 FY 2025-2026: The estimated state cost is $1.827 million, and estimated savings are $1,463,076, resulting in an estimated net cost of $363,924. The estimated cost represents the investment in the Pennsylvania Statewide System of Support to redesign the professional learning and technical assistance available at no cost to educators to align with the needs of school entities in implementing the updated State academic standards in science. The professional learning and technical assistance will be provided by the State's network of 29 Intermediate Units. The estimated savings reflect a shift in assessment practices. The Department anticipates that updated State assessments will be administered for the first time beginning in FY 2025-2026. Estimated savings are realized through the shift from hand-scored assessments to automated scoring, enabled by adopting updated performance-based standards. This estimate assumes a shift from hand-scored items to technology-enhanced items. Hand-scored items require the time and expertise of several professionals to score individual assessments. Technology-enhanced items do not require the time and expertise of several professionals. It is anticipated that this shift will result in annual savings in future years. Estimated savings are predicated on assumptions to changes in the State assessment design and are contingent on final determinations about the design of State assessments that will be completed through the Department's work to implement assessments aligned to the new standards.

 FY 2026-2027: The estimated State cost is $1.827 million, which represents the investment in the Pennsylvania Statewide System of Support to deliver professional learning and technical assistance aligned with the new standards in this final-form rulemaking to educators at no cost. The professional learning and technical assistance will be provided through the State's network of 29 Intermediate Units.

 Estimated State costs take into account resources and collaborations, such as Federal grants, that will support implementation of this final-form rulemaking. Through collaborative efforts with the State's network of Intermediate Units, the Department has been working with the Stroud Watershed Research Center, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Association, the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, the Department of Environmental Protection and other collective impact partners through a multiyear Federal grant to build a robust network that is delivering professional learning and technical assistance in environmental, ecology and watershed education to school entities across this Commonwealth. The collaboration represents an upfront investment preparing educators and school entities for research-aligned supports and has established a foundation for implementing the new standards included in this final-form rulemaking. This Federally grant-funded program will continue through 2022 to support professional development for educators and environmental literacy for scholars across this Commonwealth.

Effective Date

 This final-form rulemaking will take effect upon publication in the Pennsylvania Bulletin.

Sunset Date

 The Board will review the effectiveness of Chapter 4 every 4 years in accordance with the Board's policy and practice respecting all of its regulations. Thus, no sunset date is necessary.

Regulatory Review

 Under section 5(a) of the RRA (71 P.S. § 745.5(a)), on May 11, 2021, the Board submitted a copy of the notice of proposed rulemaking, published at 51 Pa.B. 3103, and a copy of a Regulatory Analysis Form to IRRC and to the Chairpersons of the House and Senate Committees on Education for review and comment.

 Under section 5(c) of the RRA, the Board is required to submit to IRRC and the House and Senate Committees copies of comments received during the public comment period, as well as other documents when requested. In preparing the final-form rulemaking, the Board has considered all comments from IRRC, the House and Senate Committees and the public.

 Under section 5.1(j.2) of the RRA (71 P.S. § 745.5a(j.2)), on May 18, 2022 the final-form rulemaking was deemed approved by the House and Senate Committees. Under section 5.1(e) of the RRA, IRRC met on May 19, 2022, and approved the final-form rulemaking.

 The Office of Attorney General approved the final-form rulemaking as to form and legality on June 21, 2022.

Contact Person

 Persons who require additional information about this final-form rulemaking may submit inquiries to Karen Molchanow, Executive Director, State Board of Education, 333 Market Street, 1st Floor, Harrisburg, PA 17126, ra-stateboardofed@pa.gov.

Findings

 The Board finds that:

 (1) Public notice of the proposed rulemaking was given under sections 201 and 202 of the act of July 31, 1968 (P.L. 769, No. 240) (45 P.S. §§ 1201 and 1202), referred to as the Commonwealth Documents Law and the regulations promulgated thereunder, 1 Pa. Code §§ 7.1 and 7.2 (relating to notice of proposed rulemaking required; and adoption of regulations).

 (2) A public comment period was provided as required by law and all comments were considered in drafting this final-form rulemaking.

 (3) This final-form rulemaking does not enlarge the purpose of the proposed rulemaking published at 51 Pa.B. 3103.

 (4) This final-form rulemaking is necessary and appropriate for the administration of the Public School Code of 1949.

Order

 The Board, acting under authorizing statute, orders that:

 (a) The regulations of the Board, 22 Pa. Code Chapter 4, are amended by amending §§ 4.3, 4.4, 4.11, 4.12, 4.21—4.24, 4.31—4.35, 4.51, 4.51a, 4.51b, 4.51c, 4.51d, 4.52, and adding Appendix B-1 to read as set forth in Annex A, with ellipses referring to the existing text of the regulations.

 (b) The Board shall submit this final-form rulemaking to the Office of General Counsel and the Office of Attorney General for review and approval as required by law.

 (c) The Board shall submit this final-form rulemaking to IRRC and the House and Senate Committees as required by law.

 (d) The Board shall certify this final-form rulemaking, as approved for legality and form, and shall deposit it with the Legislative Reference Bureau as required by law.

 (e) This final-form rulemaking shall take effect upon publication in the Pennsylvania Bulletin.

KAREN MOLCHANOW, 
Executive Director

 (Editor's Note: See 52 Pa.B. 3294 (June 4, 2022) for IRRC's approval order.)

 Fiscal Note: Fiscal Note 6-347 remains valid for the final adoption of the subject regulations.

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