§ 4.51b. Keystone Exams.
(a) The Department will develop or cause to be developed Keystone Exams as provided in this subsection. (This subsection is intended by the Board to be a continuation of § 4.51(f) (relating to State assessment system) as published at 40 Pa.B. 240 (January 9, 2010) and referenced in section 102 of the School Code (24 P.S. § 1-102).)
(1) One assessment aligned with the Mathematics standards, contained in Appendix A-2, that assesses the academic content traditionally included in an Algebra I course.
(2) One assessment aligned with select English Language Arts standards, contained in Appendix A-2, that assesses academic content traditionally included in a high school literature course.
(3) Through June 30, 2025, one assessment aligned with select standards for Science, Technology, Environment and Ecology, contained in Appendix B, that assesses academic content traditionally included in a high school level Biology course. Beginning July 1, 2025, one assessment aligned with select standards for Science, Environment and Ecology, contained in Appendix B-1, that assesses academic content traditionally included in a high school level Biology course.
(b) Keystone Exams shall be offered at least three times each year: once each in the fall, spring and summer.
(c) Keystone Exams shall be administered, reviewed and scored so that scores for candidates for graduation are provided to schools no later than 10 calendar days prior to graduation. A school district, ACTS or charter school, including a cyber charter school, may request the Department to approve alternative test administration and scoring time frames. The Department will publish guidelines and procedures for approving alternative test administration and scoring time frames on its web site. The guidelines will provide for approval of all requests unless the approval is contrary to standards of test validity and scoring.
(d) A student shall be permitted to retake any Keystone Exam, or Keystone Exam module, in which the student did not score proficient or above at the next available testing date. There is not a limit on the number of times a student who did not score proficient on a Keystone Exam is permitted to retake the Keystone Exam or Keystone Exam module. A student who has achieved a score of proficient or advanced on a Keystone Exam shall be permitted to retake a Keystone Exam only if the student or parent submits a request in writing to the school entity.
(e) Each Keystone Exam will be designed in modules that reflect distinct, related academic content that is common to the traditional progression of coursework to allow students who do not score proficient or above to retake those portions of the test in which they did not score proficient or above.
(f) A student taking Keystone Exams, or Keystone Exam modules, who did not score proficient on a Keystone Exam, or Keystone Exam module, may be provided supplemental instruction consistent with the student’s educational program by the student’s school district, ACTS or charter school, including a cyber charter school, consistent with section 121(c.4) of the School Code (24 P.S. § 1-121(c.4)).
(g) Performance levels for Keystone Exams shall be set at the advanced, proficient, basic and below basic levels. In consultation with the Performance Level Advisory Committee, the Department will develop and recommend to the Board for its approval performance level descriptors and performance level cut scores for the Keystone Exams and any alternative assessments developed to assess students with disabilities as permitted by the Every Student Succeeds Act (Pub.L. No. 114-95). The Department will use widely-accepted psychometric procedures to establish the cut scores. Cut scores shall be presented at a public meeting of the Board for its review at least 2 weeks prior to scheduled Board action on the cut scores.
(h) The Department will provide guidance to school districts, ACTSs and charter schools, including cyber charter schools, as to the appropriate accommodations school entities shall provide to students with disabilities, students who are gifted and English language learners, when appropriate.
(i) Beginning in the 2012-2013 school year, Keystone Exams in the following subjects will be developed by the Department and made available for use by school districts, ACTSs and charter schools, including cyber charter schools, for the purpose of assessing high school graduation requirements in § 4.24(c)(1)(iii) (relating to high school graduation requirements):
Algebra I
Literature
Biology
(j) The Department will seek to have the Keystone Exams approved as the high school level single accountability system under the Every Student Succeeds Act (20 U.S.C.A. § § 6301—7981) or its successor Federal statute. If the Keystone Exams receive approval as the high school level accountability measure, school districts, ACTSs and charter schools, including cyber charter schools, shall administer the Literature, Algebra I and Biology exams as end-of-course tests in the grade level in which students complete the relevant coursework.
(k) The 11th grade PSSA exams in Reading, Writing, Math and Science shall be discontinued upon implementation of the Keystone Exams as the approved assessment system under section 1111(b)(2)(C) of the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 (20 U.S.C.A. § 6311(b)(2)(C)).
(l) At least once every 5 years, the Department will contract with a qualified, independent research organization to perform a validity study of the Keystone Exams using generally accepted education research standards. These studies will determine, at a minimum, the degree to which the Keystone Exams and performance level cut scores are valid for the purposes for which they are used; aligned with State academic standards; aligned with performance levels of other states; internationally benchmarked; and predict college and career success. In addition, all Keystone Exams, performance level descriptors and cut scores will be subject to the best available forms of content, criterion and consequential validation.
(m) The Department will establish a State Assessment Validation Advisory Committee (Committee). The Committee will advise the Department on its plans to conduct the validity study and review and provide feedback on its findings.
(n) The Department and the Committee will investigate the use of a certificate based on industry approved standards and performance on an NOCTI exam as an alternative pathway to graduation and will make a report and recommendation to the Board by January 10, 2011.
Authority The provisions of this § 4.51b issued under sections 121, 2603-B and 2604-B of the Public School Code of 1949 (24 P.S. § § 1-121, 26-2603-B and 26-2604-B); amended under sections 2603-B and 2604-B of the Public School Code of 1949 (24 P.S. § § 26-2603-B and 26-2604-B).
Source The provisions of this § 4.51b adopted February 28, 2014, effective March 1, 2014, 44 Pa.B. 1131; amended July 15, 2022, effective July 16, 2022, 52 Pa.B. 3946. Immediately preceding text appears at serial pages (371101) to (371104).
Cross References This section cited in 22 Pa. Code § 4.4 (relating to general policies); 22 Pa. Code § 4.24 (relating to high school graduation requirements); 22 Pa. Code § 4.51c (relating to project-based assessment); and 22 Pa. Code § 4.51d (relating to waivers).
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