Coatesville Area School District
Updated: 8/15/2012
In July 2012, the Pennsylvania
Department of Education (PDE) released additional important information
about Keystone Exam implementation. As a District, we feel
that it is important to keep our parents and community informed as to
the educational changes that will impact their children. As a
result, we have created a list of Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
about the Keystone Exams is provided below.
Q: What are Keystone Exams?
Keystone
Exams are state mandated end-of-course tests intended for students in
the Class of 2017 and beyond to demonstrate proficiency in core
subjects. The expectation is that all students will pass
these tests in order to graduate. There is a secondary purpose
of the Keystone Exams as well. The Keystone Exams in Algebra I
and Literature will be used to determine the high school’s AYP status
each year. The Keystones will replace the PSSA for 11th
graders.
Q: What subjects have a related
Keystone Exam?
English
Language Arts, Algebra I, and Biology are the first three Keystone
Exams to be implemented. The state will be developing other
exams as part of the graduation requirement in future years which
include but are not limited to Composition(2019), and
Civics and Government(2020). The state will also develop 5
Keystone Exams that will be available for voluntary use. These
exams are Geometry, U.S. History, Algebra II, Chemistry, and World
History.
Q: How are Keystone Exams related to
high school graduation requirements?
Students
graduating in 2017 (current 8th graders) and
beyond must demonstrate proficiency in English Language Arts, Algebra
I, and Biology. Students graduating before 2017 will be
required to take the Keystone Exams for AYP purposes but their results
will not be counted towards their graduation requirements.
Q: When do students take Keystone
Exams?
Keystone
Exams are attached to a particular course, not a student’s grade level.
The exam is administered like a final exam when the course is completed
and when the exams are made available by PDE. For example, Algebra I is
taken by both middle school and high school students. The Keystone Exam
will be administered at the end of the Algebra 1 course regardless of
the grade level of the student. This will be applied to
students in the graduating class of 2017 and beyond. Starting
the 2012-13 school year, all eleventh grade students will take the
Keystones.
Q: How soon will Keystone Exams be
administered?
The
Keystone Exams will be administered starting in the spring of 2013.
Q: My child took Algebra I last year.
What happens if a student in the class of 2017 or beyond has completed
a course before the test is offered?
The
regulations state that students who complete a course before the
Keystone is required for graduation will not need to demonstrate
proficiency on the exams for graduation, however; students will be
required to take the Keystone Exams while in high school to determine
the school’s AYP status.
Q: Does this mean that the state will
be applying test results from middle school students to high school
graduation requirements?
Yes.
If a student completes a course aligned to a Keystone Exam during the
middle school years, the proficiency outcome is used to determine
eligibility for a high school diploma.
Q: Can an individual student opt out
of a Keystone Exam?
No.
The regulations do not permit this.
Q: Can a student earn credit for a
course by passing a Keystone Exam without taking the course?
The
District has no plans to enable students to earn credit for a course by
examination.
Q: What happens if a student is not
proficient?
Students
who do not pass the Keystone Exam score must receive remedial
instruction and must retake the Keystone Exam until a passing final
course grade is achieved. After two unsuccessful attempts, students
will be eligible to demonstrate proficiency through the completion of a
project-based assessment that will be scored by a team of regional
teachers.
Q: I have heard these tests are
voluntary for Districts. Can a School District choose not to administer
these exams?
The
regulations permit school districts to use local assessments instead of
Keystone Exams. The assessments must be deemed by an independent
validation to address all required content, to be of comparable rigor,
and to have comparable proficiency cut scores. The state is currently
developing guidelines for local assessments. The Coatesville Area
School District does not have plans to administer or create local
assessments to replace the Keystones.
Q: Will there be testing
accommodations for students with special needs?
As
with the PSSA tests, students with special needs may take Keystone
Exams with accommodations listed in a student Individualized Education
Plan, subject to any limitations the state applies to a particular
test.
Q: Will the scores be on the high
school transcript?
Keystone
Exam scores shall be listed by proficiency level on student
transcripts.
Q: Will colleges and universities view
success on Keystone Exams as an advantage during the college admissions
process?
Current
information counselors have shared about college acceptance patterns
indicates that state test results are not important factors in
acceptance decisions.
Q: Will Keystone Exams replace the
PSSA tests?
The
Keystone Exams will replace the PSSA tests for eleventh grade students
only beginning in the 2012-13 school year.
Q: Will my child be prepared for
Keystone Exams?
District
courses aligned with Keystone Exams are designed to address the
requirements of these tests.
Q: I have further questions. Whom
shall I contact?
Middle and High School Directors will assist you. For High School, contact David Krakower and for Middle School contact Dr. Teresa Powell at 610-466-2400.
For further information please visit the links below:
Parent Information Sheet Provide by the PA Department of Education
PSBA Issue: Assessments, Testing, and NCLB
Pennsylvania Department of Education SAS Portal on Keystones