PA Action Alert - Oppose Keystone Exam Regulations - Graduation Competency Assessment Regs Will Hurt Students with IEPs

October 5th, 2009

The following alert is from the Arc of PA:

Background: The PA State Board of Education and the PA Department of Education began the process in the summer of 2008 to have regulations passed that would require high school students take and pass "Graduation Competency Exams", now known as "Keystone Exams", before they can graduate. These regulations have largely been opposed by nearly every education-related constituency and advocacy group. Public hearings were held and written comments taken throughout the process, as required, but they have had little impact on the drafters of the final regulations. Through public roundtables, hearings, and formal commenting processes, The Arc of PA and the advocacy community have expressed their concerns with these regulations because they will be harmful to students with disabilities. (The complete regulations can be found at:

www.irrc.state.pa.us/regulations/RegInfo.cfm?IRRCNO=2696)

The basic points of the Keystone Exams include:

Students would not graduate or receive a high school diploma if they fail to meet the new testing requirements.
School districts would be required to give 10 new state graduation tests ("Keystone Exams") to all high school students (or use more rigorous local assessments for the same state academic standards). Three of the Keystone Exams - Algebra I, Literature, and Biology - would be mandatory for all districts and all students starting in 2010-11. The additional exams - English composition, Geometry, Algebra II, American History, Civics and government, Chemistry and World History - would be required later.
Before the new testing requirement could be imposed, the PA Department of Education would have to request from the U.S. Department of Education that it be allowed to replace 11th grade "PSSAs" with the new Keystone Exams.
The new Keystone Exams would count as one-third of the final grade in each of the 10 required courses in high school. No credit is given for students receiving lower than basic score - they would receive a 0%.
Students failing the tests could receive extra instruction and chances to re-take the tests or earn credit through state-created projects.
Students eligible for special education could be exempted through their IEP.

Much of the opposition by the General Assembly and education-related organizations centers on funding issues, district administration staffing issues, and the loss of local control for districts to decide on their local assessment process. There is also great concern over the fact that a student scoring below basic on any of the exams would get a 0% for that test.

Widespread opposition from disability advocacy organizations is centered on the adverse impact these exams would have on students with disabilities.

Exempting students with IEPs from these exams would let school staff off the hook and less accountable to these students and their parents. It is likely that less attention would be paid to students who do not have to take and pass the tests.
The regulations are unclear about whether alternative tests would be available to students with IEPs for all 10 exams.
The regulations are not specific with respect to the ability of students with disabilities to utilize reasonable accommodations - accommodations that they may utilize in their everyday school work. Would these accommodations be allowed during the testing process?
The price tag for these exams has been estimated between $208 and $240 million dollars. The advocacy community believes this large amount of money can be better utilized to study and modify the current PSSA and PASA system and provide the support that students with disabilities will need to be included in regular classes in their neighborhood school so that they can succeed in school and then in adult life.

The Independent Regulatory Commission is voting on the final form regulations of the Keystone Exam proposal on October 22, 2009. The Arc of PA, along with nearly every other educational advocacy organization and two-thirds of the General Assembly, has expressed opposition to these high stake exams.

Advocates are urging that this proposal be taken off the fast track, and instead investigate and publicize the findings relative to how these tests have impacted students with disabilities in other states who use such exam requirements. Pennsylvania needs to develop educational programming that will support students with disabilities, including remedial supports, curriculum modification and teacher supports, before it moves forward with a new testing system that could adversely impact students with disabilities.

Comments are due to the IRRC by 5PM on Monday, October 19, 2009, addressed to:

Arthur Coccodrilli, Chairman
PA Independent Regulatory Review Commission
333 Market Street, 14^th Floor
Harrisburg, PA 17101
FAX- 717-783-2664 or email comments to [email protected]

Individuals may also speak at the public meeting on October 22, 2009 and are encouraged to contact IRRC before the meeting, but this is not required.

Adjust text size: A | A | A