High school students would get additional options to fulfill graduation requirements under proposed legislation being supported by PSEA.

Senate Bill 1095, introduced by state Sen. Tom McGarrigle, R-Chester/ Delaware, and approved by the Senate in June, would allow students who do not score proficient on the Keystone exams to demonstrate their readiness to graduate through alternative routes.

“Not only are there other ways to measure students’ abilities, they are better than standardized tests,’’ said PSEA President Dolores McCracken. “The legislation proposed by Sen. McGarrigle recognizes these options.’’

Under the proposed legislation, students not scoring proficient on the Keystones could fulfill graduation requirements by:

• Meeting or exceeding a composite score across Keystone exams in Algebra I, biology, and literature, and demonstrating at least “basic” performance on each of the three exams.
• Meeting or exceeding local grade requirements in subjects tested by the Keystone exams and completing a subject-specific advanced placement, international baccalaureate, or armed services vocational aptitude test, gaining acceptance in a registered apprenticeship program, or attaining a career readiness certificate.
• Meeting or exceeding local grade requirements in subjects tested by the Keystone exams and presenting at least three pieces of evidence from the student’s career portfolio, which is required for federal accountability under the Every Student Succeeds Act.

The bill would take effect when the delay in using the Keystone exams as a graduation requirement expires during the 2019-20 school year.

It follows legislation passed by the General Assembly last year, and also supported by PSEA, to allow career and technical education students to demonstrate their competency to graduate through their grades, alternative assessments, and industry-based certifications.

“I applaud Sen. McGarrigle for recognizing more work needs to be done, and more options need to be available to all students,’’ McCracken said. “Each day, students are working toward their individual career goals, and each student’s academic record reflects incredible, unique accomplishments which should not be ignored.’’