Keystone Exams a work in progress – Scranton Times-Tribune

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HARRISBURG Pennsylvanias experiment with a high-stakes student test remains in limbo as state lawmakers digest the impact of the latest changes in education policy from Washington.

The Senate and House education committees held a joint hearing last week on the impact of the federal Every Student Succeeds Act signed in 2015 by former President Barack Obama. This law outlines how states are to establish student performance goals in public schools and hold schools accountable for academic progress. Its the successor to the No Child Left Behind Act, which put more emphasis on teaching to pass tests.

In Washington, Betsy DeVos, President Donald Trumps education secretary and school choice advocate, said she wants to give states more flexibility in meeting the laws goals.

ESSA was passed with broad bipartisan support to move power away from

Washington, D.C., and into the hands of those who are closest to serving our nations students, she said.

Pennsylvania developed the statewide Keystone Exams in algebra, biology and literature for high school seniors in 2013 as part of the trend toward greater emphasis on tests to measure academic achievement.

A year ago, Gov. Tom Wolf signed a law delaying use of the Keystone Exams as a high school graduation requirement until the 2018-19 academic year. The delay reflects concerns among lawmakers of both parties about whether the Keystone Exams are a fair or reliable marker for graduation. Meanwhile, legislative proposals are emerging to provide alternatives to the Keystone Exams.

Pennsylvania is required to provide one statewide test in high school under ESSA, said Casey Smith, a spokeswoman for the state education department. Pennsylvania uses the Keystone Exams for that purpose, but the law doesnt require states to use tests as a graduation requirement, she said.

Sen. Andrew Dinniman, D-19, West Chester, ranking Democrat on the Senate education committee, is an outspoken critic of what he calls the testing obsession.

We are spending hundreds of millions of taxpayer dollars on testing skills while some school districts dont even have the resources to properly educate students on the subjects upon subjects for which they are being tested, said Dinniman. The Keystone Exam is part of that testing program.

The senator said tests are appropriate for diagnostic purposes and to help students learn.

Dinniman plans to introduce a bill soon to replace the Keystone Exams with the SAT, a standard test used widely for college admission purposes.

Using the SAT would be less expensive, easier to administer and give a wider range of students a chance to obtain scholarships, said Dinniman.

Pennsylvania should take a more flexible approach to tests and provide school districts with the resources to help students master the test material, said Sen. John Yudichak, D-14, Plymouth Twp.

The Pennsylvania State Education Association called recently for formally removing the Keystone Exams as a graduation requirement.

We strongly support making the Keystone Exams delay permanent, said PSEA President Jerry Oleksiak. When there is too much emphasis on standardized testing, it gets in the way of teaching and learning.

Sen. Robert Tomlinson, R-6, Bensalem, is drafting legislation allowing local schools to determine how the Keystone Exams are used to measure achievement.

The House unanimously approved legislation earlier this month to give career and technical education students an alternative to taking the Keystone Exam as a graduation requirement. The measure going to the Senate would allow these students to obtain an industry-based competency certification instead.

Rep. Mike Tobash, R-125, Pottsville, a key bill supporter, said this alternative recognizes the need for a diverse workforce to expand the economy.

Contact the writer:

rswift@timesshamrock.com

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Keystone Exams a work in progress - Scranton Times-Tribune