Keystone Exam Results Spring 2014

Pennsylvania Common Core Keystone Exam Results 

The Pennsylvania Department of Education (PDE) has been able, but un-willing to release the Keystone Exam results for Spring 2014.  I found this on a school district’s website, full report can be read HERE.

Statewide results for Spring 2014

Algebra 1:  40.1% of students scored Proficient or Advanced
203,357 total students tested     81,470 students PASSED     121,887 students to RE-TEST

Biology:  41.4%  of students scored Proficient or Advanced
164,757 total students tested     68,215 students PASSED     96,532 students to RE-TEST

Literature:  52.4% of students scored Proficient or Advanced
111,612 total students tested     75,076 students PASSED     68,222 students to RE-TEST

NOTE:  These tests are cut-scored by temporary employees paid $11-$13/hr with no background in education necessary.  The cut is determined AFTER the students raw scores are in.  See more about the cut-scores HERE

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Statewide results for RE-TESTERS (students who tested 1 or more times already).  The students below who did not pass will re-test AGAIN and/or take a remedial class and the Project Based Assessment:

Algebra 1
80,591 students re-tested and 21.8% passed
63,035 students to re-test AGAIN

Biology 
40,7615 students re-tested and 11.7% passed
42,061 students to re-test AGAIN 

Literature 
31,686 students re-tested and 20.2% passed
25,273 students to re-test AGAIN

• Will parents, teachers and students have access to student-specific information prior to re-testing?
• What student-specific information is provided from the Keystone exam results that shows a student strengths and weakness in the eligible content area?
• What is the cost for the Keystone Exams, the re-test, the remedial class and the PBA?  Are these cost-effective efficient ways to educate students or a waste of time and money?  Has there been any review prior to Keystone test administration to know these answers?
• Will students be removed from an elective class or a core class for a Keystone remedial class?
• Who writes the questions for the Keystone Exams, are they educators and do they have a background in education? 

Colleges and prospective employers DO NOT consider the Keystone Exams in any capacity yet students FORCED to spend 20% or more of their time in a class during the school year on test prep and testing resulting in lost instructional time for a single test.  This is not education.  Our students are unpaid employees to political and corporate interest groups who are making billions of dollars a year on these insidious tests.

Parents can let the PDE know their questions, issues or concerns regarding the Keystone Exams.

John Weiss, Director, Pennsylvania Department of Education Bureau of Assessment and Accountability can be reached via email at: jweiss@pa.gov