PA Education Legislation Update and Action

There are three pieces of legislation that will have an impact on the Keystone exam graduation requirement.  Please consider writing to the PA House Education members and urging them to support removing the Keystone exam graduation requirement (sample letter and contact information is below).  These are the 3 bills currently being discussed and potentially voted on.

Parents, teachers, administrators, students and taxpayers - please consider writing to the House Education Committee and urge them to support HB 172 that would remove the Keystone graduation requirement.  Sample letter and contact information is below.

SB 880

SB 880 will delay the Keystone graduation requirement for 2 years, moving the grad requirement back to the class of 2019.  SB 880 passed the Senate Education Committee unanimously 49-0 on June 29, 2015.  It is now in the House Education Committee waiting to be brought to a vote. You can read more about SB 880 HERE

HB 172

HB 172 will remove the Keystone graduation requirement.  This bill was referred to the House Education Committee on January 23, 2015 but there has been no discussion or movement on this bill.  This bill has been brought up again by a few legislators after the House Education Hearings on July 29, 2015.  You can read more about HB 172 HERE

HB 168

HB 168 would leave the Keystone graduation requirement up to each school district.  While local control is a good thing, having the option of some school districts using the Keystone graduation requirement is not.  You can read more about HB 168 HERE

Sample letter:

Dear Represenative,  

I am a parent/student in _____________ school district, in ___________ county.  I urge you to support removing the Keystone graduation requirement.  SB 880 which delays the use of the Keystone exams as a graduation requirement until the class of 2019 would help students who are currently oppressed with burdensome remedial classes and re-testing.  

Please consider supporting HB 172 which removes the Keystone graduation requirement.  This would allow teachers and students to gain more instructional time to prepare for college or employment.

The Keystone exam graduation requirement is an unfunded mandate that deters from instructional time and student advancement.  SB 880 is urgent and HB 172 is even more relevant and urgent – this unfunded and burdensome graduation mandate is creating havoc in every Pennsylvania school district. 

Sincerely,
Your Name

E-Mails of All Members of House Education Committee for Group E-mail

(copy and paste into email)

ssaylor@pahousegop.com, jroebuck@pahouse.net, rbrown@pahousegop.com, jchristi@pahousegop.com, henglish@pahousegop.com, mgillen@pahousegop.com, sgrove@pahousegop.com, khill@pahousegop.com, HLewis@pahousegop.com, boneill@pahousegop.com, tquigley@pahousegop.com, klrapp@pahousegop.com, Mreese@pahousegop.com, CStaats@pahousegop.com, wtallman@pahousegop.com, mtobash@pahousegop.com, dtruitt@pahousegop.com, mcarroll@pahouse.net, sconklin@pahouse.net, pharkins@pahouse.net, RepKim@pahouse.net, mlongiet@pahouse.net, dmiller@pahouse.net, gmullery@pahouse.net, mobrien@pahouse.net, ssantars@pahouse.net, schreiber@pahouse.net