Students in the 2019-2020 cohort did not take the 2020 Keystone Exams because there was a federal waiver due to COVID 19. Students in this cohort do not need to take the Keystones, however schools will be offering them because they are two of the 5 pathways to fulfill the graduation requirement.
From the PDE website (bold emphasis added):
"The waiver's coverage of assessment requirements applies to the cohort of 2019-20 test takers who were scheduled to take one or more Keystone Exams in the spring of 2020 (Spring 2019-20 Cohort). Accordingly, the Federal government is not requiring any student enrolled in a Keystone Exam trigger course (Algebra I, Biology, English Literature) during the spring of the 2019-20 school year, regardless of their current grade level or expected graduation date, to take the associated Keystone Exam(s) once schools reopen and federal assessment requirements resume."
Spring 2019-20 Cohort: Opt-Out
Any student enrolled in a Keystone Exam trigger course during the spring of the 2019-20 school year has the right to opt out of the assessment by parental consent, should an LEA schedule a Keystone Exam administration for the entire cohort. Parents wishing to opt their student out of such an administration are not required to follow the procedures set forth in 22 Pa. Code § 4.4(d)(4) (related to religious opt-outs).
Impacts on State Graduation Requirements
In accordance with Act 158, statewide graduation requirements take effect with the class of 2022. Act 158 provides five options for meeting graduation requirements: (1) Keystone Proficiency Pathway, (2) Keystone Composite Pathway, (3) Alternate Assessment Pathway, (4) Evidence-Based Pathway, and (5) Career and Technical Education Pathway.
The first two pathways are based solely on Keystone Exam scores. For that reason, all students, including any student enrolled in a Keystone trigger course during the spring of the 2019-20 school year, must have full access to all five options to meet graduation requirements.
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