Pathways for Graduation

Student will meet the statewide graduation requirement by scoring proficient or advanced on each Keystone Exam - Algebra I, Biology, and Literature.

Student will earn proficient or advanced on at least one keystone exam (Algebra 1, Biology or Literature) and score at least basic on the other two keystone exams and have a composite score of at least 4452.  For a student who was enrolled in a Keystone trigger course in 2019-2020 and demonstrated proficiency through Keystone related coursework per PA.Act 136 of 2020, the Keystone Exam 2-score composite is 2939 or greater.

Student will meet or exceed the locally established grade-based requirements by earning a 60 percent or higher in all subjects where they did not earn proficiency on the Keystone Exam (Algebra, Biology, and/or Literature) and one of the following…

Attainment of an established score on an approved alternate assessment. Approved alternate assessments are (as per PDE):

• SAT: score of 1010
• PSAT: score of 970
• ACT: score of 21
• ACT Workkeys Assessment: Gold Level
• Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery exam: minimum score required to gain admittance to a branch of the armed services in the year the student graduates (composite score of 31)

OR

Attainment of an established score on an AP exam in an academic content area associated with each Keystone Exam on which the student did not achieve at least a proficient score (as per PDE).

• AP: score of 3 on an AP exam related to one of the following courses that are equivalent to the Algebra Keystone Exam:
  • AP Calculus AB
  • AP Calculus BC
  • AP Computer Science A
  • AP Computer Science Principles
  • AP Statistics
  • AP Physics 1: Algebra Based
  • AP Physics 2: Algebra Based
  • AP Physics C: Electricity and Magnetism
  • AP Physics C: Mechanics
  • AP Chemistry
• AP: score of 3 on an AP exam related to one of the following courses that are equivalent to the Literature Keystone Exam:
  • AP English Language Composition
  • AP English Literature and Composition  
• AP: score of 3 on an AP exam related to one of the following courses that are equivalent to the Biology Keystone Exam:
  • AP Biology
  • AP Environmental Science
  • AP Chemistry
  • AP Physics: Algebra-Based
  • AP Physics 2: Algebra-Based
  • AP Physics C: Electricity and Magnetism
  • AP Physics C: Mechanics

For further explanation of PDE’s approved and established scores for alternate assessments, please see the March 2020 State Board of Education document.

OR

Successful completion (60 percent or higher) of a concurrent enrollment course in an academic content area associated with each Keystone Exam in which the student did not achieve at least a proficient score. A concurrent enrollment course is a course in which the student is enrolled, and upon successful completion of which both high school and postsecondary credit are earned.  (local decision)

Approved credit-bearing non-remedial concurrent courses for Algebra:

• CHS Accounting 1
• CHS Accounting 2
• CHS Algebra 2
• CHS Business Calculus
• CHS Pre-Calculus with Trigonometry
• CHS Chemistry
• CHS Computer Information Systems
• CHS Economics
• CHS Physics 
• CHS Philosophy
• CHS Statistics
• CHS Introduction to Programming
• AP/CHS Psychology

Approved credit-bearing non-remedial concurrent courses for Biology:

• CHS Chemistry
• CHS Physics 

Approved credit-bearing non-remedial concurrent course for Literature:

• CHS Argument
• CHS College Writing
• CHS Sociology
• CHS Speech
• CHS Film Studies

OR

Successful completion of a pre-apprenticeship program

• specific career training designed to prepare a student for an occupation in an approved schedule of related instruction
• program must be registered with the Director Apprenticeship and Training Office, PA Department of Labor and Industry
• meets all pre-apprenticeship program requirements, per specific industry requirements

OR

Acceptance in an accredited 4-year nonprofit institution of higher education and evidence of the ability to enroll in college-level coursework regardless of the number of Keystone Exams for which the student did not achieve proficiency.

• A letter of admittance confirming non-conditional acceptance into an explicit 4 year program

OR

• A letter of general admittance AND evidence of the ability to enroll in college-level coursework through one of the following:
  • Placement test results indicating the student may enroll in college-level coursework in every subject area tested

or

• • College registration confirmation of enrollment in college-level courses (non-remedial) only

or

• • A locally-established graduate profile recommended minimally to consist of:
    • GPA of 3.0 (or B average) or higher
    • Attendance rate of 85% in grades 11 and 12
    • Successful completion in an advanced secondary-level math course other than the course leading to the Algebra I Keystone Exam
    • Successful completion in an advanced secondary-level English course other than the course leading to the Literature Keystone Exam

Student will meet or exceed the locally established grade-based requirements by earning a 60 percent or higher in all subjects where they did not earn proficiency on the Keystone Exam (Algebra, Biology, and/or Literature) and three additional pieces of evidence…

Section One: At least one (1) of the following:

• Attainment of an established score on an alternate assessment (as per PDE)   
  • SAT Subject Test:  630 
  • Act WorkKeys: Silver Level
• Advanced Placement (AP):  The student must score a 3 or higher  on any AP course exam consistent with the student’s goals and career plans
• Successful completion of a concurrent enrollment or postsecondary/college-level course (credit bearing non-remedial course)
  • The student must earn a passing grade, as evidenced by a high school transcript, on any approved concurrent enrollment course (CHS) consistent with the student's goals and career plans
• Attainment of an industry recognized credential
  • Documentation that verifies attainment as defined by the Office of Elementary and Secondary Education
  • For more information about Industry Based Credentials click here.
• Acceptance to an accredited nonprofit institution of higher education other than 4-year nonprofit institution of higher education and evidence of the ability to enroll in college-level coursework
  • A letter of admittance confirming non-conditional acceptance into an explicit other-than-four-year program

OR

• Written confirmation of general admittance and evidence of the ability to enroll in college-level coursework through one of the following:

• • Placement test results (or equivalent criteria established by the IHE) indicating the student may enroll in college-level coursework in every subject area

OR

• • College registration confirmation of enrollment in college-level courses (non-remedial) only

OR

• •  A locally-established graduate profile:
    • GPA of 2.0 (or C average) or higher
    • Attendance rate of 80% in grades 11 and 12
    • Successful completion in an advanced secondary-level math course other than the course leading to the Algebra I Keystone Exam
    • Successful completion in an advanced secondary-level English course other than the course leading to the Literature Keystone Exam

Section Two: Up to two (2) of the following:

• Service-Learning Project
  • May be connected to SV Senior project (if appropriate)
  • Must include project learning goal(s), project activities, and the project’s contribution to the community
  • Supervised and assessed by an adult; successful completion is verified in writing by the adult supervisor
  • Sufficient duration (minimum of 10 hours) and intensity to address identified community needs and meet specified project learning goal(s)
• Attainment of Proficient or Advanced on any Keystone Exam
  • Scaled score of 1500 or higher on one Keystone exam
• Letter guaranteeing full-time employment
  • 30 hours per week

OR

• • 130 hours per month

OR

• • Multiple jobs that, in aggregate, are reasonably commensurate with full-time work
• Certificate of successful completion of an internship, externship or cooperative education program
  • Successful completion of the internship and externship must be evidenced by locally established documentation
  • Cooperative education programs must comply with federal and state laws and regulations 
• Compliance with NCAA’s core courses for college-bound student athletes
  • Minimum GPA requirements (2.0) in approved NCAA core courses

Student will meet or exceed the locally established grade-based requirements by earning a 60 percent or higher in all subjects where they did not earn proficiency on the Keystone Exam (Algebra, Biology, and/or Literature) and…

Attain an industry-based competency certification related to the CTE Concentrator’s program of study

OR

Demonstrate a high likelihood of success on an approved industry-based competency assessment or readiness for continued meaningful engagement in the CTE Concentrator’s program of study (local decision).  The determination shall be made no later than the end of the eleventh grade, or, if a student enrolled in a one-year program, the end of the first semester of twelfth grade.

• Passing grades in the concentrator’s program of study 
  • 60 % or higher
  • 1.5 credits

For further explanation of the CTE Pathway, please see PDE’s Act 6 Guidance