Keystone Exams - Background and Information

Background Information & Context

In 2010, Pennsylvania passed a law that supported the creation of end-of-course assessments, known as “Keystone Exams.” These exams would serve two purposes: (1) establishing high school graduation requirements for students throughout the state; and (2) providing a way for the state and the federal government to hold high schools accountable for educating students.

Students began taking the tests in 2012, with a plan to have Keystones become a graduation requirement in 2017. In February 2016, Pennsylvania delayed the requirement of passing Keystone exams in order for a student to be eligible to graduate. Students were still required to take the exams, with limited exceptions, but they did not have to pass them.

In 2018 Governor Wolf signed Senate Bill 1095 into law that shifted away from the state's reliance on standardized testing as a graduation requirement. Senate Bill 1095 extended the options for students to demonstrate graduation readiness by providing alternate pathways. These requirements were set to take effect beginning with the graduating class of 2022.

In November 2020. Governor Wolf signed Senate Bill 1216 Act 136 into law which once again pushed back the graduation requirement. The graduation requirements are set to take effect for the class of 2023. 

Keystone Exams 

The Keystone exams are an end-of-course assessment in Biology, Algebra I, and English 10. Each exam is aligned to the PA Common Core Eligible Content and is designed to evaluate student success in learning the skills and knowledge associated with the study of each of those subject areas. The intention of the Keystone Exam is to serve as a graduation requirement and method of feedback for students, parents, and schools. The Keystone Assessments also serve as a very valuable resource to provide one snapshot of a student’s mastery of specific course material

Graduation Requirements