Graduation Pathways:

A Collaborative Conversation

JANUARY 15, 2019

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https://tinyurl.com/ARINGradPaths

School Improvement: �Ensuring all Students are College, Career, and Community Ready

Act 158: High School Graduation

The statewide graduation requirement outlined in Act 6 and Act 158 takes effect for the graduating class of 2022.

Although a student may not be required to achieve proficiency on the Keystone Exams in order to graduate, students are required to take the Keystone Exams for purposes of federal accountability.

Pathway #1: Keystone Proficiency

Scoring proficient or advanced on each Keystone Exam - Algebra I, Literature, and Biology

Pathway #2: Keystone Composite

Earning a composite score of at least 4452 on the Algebra I, Literature, and Biology Keystone Exams (while achieving at least a proficient score on at least one of the three exams and no less than a basic score on the remaining two).

Pathway #3: Alternate Assessment

Successful completion of locally established grade-based requirements for academic content areas associated with each Keystone Exam on which the student did not achieve proficiency AND one of the following:

• Attainment of an established score on an approved alternate assessment (SAT, PSAT, ACT, ASVAB);
• Gold Level on the ACT WorkKeys Assessment;
• Attainment of an established score on an Advanced Placement Program or an International Baccalaureate Diploma Program exam in an academic content area associated with each Keystone Exam on which the student did not achieve at least a proficient score;
• Successful completion 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;
• Successful completion of a pre-apprenticeship program; or
• Acceptance in an accredited 4-year nonprofit institution of higher education and evidence of the ability to enroll in college-level coursework.

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Possible cut scores for AA pathway #3

(presented at Stakeholder’s Forum)

SAT

• R&W - 480
• Math - 530

PSAT/NMSQT

• R&W - 460
• Math - 510

ACT

• English - 18
• Reading - 22
• Math - 22
• Science - 23

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Possible cut scores for AA pathway #3

(presented at Stakeholder’s Forum)

ASVAB

• Composite score 31 or above

ACT WorkKeys

• Gold Level or Higher
• Students must score at least a 5 on all three core tests

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Possible cut scores for AA pathway #3

(presented at Stakeholder’s Forum)

Algebra 1

• AP Calc AB or BC
• AP Statistics
• AP Computer Science A or Computer Science Principles
• AP Physics 1, 2, C
• AP Chemistry

Literature

• AP English Literature
• AP Eng Language

Biology

• AP Biology
• AP Physics 1, 2, C
• AP Chemistry
• AP Environmental Science

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AP Exams: Qualifying score of 3 or higher in an academic content area associated with each Keystone Exam

Possible cut scores for AA pathway #3

(presented at Stakeholder’s Forum)

International Baccalaureate (IB)

• Established grade of 4 or higher on an approved IB course in an academic content area associated with each Keystone Exam

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Concurrent Enrollment in an academic content area associated with each Keystone content area (Must be a math or Computer Science for Algebra 1; not Personal Finance).

• Credit-bearing, non-remedial course
• LEA approved concurrent course aligned to the respective Keystone Exams
• Passing grade in the approved concurrent course required
• HS or College Transcript as evidence

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Possible cut scores for AA pathway #3

(presented at Stakeholder’s Forum)

Pre-Apprenticeship program

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Acceptance into an accredited 4-year non-profit institution

• Evidence is an acceptance letter
• Placement test results indicating the student may enroll in college-level coursework

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Pathway #4: Evidence Based

Successful completion of locally established grade-based requirements for academic content areas associated with each Keystone Exam on which the student did not achieve proficiency AND demonstration of three pieces of evidence consistent with the student's goals and career plans, including:

One of the following:

• Attainment of an established score on the ACT WorkKeys assessment, a SAT subject test, an Advanced Placement Program Exam, or an International Baccalaureate Diploma Program Exam;
• Acceptance to an accredited nonprofit institution of higher education other than a 4-year institution and evidence of the ability to enroll in college-level coursework;
• Attainment of an industry-recognized credential; or
• Successful completion of a concurrent enrollment or postsecondary course; and

Two additional pieces of evidence, including one or more of the options listed above, or: satisfactory completion of a service learning project; attainment of a score of proficient or advanced on a Keystone Exam; a letter guaranteeing full-time employment; a certificate of successful completion of an internship or cooperative education program; or satisfactory compliance with the NCAA's core courses for college-bound student athletes with a minimum grade point average (GPA) of 2.0.

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Possible cut scores for EB Pathway #4

(presented at Stakeholder’s Forum)

• ACT WorkKeys - Silver Level or Higher
• SAT Subject Tests - National Average of Scale Scores
• AP - 3 or higher
• IB - 3 or higher

Possible cut scores for EB Pathway #4

(presented at Stakeholder’s Forum)

Service Learning Project

• Project proposal is presented in writing to the school official for pre-approval and must include project learning goals, 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
• Of sufficient duration and intensity to address identified community needs and meet specified project learning goals

Pathway #5: CTE

Successful completion of locally established grade-based requirements for academic content areas associated with each Keystone Exam on which the student did not achieve proficiency AND

Attainment of an industry-based competency certification related to the CTE Concentrator's program of study or demonstration of 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.

For further explanation of the CTE Pathway, please see PDE's Act 6 guidance.

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Graduation Waivers

• Schools may seek a graduation waiver for students with extenuating circumstances (up to 5%).
• Most waiver exceptions will be for students who transfer in 12th grade.

IEP Decisions

• IEP Team can make the decision to EXCEPT the traditional pathways as a graduation requirement, but they cannot exclude a student from testing.
• An IEP Student is not included in the 5% waiver calculation.
• “Successful mastery of content in Alg, Lit, & Bio” is a local determination.

Timeline Considerations

• Draft set of recommendations presented to stakeholders (Dec 2019)
• Final recommendations submitted by Secretary of Ed for State Board of Education approval (March 2020)
• Build resources (summer 2020)
• Guidance provided to schools to begin the 2020-2021 school year.

Accountability and Reporting

Will report by school, not by student.

• October 1: total number of students enrolled in grade 12
• Number of students graduating via each pathway
• Check boxes for which assessments/artifacts used as options (ASVAB, for example)
• Schools will not be required to show student-specific artifacts/data.

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Act 158

Answers to Frequently Asked Questions​

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Quick survey!

To access via website: PollEv.com/karenhenrich413

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Or text KARENHENRICH413 to 37607 to join the session

Data-Informed Decisions

Keystone Exams

Composite Score

Alternate Assessments

Evidence-Based

CTE

Anticipated PDE Resources:

Decision-making matrix

Templates

• Intended to help students/schools acquire acceptable evidence
• Ex: Letter guaranteeing full-time employment

Data Informed Decisions

PVAAS & Graduation Pathways

• Use projections to inform Keystone re-testing
• No projection available to Composite Score
• Student Search options for groups of students’ risk levels
• Search for students who are likely to reach proficiency on at least one Keystone exam (70% and above)
• Searching for students who are at risk of not reaching proficiency across all three Keystone exams (less than 70%)
• https://drive.google.com/open?id=1i0KBVRd66TBAqX-cMVla3sC77mJIkAem

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Let’s Process...

WHAT? A list of things we know (PDE)

WHAT ELSE? A list of things we know (school-specific)

SO WHAT? A list of implications

NOW WHAT? Action steps for now and later

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Guiding Questions:

1. School Strengths: What efforts or activities are we currently doing to ensure our students will be prepared for postsecondary success and be graduation ready?
2. Opportunities to Grow: What opportunities exist to strengthen career pathways and graduation options for all students?
3. Outcomes: How can we connect workforce needs to learner outcomes and, as a result, impact graduation rates?

Guiding Question #1: Strengths

What efforts or activities are we currently doing to ensure our students will be prepared for postsecondary success and be graduation ready?

Guiding Question #2: Opportunities to Grow

What opportunities exist to strengthen career pathways and graduation options for all students?

Guiding Question #3: Outcomes

How can we connect workforce needs to learner outcomes and, as a result, impact graduation rates?

Regional Priorities and Concerns

What are our top priorities for the region?

What’s giving us anxiety?