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House Co-Sponsorship Memoranda
House of Representatives
Session of 2015 - 2016
Regular Session
MEMORANDUM
| Posted: | September 1, 2015 02:34 PM |
|---|---|
| From: | Representative John A. Lawrence |
| To: | All House members |
| Subject: | Local Control - Giving School Districts Decision Making Authority on Keystone Exams |
| Dear Colleagues – In the near future, I will introduce legislation giving school districts sole decision making authority on what to do, if anything, regarding requiring the Keystone Exams as a graduation requirement for students within the school district. As you are likely aware, starting with the class of 2017, students in public schools must pass the Keystone Exam in English, Math, and Biology to graduate high school. The Keystone graduation mandate was imposed through the State Board of Education, and was never approved by the General Assembly. In speaking with local school board members and superintendents, many have serious concerns with this new state mandate. My legislation would give school boards the authority to determine whether or not the Keystone Exams should be a graduation requirement in their own school district. School districts would also be able to utilize Keystone Exam scores to award special honors to students meeting certain levels of proficiency on the Keystone Exams. My proposal will specifically exclude school districts under state control. Such school districts would continue to fall under existing state regulations. As you are likely aware, the Keystone Exams are a series of state mandated standardized tests administered to high school students that have generated significant conversation in recent days. I would appreciate your support of this proposal. |