1Amending the act of March 10, 1949 (P.L.30, No.14), entitled "An
2act relating to the public school system, including certain
3provisions applicable as well to private and parochial
4schools; amending, revising, consolidating and changing the
5laws relating thereto," in high schools, further providing
6for high school certificates.

7The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
8hereby enacts as follows:

9Section 1. Section 1613 of the act of March 10, 1949
10(P.L.30, No.14), known as the Public School Code of 1949,
11amended June 22, 2001 (P.L.530, No.35), is amended to read:

12Section 1613. High School Certificates.--(a) The board of
13school directors, joint board or joint school committee
14operating any high school shall issue a certificate to each
15pupil who satisfactorily [completing the prescribed course of
16instruction in the high school] achieves one of the test scores 
17required under subsection (b.1).

18(b) For those pupils graduating at the close of the school
19year 1989-1990[, and each school year thereafter] through the 
20school year 2013-2014, the following minimum courses in grades

1nine through twelve are established as a requirement for high
2school graduation in schools operated by a bona fide church or
3other religious body:

4(1) Four years of English.

5(2) Three years of mathematics.

6(3) Three years of science.

7(4) Three years of social studies.

8(5) Two years of arts and humanities.

9(b.1) For those pupils graduating at the close of the school
10year 2014-2015, and each school year thereafter, one of the
11following is established as a requirement for high school
12graduation in public schools and schools operated by a bona fide
13church or other religious body:

14(1) Passage of the Keystone Exams in at least the subject
15area of algebra I, literature, English composition, algebra II
16or geometry.

17(2) A score on the Scholastic Aptitude Test that meets at
18least the minimum score required by regulation of the Department
19of Education.

20(3) A score on the college readiness assessment known as the
21ACT that meets at least the minimum score required by regulation
22of the Department of Education.

23(4) A score of three, four or five on an advanced placement
24examination in the subject area of math or English; or

25(5) A score of at least 60 on the Armed Forces Qualification
26Test.

27(c) A child enrolled in a day or boarding school accredited
28by an accrediting association which is approved by the State
29Board of Education shall be deemed to have met the requirements
30of subsection [(b)] (b.1).

1(d) The Department of Education, in a form and manner that
2it shall prescribe, may issue a Commonwealth secondary school
3diploma to an individual confined in a State-operated juvenile
4or adult correctional facility located within this Commonwealth
5if the individual has [completed the required secondary school
6curriculum specified by the department] satisfied the 
7requirements of subsection (b.1). If a Commonwealth secondary
8school diploma is not issued, the department may award academic
9credit for completed coursework.

10Section 2. This act shall take effect in 60 days.