Act 158 Graduation Requirements & Keystone Exams

Act 158 of 2018 was signed into law by Governor Wolf on October 24, 2018. The legislation changes language about high school graduation requirements and how Keystone Exams factor into such requirements for graduating classes of 2022 and beyond. The information below explains the student pathways toward graduation as defined by Act 158.

Click here to enter PDE's web-page for Act 158 information

Credit Requirements

Cocalico High School students must earn a total of 26 credits to graduate. The credits are broken down into the following categories:

  • 4 English Credits
  • 3 Math Credits
  • 3 Science Credits
  • 3 Social Studies Credits
  • 2 Arts or Humanities Credits
  • 1 9 P.E./Health Credit
  • 1 10 P.E./Driver’s Ed./Health Credit
  • 2 STEM Elective Credits
  • 1 Junior/Senior Elective Credit
  • 1 Career & Financial Awareness Credit
  • 5 Elective Credits

In addition to the credit requirements, all students are required to meet the Act 158 requirement and are required to take the Keystone Exams.  If they do not meet the Act 158 requirement explained in Pathway 1, alternative pathways are listed in Pathways 2 through 5.

Graduation Pathways

Pathway 1 - Keystone Proficiency

This is the most direct pathway to meeting the PDE graduation requirement.

Score Proficient or Advanced on all 3 (three) Keystone exams (Algebra, Biology, and Literature)

  • Algebra: 1500 or greater
  • Biology: 1500 or greater
  • Literature: 1500 or greater


Pathway 2 - Keystone Composite Pathway

This pathway is ideal for students who score proficient or higher in at least one Keystone Exam. This provides combined score options for meeting the PDE graduation requirement.

  • At least 1 Keystone Exam scaled score is 1500 or greater
  • No Keystone Exam score is Below Basic
  • The Keystone Exam 3-score composite is 4452 or greater


Pathway 3 - CTE (Career and Technical Education) Concentrator

  •        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

 

Pathway 4 - Alternative 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:

  • ACT score of 21 or higher
  • ASVAB composite score of 31 or higher
  • PSAT composite score of 970 or higher
  • SAT composite score of 1010 or higher
  • Attainment of Gold Level or better on ACT WorkKeys
  • Successful completion of a pre-apprenticeship program
  • Attainment of 3 or better on AP Exam(s) related to each Keystone content area less than Proficient
  • Attainment of 4 or better on IB Exam(s) related to each Keystone content area less than Proficient
  • Successful completion of concurrent (dual) enrollment course(s) related to each Keystone content area less than Proficient
  • Acceptance into accredited, non-profit Institution of Higher Education (IHE) 4 year program for college-level coursework

 

Pathway 5 - 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 3 (three) pieces of evidence consistent with the student’s goals and career plans, including:

  1.       One or more of the following:
  •         Attainment of 630 or better on any SAT Subject Test
  •        Attainment of Silver Level or better on ACT WorkKeys
  •         Attainment of 3 or better on any AP Exam
  •         Attainment of 3 or better on any IB Exam
  •         Successful completion of any concurrent (dual) enrollment or postsecondary course
  •         Industry-recognized credentialization
  •         Acceptance into accredited, non-profit Institution of Higher Education (IHE) for college-level coursework in an other-than-4 year program (Example: Thaddeus Stevens, PCAD, HACC, etc.)

AND/OR

             2. No more than 2 pieces of evidence from the list below:

  •         Attainment of Proficient or Advanced on any Keystone Exam
  •         Letter guaranteeing full-time employment or military enlistment
  •        Successful completion of a service-learning project
  •        Completion of an internship or cooperative education program
  •        Satisfactory compliance with the NCAA’s core courses for college-bound student athletes with a minimum grade point average (GPA) of 2.0