New high school grad bill advances

HARRISBURG » The bill introduced by state Sen. Tom McGarrigle, R-26, of Springfield, Delaware County, that would alter the graduation requirements for high school students is going to the Senate floor after passing committee.

On June 13, the 12-member Senate Education Committee unanimously voted out Senate Bill 1095 which changes the prevalence of performance on state-mandated Keystone Exams as a requirement for graduation with options that will focus on a student’s own college or career readiness. Starting in the 2019-20 school year students are expected to pass the Keystones with a proficient score in the testing areas of algebra I, biology and literature in order to graduate.

According to the Pennsylvania Department of Education, no more than 72 percent of students in 2017 were proficient on these exams.

McGarrigle said June 14 he has been hearing from the school districts that he represents about the burden placed on teachers, administrators and students to try to get through the end-of-term exams.

“We met with all of the key players and came up with alternate pathways where this would not be a graduation requirement,” said McGarri-

gle. “When everyone said no to us, we kept pushing ahead asking, ‘How can it be a yes?’ and we weren’t taking no for an answer.”

McGarrigle’s bill has the following options — after an amended version passed by the education — that will provide alternative ways for students to graduate: Option 1- meet or exceed a composite score across the three exams as approved by PDE and the State Board of Education;

Option 2- For a career and technical education (CTE) student to meet or exceed local grade requirements in subjects tested by the Keystone exams where they did not reach proficiency and present an industry-based training competency certification in their program of study or demonstrate likelihood of success on a competency assessment;

Option 3- Meet or exceed local grade requirements in subjects tested by the Keystone exams and complete a subject-specific advanced placement exam/international baccalaureate in the Keystone content area, armed services vocational aptitude test, gain acceptance in a registered apprenticeship program, or attain a career

“The biggest that is that not every child does well in testing, this gives students an option. Standardized testing doesn’t mean if you’re successful or not.” — Sen. Tom McGarrigle, R-26, of Springfield

readiness certificate, complete SAT or ACT tests at a recommended performance level, admission to or scholarship from a nonprofit university, passing grade in a dual enrollment or post-secondary course, evidence to reflect student’s readiness for a career, military or post-secondary plans

The bill will not require supplemental instruction time for a CTE student to interfere with their career and technical program, nor for a student to complete a project-based assessment for not being proficient.

“The biggest that is that not every child does well in testing, this gives students an option,” McGarrigle said. “Standardized testing doesn’t mean if you’re successful or not.”

Pennsylvania State Education Association President Dolores McCracken said in a prepared statement June 14 that it’s a good bill and the PSEA is urging the full Senate to approved it.

“Sen. McGarrigle’s bill recognizes that standardized tests aren’t the only way to measure students’ abilities and provides options to measure students’ readiness for post-secondary education,” she said.

McGarrigle believes the bill will pass the Senate and is optimistic about how it will fair in the House.

“I have to feel that the House is ready to move on it because they have to be getting the same pressure from their school districts as we’re getting from ours,” he said.

If signed into law the bill would take effect immediately which would authorize the state in 2019 to recommend a composite score for the Keystone Exams as the bill requires.

Local Senate Education Committee members who passed the bill through include Minority Chairman Andy Dinniman, D-19 of West Whiteland, Daylin Leach, D-17 of Lower Merion, and Anthony Williams, D-8 of Philadelphia. McGarrigle does not sit on this committee.