Dear Pennsbury Community,

Act 158, which was signed into law by Governor Tom Wolf on October 24, 2018, shifts Pennsylvania’s graduation requirements for the Class of 2023 and beyond. Current Pennsbury graduation requirements will continue to be in effect for the class of 2022.

Act 158 continues to rely on Keystone performance to prove graduation readiness. If students are not successful in passing the three required Keystone Exams, there are alternate pathways which will be available to students. Since there are additional pathways in place for students to demonstrate readiness to graduate, the requirements in Act 158 no longer allow Pennsbury High School to offer alternative opportunities to demonstrate proficiency in Algebra I, Literature and Biology via coursework. Instead, the pathways present options which place more individual responsibility on students to prove that they are postsecondary ready. Below is a quick summary of these pathways and attached is a more detailed summary which provides specific information.

• Pathway 1 - Passing all three Keystone Exams
• Pathway 2 - Scoring proficient or advanced on at least one Keystone Exam and scoring at least Basic on the other two Keystone Exams with a minimum composite (total) score instead of relying on individual performance on each exam.
• Pathway 3 - Career & Technical For students in technical high schools; Not applicable to PHS)
• Pathway 4 - Alternative Assessment Pathway. Must earn a passing grade in the course covered by the Keystone exams and at least one of the following:
  • Attainment of an established score on an alternate assessment such as the SAT.
  • Successful completion of College Coursework in an academic content area associated with each Keystone Exam in which the student did not achieve proficiency, (AP courses are not applicable) accompanied by a college transcript.
  • Completion of a Pre-Apprenticeship Program.
  • Proof of acceptance in a 4 year accredited, non-profit institution of higher education.
• Pathway 5 - Evidence-Based Pathway
  Must earn a passing grade in the course covered by the Keystone exams and at least one of the following:
  • Attainment of an established score on an alternate assessment such as a subject SAT.
  • Acceptance to an accredited nonprofit higher education institution other than a 4-year institution, including test placement results.
  • Attainment of an industry-recognized credential such as Servsafe
  • Successful completion of any College Coursework (AP courses are not applicable) accompanied by a college transcript.
  AND up to two (2) of the following:
  • Successful completion of a service-learning project
  • Proficient or Advanced on a Keystone Exam
  • Letter Guaranteeing full-time employment
  • Internship or cooperative education program
  • Compliance with NCAA’s core courses for college-bound student-athletes.

The Pennsylvania Department of Education offers a webpage that provides additional information regarding Act 158. Additionally, a summary of the various pathways for graduation is attached. Any questions regarding these requirements can best be answered by the high school counselors, especially regarding how some of the courses offered by Pennsbury High School may be helpful for students in meeting the alternate requirements.

Sincerely,

Theresa Ricci
Director of Secondary Education