With unanimous agreement in both of Pennsylvania’s Legislature, the state is lessening its heavy reliance on Keystone Exams as a graduation requirement.

“This proposed bill allows school districts more options to ensure student success,” Altoona Area School District Community Relations Director Paula Foreman said.

The new law is set to begin with the class of 2021-22, or this year’s freshman class. Without it, passing end-of-course Keystone Exams in algebra, literature and biology were set to be graduation requirements. The new law provides students with multiple pathways to graduate if they do not score “proficient” on Keystone Exams.

On Tuesday the Senate concurred 49-0 with the House’s revised version of Senate Bill 1095 sponsored by Sen. Tom MCarrigle, R-Chester.

Gov. Tom Wolf is expected to sign the bill into law.

The Pennsylvania State Education Association commended the passage of the measure.

Dolores McCracken, PSEA president, said the law would provide all students with multiple options in addition to the Keystone Exams to fulfill high school graduation requirements.

“No single standardized test should overshadow a student’s academic record of accomplishments. Students should be able to draw on multiple academic achievements to demonstrate their readiness to graduate high school,” McCracken’s statement read.

SB 1095 provides four alternate pathways to graduate if students do not score “proficient” on Keystone Exams:

— Option 1 involves a composite score on the Keystone Exams. A student who attains a satisfactory composite score set by the state Department of Education will be eligible to graduate.

— In option 2, a student must complete locally established grade-based requirements and obtain a certain score on an alternative standardized test or complete a college-level course in an academic content area associated the Keystone Exams.

— Option 3 is already a law and provides that if a vocational education student fails to achieve proficiency on a Keystone Exam, the student can be deemed proficient for graduation purposes if he or she demonstrates proficiency on an assessment in his or her area of study.

— In option 4, a student must complete two requirements. First, the student must meet the locally established grade-based requirement in the content areas of the Keystone Exams. The student must also show three pieces of evidence that reflect readiness for meaningful postsecondary engagement consistent with the student’s goals and career plan.

Mirror Staff Writer Russ O’Reilly is at 946-7435.