Keystone Assessments
The Keystone Assessments are end-of-course assessments designed to assess proficiency in the subject areas of Algebra I, Biology, and Literature. Beginning in the 2012-2013 school year, the Keystone Assessments were developed by the PA Department of Education and made available for use by school districts, CTEs and charter schools.
The Keystone Assessments are one component of Pennsylvania's statewide high school graduation requirements and help school districts guide students toward meeting state standards.
Susquehanna Township Middle School
2024 Keystone Testing Window (May 12th-23rd, 2025)
Algebra:
Specific dates to be determined
Susquehanna Township High School
2024-2025 Keystone Testing Windows
Winter: December 4th-18th, 2024
Spring: May 12th-23rd, 2025
Algebra:
December 4th & 5th (Wednesday/Thursday)
Biology:
December 9th & 10th (Monday/Tuesday)
Literature:
December 11th & 12th (Wednesday/Thursday)
Keystone Letter to Parents/Guardians
High School Keystone Letter
UPDATED 2024 Letter will be posted shortly
Dear STHS Parents/Guardians,
December 4th through December 15th, 2023 STHS will conduct a Keystone Winter Test Session for eligible 11th-12th grade scholars. On the days of the exam, we will operate on a two-hour delay schedule. Only scholars who are testing should arrive at the regular start time of 7:25am. Scholars who are not testing will stay home and arrive at the building two hours later with a start time of 9:25am. The Keystone assessments are an integral part of the Graduation Pathways, so please stress with your scholar the importance of attendance and effort during the assessment window.
Transportation
On the days of testing, scholars who are taking the Keystone assessments will arrive at the normal time (bussing will be provided as usual) to complete their assessment. A second round of bussing will take place on a two-hour delay schedule to transport students who did not have to test.
Schedule
Scholars testing should arrive at the normal time of 7:25am. Scholars not testing should arrive at 9:25am. FLEX period will start promptly at 9:37am for all students.
Who is taking the Keystone assessments this winter?
The Pennsylvania Department of Education requires all scholars to pass the three (3) Keystone assessments, or meet alternative pathways. In order to help scholars meet graduation requirements, we are providing Keystone testing to any scholar who has not passed the Keystone assessments (Proficient or Advanced Proficiency Level) or met an alternative pathway.
Please feel free to contact your child’s counselor or any building administrator with any questions. Thank you in advance for your assistance.
|
Mr. Russell Wade |
Tessa Stockdale |
Dawn Kaloz |
|
School Counselor |
School Counselor |
School Counselor |
|
Grades 9-11 Last Names A-L |
Grade 12 |
Grades 9-11 Last Names M-Z |
|
rwade@hannasd.org x40115 |
tstockdale@hannasd.org x40116 |
dkaloz@hannasd.org x40118 |
Note: This letter will also be mailed home with each scholar's testing information. In addition, Advisors will give scholars a hardcopy of this information at school.
Keystone Frequently Asked Questions
General Questions
Information for Parents or Guardians from the Pennsylvania Department of Education
Pennsylvania Keystone Exams
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the Keystone Exams?
The Keystone Exams are end-of-course assessments designed to evaluate proficiency in academic content. Beginning with the class of 2022–2023, students must demonstrate proficiency on the Algebra I, Literature, and Biology Keystone Exams to graduate or fulfill one of the other pathways provided to graduate. Students will be offered multiple opportunities to take the Keystones throughout their high school career.
Who will participate?
In 2012–13, the Algebra I, Literature, and Biology Keystone Exams replaced the 11th-grade Pennsylvania System of School Assessments (PSSA) in math, reading, and science for purposes of student, educator, and school accountability. Students should take the Keystone Exams at or near the end of a Keystone-related course. The students’ results are banked until their junior year for accountability purposes and until their senior year for graduation purposes. Some students who previously completed a Keystone-related course but did not take the Keystone Exam will also participate for accountability purposes. All students who take a Keystone Exam may re-take the exam.
When will the exams be offered?
Susquehanna Township School District will administer the Keystone Exams twice each year—in December and May. Specific administration dates will be published by the Pennsylvania Department of Education, and will be updated on this district website.
Who decided what Keystone Exams should measure?
Groups of educators from across Pennsylvania chose the areas of knowledge on which the Keystone Exams are based. The groups included teachers, supervisors, curriculum directors, and college specialists. Other groups of Pennsylvania educators also reviewed, edited, and approved exam questions.
What is assessed on the Keystone Exams?
Pennsylvania adopted the Pennsylvania Core Standards, standards aligned with expectations for success in college and the workplace. The Keystones are designed to measure these standards.
How long is a Keystone Exam administration?
There is no time limit for a student to complete a Keystone Exam. Each Keystone Exam should take the typical student two to three hours to complete. There are two modules on each test, and each module (or Test Session) of the Keystone Exam should take one to 1.5 hours to complete. Districts can administer the Keystone Exam modules across two days or divided across the morning and the afternoon of the same day.
What are the available formats for administering the Keystone Exams?
The Keystone Exams are available in both online and paper and pencil formats. Districts will determine if online, paper and pencil, or both formats will be used locally. Makeup exams will also be administered in either online or paper and pencil format.
Will students have an opportunity to experience online testing before taking a Keystone Exam online?
Tutorials and online training programs have been developed for the Keystone Exams. The PA Online Assessment Student Tutorial uses pictures, motion, and sound to present visual and verbal descriptions of the properties and features of the PA Online Assessment system. Students are allowed to repeat the Student Tutorial as often as desired and needed. The Online Tools Training (OTT) provides an introductory experience using the PA online assessment software allowing students to observe and try out features of the PA online assessment software prior to the actual assessment. Within the OTT, students also have the opportunity to practice typing responses in a narrative format, graphing functions, and entering equations using an equation builder tool. The online exam also has a “Help” feature that is available to the student during the exam.
What types of questions are on the Keystone Exams?
The Keystone Exams will include multiple-choice questions and constructed-response, or open-ended, questions. For each Keystone Exam, approximately 60 percent to 75 percent of the total score will be from multiple-choice questions and 25 percent to 40 percent of the total score will be from constructed-response questions.
How are the written responses to constructed-response questions scored?
The written responses for constructed-response questions are scored by evaluators trained in applying a pre-determined scoring system. Scores are based on content only. Spelling and punctuation are not included as part of the scoring process. Most constructed-response questions require students to show their work or explain their reasoning. These Keystone Exam questions will ask students to explain, analyze, describe, or compare. Some questions will also require students to perform calculations or create graphs, plots, or drawings.
How are the results reported?
Keystone Exam scores will be processed as quickly as possible and provided to the districts.
Two copies of the individual student report for all Keystone Exams will be sent to the school districts and charter schools. One copy should be sent home to parents/guardians; the other is kept by the school/district. The state will not receive any report with individual names included.
School-level reports will be used for curricular and planning purposes. School districts and charter schools may publish the results of Keystone Exams for each school. The state will also release school-by-school exam data.
May parents see the assessments?
Parents and guardians may review the Keystone Exams if they believe they may be in conflict with their religious beliefs by making arrangements with the School Test Coordinator once the exams arrive at the school. Confidentiality agreements must be signed, and no copies of the Keystone Exams or notes about exam questions will be permitted to leave the school.
If, after reviewing the Keystone Exams, parents or guardians do not want their child to participate in one or all of the exams due to a conflict with their religious beliefs, they may write a letter indicating they have a religious objection to the school district superintendent or charter school CAO to request their child be excused from the exam(s).
Report Testing Irregularities
Parents/guardians who believe that a testing irregularity may have occurred may email ra-edirregularities@pa.gov or call 844-418-1651 to report the incident.
Keystone Electronic Device and Calculator Information
Electronic Device Letter from the PA Department of Education (PDE)
Dear Parent/Guardian:
In an era of cell phones, smartphones and other electronic devices which can easily photograph and instantly share
photographs, confidential and secure test materials can be easily compromised. Not only is it expensive to replace
a compromised test item, the material contained in the PSSA and Keystone Exams is copyrighted property of the
Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. Copying or duplicating the material from the assessment, including the taking of
a photograph of secure assessment material, is a violation of the federal Copyright Act. Penalties for violations of
the Copyright Act may include the cost of replacing the compromised test item(s) or fines of no less than $750 up to
$30,000 for a single violation (17 U.S.C. § 101 et seq.).
In order to ensure reliable test results and to avoid the cost of replacing test items, the Department of Education
requires schools to set rules and take certain steps to protect test materials. Electronic devices such as but not
limited to cell phones, smartphones, smartwatches, E-readers, Nooks, Kindles, iPods, tablets, camera-ready devices,
and any other electronic device which can be used to photograph or duplicate test materials, access the internet
and/or communicate with others during the administration of the PSSA or Keystone Exams are not permitted in any
testing site. Please speak with your child and let your child know that the possession and/or use of a cell phone or
other electronic device during the administration of the PSSA or Keystone Exams will result in consequences.
You will be contacted by the school if your child is discovered using and/or having a cell phone or other unapproved
electronic device during the administration of the PSSA or Keystone Exams. Students who ignore this directive will
be subject to the school’s discipline policy and the Department of Education’s requirement that the student’s test
will not be scored and the student will be required to retake the entire exam. The electronic device will be held by
school staff, and the device’s stored photographs and other functions will be examined with your permission. You
may request to be present when the electronic device is examined. If a photograph of the PSSA or Keystone Exam
is discovered or if permission to search other functions of the electronic device is refused, the device will be held by
the school staff. The Pennsylvania Department of Education holds the copyright to all material contained within the
PSSA and Keystone Exams, the Pennsylvania Department of Education will be contacted and further action may be
taken.
If, after testing is complete and test materials have been returned, it is discovered that a student used and/or had a
cell phone or other unapproved electronic device during the administration of the test, the school’s discipline policy
will be followed and the student’s test will not be scored.
PDE Calculator Policy
PENNSYLVANIA CALCULATOR POLICY
If a student chooses to use a calculator (other than the online options) on the Keystone Exams or PSSA in sections
where the calculator is permitted, the student must adhere to the guidelines listed below. It is incumbent upon
the School Assessment Coordinator to ensure that all calculator policies are implemented and followed, including
making sure calculators have no programs or other data stored in their memory other than those that are factory
installed. Please note that if a student wants to restore the deleted programs, the student will need to back up these
programs prior to the assessment. In addition, the memory must be cleared on the calculator prior to and following
each test session of the assessment.
where the calculator is permitted, the student must adhere to the guidelines listed below. It is incumbent upon
the School Assessment Coordinator to ensure that all calculator policies are implemented and followed, including
making sure calculators have no programs or other data stored in their memory other than those that are factory
installed. Please note that if a student wants to restore the deleted programs, the student will need to back up these
programs prior to the assessment. In addition, the memory must be cleared on the calculator prior to and following
each test session of the assessment.
Calculators with testing mode or exam mode must have the testing mode or exam mode activated prior to the exam session by the Test Administrator or Proctor. Directions to activate testing mode or exam mode are provided on the PDE website.
The following are not permitted for the PSSA or Keystone Exams:
- Devices that have a primary purpose other than functioning as a calculator such as cell phones, smartphones,
- smartwatches, PDAs, laptops, tablets, pocket organizers, etc.
- Calculators with infrared, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, or other beaming or wireless capabilities, unless the beaming or
- wireless capabilities are disabled
- Calculators with built-in Computer Algebra Systems (CAS)
- Calculators that make noise, have paper tape, need to be plugged in, or talk; these specific calculators can
- only be used as a required accommodation as stated in the Accommodations Guidelines
- Calculators shared by students during a test session
- Any and all non-factory (add-on) programs or information stored in the calculator
This calculator policy is intended to be a general description of what is not allowed. It is not meant to be an exhaustive
list of specific calculators, devices, or technologies that must not be used on the PSSA or Keystone Exams. Please
note that as technology changes, this policy may also change.
Keystone Resources
- Sample Keystone Questions
- Algebra I Keystone Resources
- Biology Keystone Resources
- Literature Keystone Resources
- AAP (Academic Assistance Program)
- Graduation Requirements and Pathways
Sample Keystone Questions
Algebra I Keystone Resources
Algebra I Keystone Review Notebook:
This link will take you to a notebook that contains review lessons that can be utilized to help prepare you for the upcoming keystone exam in algebra.
Algebra I Khan Academy Course:
This link will take you to a Khan Academy course for Algebra I. Once you enter, the course assignments will be generated within 24 hours to help you review materials for the Keystone Algebra I assessment.
Biology Keystone Resources
Biology Keystone Review Notebook:
This link will take you to a notebook that contains review materials that can be utilized to help prepare you for the upcoming Keystone Biology assessment.
Biology Khan Academy Course:
This link will take you to a Khan Academy course for biology. Once you enter the course assignments will be generated within 24 hours to help you review materials for the keystone biology exam.
