Assessment and Accountability

Keystone Exams

The Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) was signed by President Obama on December 10, 2015. This measure reauthorizes the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) of 1965.

The Keystone exams meet the federal accountability criteria of ESSA for the high school level. Students must take the Keystone Exams for purposes of federal accountability. Failure to do so will affect a Local Education Agency (LEA) and school's participation rate.

The Keystone exams were created to replace the Grade 11 PSSA and serve as one component of Pennsylvania's statewide high school graduation requirement. Keystone Exams will help school districts guide students toward meeting state standards. The exams are end-of-course assessments designed to assess proficiency in the subject areas of Algebra I, Literature, and Biology.

Reporting Violations

Testing irregularities should be reported to the PDE by telephoning 844-418-1651 or emailing ra-ed-pssa-keystone@pa.gov. Please provide as many details as possible when reporting irregularities including how to contact the person making the report.

To assist DACs in the training of SACs, we developed the attached PowerPoint. Using this document is not required by PDE but rather is offered as a way to save time for DACs as preparation for state testing begins. Since the document contains the PDE logo, please adhere to the following guidelines as you use this document.

District Assessment Coordinators Training of School Assessment Coordinators Paper Administration (PowerPoint)
You may edit the slides on pages 1, 12, 13.
District Assessment Coordinators Training of School Assessment Coordinators Online Administration (PowerPoint)
You may edit the slides on pages 1, 15, 16.

To assist SACs in the training of all involved with test administration, we developed the attached PowerPoint. Using this document is not required by PDE but rather is offered as a way to save time for SACs as preparation for state testing begins. Since the document contains the PDE logo, please adhere to the following guidelines as you use this document.

School Assessment Coordinators Training of All Individuals Involved with Test Administration and Secure Materials Paper Administration (PowerPoint)
You may edit the slides on pages 1, 12, 13, 18, 20, 22, 24, 25, and 27.
School Assessment Coordinators Training of All Individuals Involved with Test Administration and Secure Materials Online Administration (PowerPoint)
You may edit the slides on pages 1, 12, 13, 21, 23, 25, 27, 28, and 30.

Resource Materials

Since this document does not contain the PDE logo, you may edit the spreadsheets as you wish. In the tables below, you will find space for diagnostic, benchmark, summative and other assessments. When outlining the purpose for each assessment, consider each grade level and content area to avoid potential gaps or potential redundancies. There is space to include local assessments specific to your LEA. Windows for the CDT, Firefly, PSSA and Keystone Exams are provided. There is space to specify the students who will complete the assessments along with specific date(s), and assessment administrators.

Prior to administering any assessments, develop a theory of action. Determine the information you need about which students and when you need the information. Design your assessment schedule for the students based upon assessments of learning, assessments for learning and assessments as learning. For data review, consider scheduling data team meetings in advance of the assessment to ensure those needing access to the data are provided with the data, adequate time to discuss the data, the reports generated and action steps following the data meetings. Include a list of all individuals who will participate in the data review process.

Assessment Plan Template (Word)

Due to the cancellation of standardized testing in 2019–2020, the 2021 Item and Scoring Samplers are revised and enhanced versions of the previously released 2017 Item and Scoring Samplers.

2024 Item and Scoring Sampler - Biology (PDF)
2023 Item and Scoring Sampler - Biology (PDF)
2022 Item and Scoring Sampler - Biology (PDF)
2021 Item and Scoring Sampler - Biology (PDF)
2019 Item and Scoring Sampler - Biology (PDF)
2018 Item and Scoring Sampler - Biology (PDF)
2015 Item and Scoring Sampler - Biology (PDF)
2014 Item and Scoring Sampler - Biology (PDF)
2011 Item and Scoring Sampler - Biology (PDF)

An American with Disabilities (ADA) compliant document can be accessed by software programs for disabled users; therefore the handwritten student responses have been transcribed into typed responses for this purpose. The content is the same in both documents.

ADA Compliant Item and Scoring Samples

Non ADA Compliant Item and Scoring Samples

General Scoring Guideline - Algebra I (PDF)
General Scoring Guideline - Algebra 1 Spanish (PDF)
General Scoring Guideline - Literature (PDF)
General Scoring Guideline - Biology (PDF)
General Scoring Guideline - Biology Spanish (PDF)
English Composition Argumentative Combined (PDF)
English Composition Informative-Explanatory Combined (PDF)
English Composition Conventions (PDF)

The Pennsylvania Department of Education provides districts and schools with item and scoring samplers for the Pennsylvania System of School Assessment (PSSA) and the Keystone Exams. These item and scoring samplers are tools to assist in delivering focused instructional programs aligned with the Pennsylvania Academic Standards (PAS).

Braille

The sampler items are assembled into a Braille booklet to assist students who will use the Unified English Braille accommodation. To receive a copy of the Braille item sampler, contact the AIM center at jbreneman@pattan.net. (A request could take up to three weeks to process.)

Video Sign Language

To assist students using the Video Sign Language accommodation, a Video Sign Language format of the item samplers has been produced for each grade and/or subject.

The Video Sign Language dashboard should be used in conjunction with the item and scoring samplers.

Testing

PA State Test Administration Training Site (PDF)
PDE Guidance Document for Online Testing (PDF)
eDirect
Pennsylvania Online Calculator Manual (PDF)
Pennsylvania Calculator Policy (PDF)

Guidance for Medical Exemptions from State Assessments

Generally, if a student can receive instruction, then they are also able to participate in state assessments; however, the health and well-being of students should take priority in determining whether they can participate.

Students may receive a medical exemption if they cannot participate in a state assessment during the testing window, including make-up dates, due to a significant medical event. Examples include, but are not limited to, a student who is 1) receiving short-term medical treatment due to a medical emergency; or 2) seriously ill or has a medical condition that prevents them from receiving instruction during the testing window.

A medical emergency is defined as a circumstance in which a student cannot take or finish taking the assessment during the entire testing window, including make-up dates, because of a recent significant medical event just prior to or during the annual testing window. Examples of medical emergencies include:
1. Serious injury
2. Concussion
3. Confinement to home or hospital with an acute condition, not a long-term home instruction or hospital instruction situation.
4. Inability to interact with others without serious risk of infection or contamination.
5. Pregnancy with significant health complications or delivery just prior to or during the testing window.
6. Mental health crisis that prevents a student from receiving instruction.
  
  A note from a physician dated at least two weeks within the start of the testing window must be on file at the school. These records must be retained for three years.
A serious illness or medical condition is defined as one in which the student is receiving active treatment for a life-threatening illness or medical condition and/or the associated recuperation. A note from a physician must be on file at the school and must be retained for three years.

To account for a student with a medical exemption, as defined above, the “Medical Emergency” bubble on testing documents should be used.

Note: An assessment of a student’s medical condition must be made annually at the testing window for each content area.

2024-2025 School Year

Time of Year	Date
Winter Wave 1	December 4 - 18, 2024
Winter Wave 2	January 6 - 17, 2025
Spring	May 12 - 23, 2025
Summer	July 28 - August 1, 2025

Firefly
November 18, 2024 to April 18, 2025

2025-2026 School Year

Time of Year	Date
Winter Wave 1	December 3 - 17, 2025
Winter Wave 2	January 5 - 16, 2026
Spring	May 11 - 22, 2026
Summer	July 27 - 31, 2026

Firefly
Dates to be determined for 2025-2026 school year.

2026-2027 School Year

Time of Year	Date
Winter Wave 1	December 7 - 18, 2026
Winter Wave 2	January 4 - 15, 2027
Spring	May 17 - 28, 2027
Summer	July 26 - 30, 2027

Firefly
Dates to be determined for 2026-2027 school year.

Webinars

Handbooks

2025 Accommodations Guidelines (PDF)
Supplemental Guidelines for ASL in the VSL (PDF)
2025 Accommodations Guidelines for ELs (PDF)
2025 Read Aloud and Scribing Guidelines (PDF)

Forms

PDE Calculator Policy

Pennsylvania Calculator Policy (PDF)

Formula Sheets and Scoring Guidelines

Parent Information

Directions for Administration Manuals

Keystone Exam Scale

Content Area	Below Basic	Basic	Proficient	Advanced
Algebra I	1200-1438	1439-1499	1500-1545	1546-1800
Biology	1200-1459	1460-1499	1500-1548	1549-1800
Literature	1200-1443	1444-1499	1500-1583	1584-1800

Assessments

Graduation Requirements

Learn about Pennsylvania’s Pathways to Graduation, which provide alternative avenues for high school students to demonstrate postsecondary preparedness and satisfy statewide requirements without attaining Keystone Exam proficiency.

Pathways to Graduation

Keystone Exams

Reporting Violations

Resource Materials

Braille

Video Sign Language

Testing

Guidance for Medical Exemptions from State Assessments

2024-2025 School Year

2025-2026 School Year

2026-2027 School Year

Webinars

Handbooks

Forms

PDE Calculator Policy

Formula Sheets and Scoring Guidelines

Parent Information

Directions for Administration Manuals

Keystone Exam Scale

Graduation Requirements

Top services

PA.gov

Keystone Exams

Reporting Violations

District Assessment Coordinator Training

District Assessment Coordinators Training of School Assessment Coordinators

School Assessment Coordinator Training of All Involved with Test Administration

Pennsylvania Assessment Training

Resource Materials

Assessment Plan

Test Definitions

Item and Scoring Samplers

General Scoring Guidelines

Braille and Video Sign Language

Testing

Testing Information

Testing Windows

Accommodations

Administration Materials

Assessment Anchors/Eligible Content

Report Interpretation Guides

Performance Level Descriptors

Keystone Exam Scale

Graduation Requirements

Top services

PA.gov