Pa. Senate endorses delay of Keystone exam graduation requirement

The use of tests as a public school graduation requirement beginning with Pennsylvania’s Class of 2017 is meeting resistance in the state Legislature.

The Senate on Monday unanimously approved a bill to delay the Keystone exams as a graduation requirement for two years. The bill now goes to the House of Representatives.

Under the bill, the end-of-course exams in algebra, biology and literature would not become a graduation requirement until 2019.

The intent of the exams is admirable, Senate Education Committee Chairman Lloyd Smucker, but the implementation of options for students who do not pass them is creating concerns that require more time to work through.

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