The Keystone exams are end-of-year standardized state assessments typically administered to Pennsylvania students in grades 8-11 as they near completion of the associated English, Algebra, or Biology course. Students can score in one of four performance levels: Advanced, Proficient, Basic, or Below Basic. Retakes are permitted throughout high school, and students’ best scores are used to determine eligibility on the Pennsylvania Department of Education’s pathways to graduation.

This brief describes annual Keystone exam performance trends between the 2018-19 (pre-Covid) and 2022-23 school years.

Key findings include:

• 44.1% of students in grades 9-11 scored Proficient or Advanced on the Literature Keystone in 2022-23, compared to 41.8% in 2021-22 and 41.1% in 2018-19.
• 15.1% of students in grades 8-11 scored Proficient or Advanced on the Algebra I Keystone in 2022-23, compared to 17.5% in 2021-22 and 19.7% in 2018-19.
• 22.9% of students in grades 9-11 scored Proficient or Advanced on the Biology Keystone in 2022-23, compared to 25.5% in 2021-22 and 27.9% in 2018-19.

Note that data in this brief reflect annual Keystone performance, and results will differ from reports that use students’ best scores by the end of the 11th grade.