{"id":13648,"date":"2022-10-27T08:43:24","date_gmt":"2022-10-27T12:43:24","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.philasd.org\/research\/?p=13648"},"modified":"2023-03-01T16:30:06","modified_gmt":"2023-03-01T21:30:06","slug":"changing-the-finish-line-implications-of-new-graduation-requirements-in-the-school-district-of-philadelphia","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.philasd.org\/research\/2022\/10\/27\/changing-the-finish-line-implications-of-new-graduation-requirements-in-the-school-district-of-philadelphia\/","title":{"rendered":"Changing the Finish Line: Implications of new graduation requirements in the School District of Philadelphia"},"content":{"rendered":"
[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]The Philadelphia Education Research Consortium (PERC)<\/a> is currently a partnership between Research for Action<\/a> and the School District of Philadelphia\u2019s Office of Research and Evaluation. Launched in August 2014, PERC conducts research that is community-informed, equity-focused, and based on a critical analysis of District needs. PERC’s focus for 2021-2024 is on providing evidence to support the District\u2019s goal for all students to graduate prepared for college or careers.<\/em><\/p>\n

The report below is a PERC publication, originally posted here<\/a>, and it examines Pennsylvania\u2019s new graduation requirements (Act 158), including the results of an analysis using historical District data to explore potential impacts for school communities.\u00a0<\/em>[\/vc_column_text][vc_separator style=”shadow” border_width=”2″][vc_column_text]\n

Beginning with the class of 2023, Pennsylvania high school students will need to demonstrate career or postsecondary preparedness to meet statewide graduation requirements and receive a diploma. The new graduation requirements, enacted in 2018 by Pennsylvania\u2019s Act 158, are intended to codify high standards for all students and improve student achievement across Pennsylvania while also taking into account student strengths, interests, and career goals.<\/p>\n

As profiled in\u00a0PERC\u2019s recent related brief<\/a>, Act 158 outlines five pathways to meeting this requirement, two of which\u2014the Keystone proficiency and Keystones composite pathways\u2014require demonstrating proficiency on Pennsylvania\u2019s end-of-course subject exams for Literature, Algebra, and Biology. For students that cannot meet Keystone requirements, the policy articulates \u201calternative pathways\u201d to graduation, e.g., obtaining an industry-based competency certification, successful completion of a service-learning project, or completion of an internship or cooperative education program, among others.<\/p>\n

This report examines historical performance on Keystone exams to explore the potential impact of the policy on students in the School District of Philadelphia\u2019s high schools. Key findings include:<\/p>\n