For years, “proficient or advanced” was the key to the state’s graduation requirement.

Success on the Keystone Exams in literature, Algebra I, and biology, was Pennsylvania’s attempt to bring a state-wide, standardized element to graduation.

In 2018, the state Legislature passed a law that would ease the reliance on “high stakes testing as a graduation requirement.”

While students still have to take the Keystones for the district to satisfy federal requirements, starting this school year, four new pathways are available to students.

They are not optional.

“Every senior has to meet one of these pathways in order to graduate,” Director of Curriculum, Instruction, and Assessment Eric Mineweaser told the Curriculum, Instruction, and Technology Committee on Monday. “They all have to meet a pathway.”

Proficiency on the exams is still one path to graduation. The others are a Keystone composite, career and technical education, alternative assessment, and evidence-based.

In the Keystone composite, a student must have at least a proficient result on one of the three tests, no result in the below basic range, and meet a minimum total score.

For career and technical, a student may attain an industry-based competency certification or meet other requirements based on grades or assessments.

The alternative assessment allows a student to use a score from an Advanced Placement exam, or other approved alternative assessment, to replace a comparable area of the Keystone on which the student did not score at least proficient.

Tests like the SAT and ACT fit into the evidence-based option. Students who receive passing grades in the courses associated with the Keystones may show a mix of test scores, apprenticeships, service learning projects, certifications, a guarantee of full-time employment, and other attainments to satisfy the requirements.

The district can also apply for a waiver in some instances, like students who attend the district for the first time as seniors.

So far, the district is looking good, according to Mineweaser.

“We are at a 92% completion rate with our seniors … which is pretty good,” he said. “The junior class looks a little bit low right now.”

But, the total might not reflect a lot of remaining work.

“A lot of our juniors only have one activity left to do.”

Among the seniors, 113 of 313 have already satisfied through the Keystone proficiency, 70 the Keystone composite, 30 through an alternative, 39 through career and technical, 30 through individualized education plans, and two have received waivers — 284. By school, 97% (28 of 29) have met a pathway at Sheffield, 94% (51 of 54) at Youngsville, 93% (64 of 69) at Eisenhower, and 88% (141 of 161) at Warren.

“Our counselors are working hard,” Mineweaser said. “The 29 we have left, we have a plan for. I don’t want to see somebody not graduate because we don’t have a pathway.”