To earn a diploma, Pennsylvania high school students must now demonstrate college or career readiness through one of several pathways. Two of these pathways require passing state exams in Algebra I, Biology, and Literature, known as Keystone Exams.
This research explores when and how Philadelphia students take these exams. We examined data on students expected to graduate in 2017-2018 and 2018-2019.
Our findings show that many students struggle to pass these exams, even after taking the related courses. This highlights the need for improved support to help students succeed.
