1. Keystone Meeting Group Notes
October 14, 2014

2. Keystone Group Presenter- Kathy Enders Attendees- Approximately 20
Schools Represented- Allen, Dieruff, Southern Lehigh, Salisbury, Northwestern Lehigh, Saucon Valley, Panther Valley, LCTI

3. Agenda/Topics Discussed
PDE Updates
PBAs (Project Based Assessment)
Creating Quality Assessments
Group Work/Discussion

4. Keystone Testing
Most school districts are administering the English Keystone at the end of 10th grade (Spring)
Re-Testing is taking place during Junior year (Winter)
Religious exemption for the Keystone test but then student must complete the PBA
The PBA is an alternative way to show proficiency

5. Project Based Assessment- PBA
This is a NIGHTMARE and a disaster waiting to happen
Students should retest twice before going down this road
The state estimates each module will take approximately 5-7 hours for a student to complete
The REALITY is each module will most likely take hours for a student to complete

6. PBA (continued)
Students only need to complete the PBA for the non-proficient module
However, there is the potential with 3 Keystone tests for a student to have to complete 6 PBAs
PBAs are module specific and should be tied to as many assessment anchors/eligible content as possible to create a cohesive project
One project will include multiple tasks and should reflect Webb’s DOK (Levels 2 and 3)

7. PBA (continued) The project based assessment is chunked
Resource links must be embedded within the project to help students learn more about the content/tasks to complete a given section
Students can request extra time or breaks
Students can request a tutor/mentor (state wants the tutor to be subject certified)

8. Strategies to utilize for PBA’s
G.R.A.S.P.S: Goal, Role, Audience, Situation, Product/Performance and Purpose and Standards and Criteria for Success
The 6 A’s
Authenticity
Academic Rigor
Applied Learning
Active Exploration
Adult Relationships
Assessment Practices

9. Strategies to Utilize for PBAs
PBA’s must be authentic- meaningful to the student beyond school
Engage and sustain a student’s interest so they will want to complete the PBA
Tasks should be creative and rigorous and fuel a student’s interest

10. How Projects Will be Graded
Projects must be done under supervisory conditions with a tutor who is certified in that content area
Students are not allowed to work on projects at home
All projects are electronic and must be submitted electronically to the state
PDE and Pattan are looking for Teachers, Administrators and Curriculum Specialists to serve on a panel to evaluate the projects
Pass/Fail

11. What is Needed
Keystone Prep Course so more students will pass the Keystone tests
More Teachers to teach Keystone Prep Courses
All teachers to do their part to encourage higher level thinking- this is not only an Algebra, Biology and English issue
MONEY that is properly utilized