So I’m an 8th grader about to go to high school, I took academic classes this year despite being in algebra 1 and taking accelerated classes in 7th grade due to disorganization and being lazy I had to retake them.
But I emailed the assistant principal of the high school I’m going to and he said I can bypass Algebra 1A and be in Accelerated 1B in 9th grade for the first semester and then take the Keystones exams in December and if passed be in Accelerated geometry for the 2nd semester
I’m not too worried about the Algebra part of the test since I’m still learning it and will have it pretty under my belt before 9th grade starts
but the literature, biology and the world history part of the test I literally have very shallow knowledge about it I need to learn it before the keystone exams and I’m having trouble finding a site / book where that will teach me it.
You have to take three separate tests: algebra, lit and bio. Most students take Algebra when they finish the class–same with Bio and Lit. So it’s not one big test with all three subjects, and many students take them in different years (e.g. Bio at the end of 9th grade, Algebra at the end of 9th or 10th, Lit at the end of 10th or 11th). If you don’t make Proficient or Advanced, you can retake the test, but only the ones that you didn’t pass. You can’t retake for a higher score. Some kids retake in the summer, some in the next school year.
So if the high school is willing to let you take the Algebra Keystone in December of 9th grade, that shouldn’t mean that you have to take Bio and Lit at the same time.
However, Keystone exam scoring takes a couple of months. So it seems implausible that the results from a December 2017 test would be back in enough time for you to get approval to take Geometry in January 2018. You might want to double check what the assistant principal told you, and get it in writing.
First, Yeah your right I take geometry regardless I read it wrong thought geometry was dependent on that test. But when I took the PSSA’S recently this year it was basically one big test just in the span of 3 weeks. So wait I’m pretty confused can you tell me everything the keystones test you on
You take a Bio test. You take a Lit test. You take an Algebra test. The testing window is two days for each test. Some students take all three tests, a couple of days apart. Some only take one or two tests one year, and the rest of the tests at a later date.
My kids took Bio in May of 9th grade, Algebra in May of 9th grade, and Lit in May of 10th grade. One kid did not pass (meaning did not score Proficient or Advanced) Algebra the first time and retook only that test during the summer. He was advanced in the other two and so did not / could not retake those.
So if you are ready to take the Algebra test in December 2017, you should do so. Then you should be able to take Bio in May of 2018 when you are almost done with that class, and Lit in May of 2019 when you’ve had two years of HS English.
The Keystone Exams are end-of-course assessments designed to assess proficiency in the subject areas of Algebra I, Algebra II, Geometry, Literature, English Composition, Biology, Chemistry, U.S. History, World History, and Civics and Government. And you just said your son took biology did your son’s test have chemistry either?..
The original intent was to test all of the subjects that you listed above. However, tests have only been developed for three areas: Algebra, Biology, and Literature. The future of exams on the other subjects is up in the air because of funding issues, legislative delays, complaints from school districts and constituents about the tests, etc.
So all you have to be concerned with are those three tests. You take the test AFTER you take the relevant HS courses. If you do decently in the classes, you will be fine with the exams. Don’t worry about preparing early; just take the class, then take the test, and then IF your score isn’t passing, you can get additional preparation so that you can pass the next time (many school districts offer this for free, either after school or for a few days during the summer). And remember, each test is considered individually; so once you pass, say, the Algebra test, you are done with it, no matter how you do on Bio and Lit.