The Pennsylvania House approved legislation on May 4 that would require a study to determine if the ACT, SAT, or Smarter Balanced assessments could be used in place of the state’s Keystone Exams. The bill is co-prime sponsored by Representative Jason Ortitay and now moves to the Senate for consideration.
The legislation aims to explore whether nationally recognized tests can serve as substitutes for state-mandated exams. This could affect how students demonstrate proficiency in literature, Algebra I, and biology—subjects currently tested through the Keystone Exams under federal Every Student Succeeds Act requirements.
“The Keystone Exams have been a point of frustration for a long time,” Ortitay said. “This is a chance to find out if we can do better. The SAT and ACT are tests kids actually want to take because they mean something beyond just a state requirement. They open doors to college. And right now about half of Pennsylvania students never even get that opportunity before they graduate. This study could change that. Let’s see if we can make one test count for both and save taxpayers money in the process.” Under the proposed bill, the secretary of the Pennsylvania Department of Education would contract an independent study examining whether these alternative assessments align with state academic standards and meet federal accountability requirements.
A 2019 auditor general report found that administering and scoring the SAT statewide would cost an estimated $13.3 million annually compared to $17.6 million for Keystone Exams, as reported by the official website. Both exams are widely used measures of college readiness but only about half of Pennsylvania students currently take either test before graduation.
Ortitay represents Pennsylvania’s 46th Legislative District covering parts of Washington and Allegheny counties and chairs the House Communications and Technology Committee according to the official website. He also serves on the House Education Committee; his background includes founding Jason’s Cheesecake Company which supports local schools and nonprofits according to his official biography.
He resides with his wife Amanda and daughters Delaney and Isabella according to biographical information, holds degrees from Robert Morris University (business administration) and Stetson University (master’s), is a native of Avella in Washington County as noted by his office, boosts job creation efforts, reforms tax policy, strengthens educational opportunities, and addresses local issues according to legislative records.
