The PA Department of Education has issued guidelines regarding a student Code of Conduct for PSSA and Keystone Exam testing.
In an era of cell phones, smartphones and other electronic devices which can easily photograph and instantly share
photographs, confidential and secure test materials can be easily compromised. Not only is it expensive to replace
a compromised test item, the material contained in the PSSA and Keystone Exams is copyrighted property of the
Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. Copying or duplicating the material from the assessment, including the taking of
a photograph of secure assessment material, is a violation of the federal Copyright Act. Penalties for violations of
the Copyright Act may include the cost of replacing the compromised test item(s) or fines of no less than $750 up to
$30,000 for a single violation (17 U.S.C. § 101 et seq.).
In order to ensure reliable test results and to avoid the cost of replacing test items, the Department of Education
requires schools to set rules and take certain steps to protect test materials. Electronic devices such as but not
limited to cell phones, smartphones, smartwatches, E-readers, Nooks, Kindles, iPods, tablets, camera-ready devices,
and any other electronic device which can be used to photograph or duplicate test materials, access the internet
and/or communicate with others during the administration of the PSSA or Keystone Exams are not permitted in any
testing site. Please speak with your child and let him or her know that the possession and/or use of a cell phone or
other electronic device during the administration of the PSSA or Keystone Exams will result in consequences.
You will be contacted by the school if your child is discovered using and/or having a cell phone or other unapproved
electronic device in his or her possession during the administration of the PSSA or Keystone Exams. Students who
ignore this directive will be subject to the school’s discipline policy and the Department of Education’s requirement
that the student’s test will not be scored and the student will be required to retake the entire exam. The electronic
device will be held by school staff, and the device’s stored photographs and other functions will be examined with
your permission. You may request to be present when the electronic device is examined. If a photograph of the PSSA
or Keystone Exam is discovered or if permission to search other functions of the electronic device is refused, the
device will be held by the school staff. The Pennsylvania Department of Education holds the copyright to all material
contained within the PSSA and Keystone Exams, the Pennsylvania Department of Education will be contacted and
further action may be taken.
If, after testing is complete and test materials have been returned, it is discovered that a student used and/or had a
cell phone or other unapproved electronic device in his or her possession during the administration of the test, the
school’s discipline policy will be followed and the student’s test will not be scored.