Calling on the State Legislature of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania to condemn Section 4.24 of the Pennsylvania Code enacted January 1999, that mandates the placement of the Pennsylvania Seal on select high school diplomas based on PSSA scores taken this year by 11th graders across the State.

WHEREAS, In 1999, the State Board of Education adopted into the Pennsylvania Code Chapter 4 Section 24 entitled, “High school graduation requirements,” Section “b” that “Beginning in the 2002-2003 school year, students who attain a score at the proficient level or better on State assessments in reading, writing and mathematics administered in grade 11 or 12 shall be granted a “

Pennsylvania Seal of Proficiency

”; and

WHEREAS, “Beginning in the 2002-2003 school year, students who attain a score at the

advanced

level of proficiency on State assessments in reading, writing and mathematics administered in grade 11 or 12 shall be granted a

Pennsylvania Seal of Distinction

.” (section c); and

WHEREAS, These State Seals only encompass PSSA scores and not academic achievement or extracurricular involvement; key criteria that employers and institutions of higher learning may consider during the acceptance and/or hiring process; and

WHEREAS, This policy places the burden of our current school district crisis and poor academic performance solely on students and not on teachers, parents, community leaders and elected officials who contribute to the ability to resolve the many problems inherent in our school system; and

WHEREAS, House Bill 2059 introduced on October 22, 2001, states that local school districts “shall have the sole authority to determine what shall be affixed or denoted on the diploma and/or transcripts;” repealing Sections b, c and d of Chapter 4.24 of the Public Code; now therefore

RESOLVED, BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PHILADELPHIA, That the State Legislature of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania condemn Section 4.24 of the Public Code that mandates the placement of the Pennsylvania Seal on select high school diplomas based on PSSA scores taken this year by 11th graders across the State.

FURTHER RESOLVED, That copies of this Resolution be forwarded to the Governor, the State Senate and all Members of the House of Representatives.

End