November 13, 2013 BEOEIVED The Honorable Silvan B. Lutkewitte, III NOV 18 2013 Chair Independent Regulatory Review Commission INDEPENDENT REGULATORY 333 Market Street, 14th Floor REVIEW COMMISSION Harrisburg, PA 17101
Re: Proposed Regulation #6-326 -Academic Standards and Assessments Amends existing regulations to reflect Pennsylvania's Common Core Standards in English language arts; address test security concems; and require students to demonstrate proficiency on the Keystone Exams in order to graduate from high school.
Dear Chairman Lutkewitte:
The members ofthe Pennsylvania Business Council Policy Roundtable strongly support the Chapter 4 regulatory package before the Independent Regulatory Review Commission. The proposed academic standards were an outstanding improvement in their first form in 2010, but they are even better today. The input of lawmakers, the public and interest groups, and the deliberation ofthe State Board of Education have brought appropriate scrutiny and debate to these important topics. We believe the final product is stronger for this debate.
Rigorous academic standards with aligned assessments that seek to ensure student mastery of core subjects are essential to making our students truly ready for careers and post-secondary education. A well-educated and prepared population is absolutely necessary to grow Pennsylvania's talented workforce and absolutely necessary to make Pennsylvania a competitive environment for economic growth and prosperity.
The Pennsylvania Business Council Policy Roundtable believes the Pennsylvania Core Standards provide a firm, well-understood, internationally bench-marked foundation upon which each of our schools can build its curriculum reflective of local needs and preferences.
The Pennsylvania Business Council Policy Roundtable has longsupported end-of-course exams with rapid remediation that help students to master core competencies before being pushed along to more advanced course work for which they may lack the skills necessary to succeed. PBC supports makingthe Keystone Exams - the aligned assessments - a graduation requirement to earn a Pennsylvania high school diploma.
We strongly urge approval of this regulation.
Sincerely yours,
Kathy L Pape David W. Patti Chairperson President & CEO Patrick Young John Conway President - Small & Middle Market Business PA/DE Chairman & CEO Aetna - HealthAmerica Crown Holdings
Dale G. Reid Richard Ehst Executive VP, Finance & CFO President & COO Allegheny Technologies Incorporated Customers Bank
Harry Halloran William S. Latoff Chairman & CEO Chairman & CEO American Refining Group DNB First
Ed Frey Richard Riazzi General Manager President & CEO ArcelorMittal Duquesne Light
John Burke Robert L. Yeager CEO President Armada Supply Chain Emerson Process Management
Nicholas DeBenedictis David Porges Chairman, President & CEO President & CEO Aqua America, Inc. EQT Corporation
Eugene N. Dubay Denis P. O'Brien President & CEO Sr. EVP Exelon Corporation Atlas Pipeline CEO Exelon Utilities
Greg Bentley Vincent J. Delie, Jr. President & CEO President Bentley Systems F.N.B Corporation
Gerard H. Sweeney Doug Lampe President, CEO & Trustee Counsel Brandywine Realty Trust Ford Motor Company
John A. Barbour Robert Scaer, PE Chief Executive Officer President & COO Buchanan Ingersoll & Rooney, P.C. Gannett Fleming, Inc.
Gary D. St Hilaire Laura Shapria Karet Chief Executive Officer CEO Capital Blue Cross Giant Eagle
Mark R. Kempic, Esq. Scott C. Rogers President President Columbia Gas of Pennsylvania & Maryland The Glatfelter Agency
Nicholas J. Deluliss Dr. Andreas Lackner President & CEO President & CEO CONSOL Energy Global Tungsten & Powders Corp.
Mike Perry President & Chief Executive Officer Crayola LLC Daniel A. Onorato Scott Roy EVP, Chief External Aifeirs & Communications Officer SVP Marcellus Shale Highmark Range Resources
Conrad A. Plimpton Thomas W. Buckingham Chairman Executive Vice President of Strategy Inolex Chemical Company Select Medical
Robert M. Talle William Shipley President CEO Johnson Matthey Shipley Energy
Michael G. Zanic Mike Hennigan Administrative Partner CEO K & L Gates Sunoco Logistics
Walter S. Peake John Montgomery Vice President General Counsel & Secretary President PA Division Lutron Electronics Company, Inc. Susquehanna Bank
William M. Lambert John P. Bilbrey Chief Executive Officer Chairman, President & CEO Mine Safety Appliances The Hershey Company
John D. Moran, Jr. William McNabb President & CEO CEO Moran Industries The Vanguard Group
Frederick W. Anton, III John T. Tighe Chairman & President President & CEO PA Manufacturers Association TMG Health, Inc
Morgan O'Brien Robert F. Beard President and CEO President & CEO Peoples Natural Gas UGI Corporation
Sylvan Holzer Sue Schick President Chief Executive Officer PNC Bank Pittsburgh UnitedHealthCare
Chuck Bunch Mario Longhi PPG Industries President & Chief Executive Officer U.S. Steel Corporation David DeCampli President Carl Erhart PPL Energy Supply Regional Vice President Verizon - Pennsylvania, Inc. Michael George President & CEO Gregory S. Redden QVC, Inc. EVP & Regional President for Greater PA Wells Fargo Cooper, Kathy MP
From: Dave Patti
Attached is an official letter of support for Final-Form Regulations #6-326 - Academic Standards and Assessments from the members ofthe Pennsylvania Business Council Policy Roundtable. You will see that more than 50 Pennsylvania business leaders agreed to have their names affixed to this letter as co-signers. Thank you.
^km0™r*^m- David W. Patti EOEfiWED President & CEO Pennsylvania Business Council NOV 1 3 2013 116 Pine Street, Suite 201 INDEPENDENT REGULATORY Harrisburg, Pennsylvania 17101 REVIEW COMMISSION (0) 717-232-8700 (C) 717-329-7207 www.pabusinesscouncil.org www.pennsvlvaniaprosperitv.org www.pa-commoncorestandards.com www.twitter.com/PABizCouncil www.twitter.com/pacommoncore
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