The Department of Education has informed school districts that if school districts would like to count the Keystone Exam for less than 1/3 of the total course grade, school districts would have to have the other assessments utilized in determining the course grade validated. The validation process is viewed by many to be difficult and costly. This will likely result in most school districts using the Keystone Exams as final exams, counting one-third or more of the entire course grade, or the utilization of the exams as stand-along graduation requirements.