According to the College Board the maximum score on each section was 800, and 360 students nationwide scored a perfect 2,400. In 2011, 124 Hermitage School District students took the SAT exams. The district's Verbal Average Score was 475. The Math average score was 495. The Writing average score was 455. Pennsylvania ranked 40th among states with SAT scores: Verbal - 493, Math - 501, Writing - 479. In the United States, 1.65 million students took the exam in 2011. They averaged 497 (out of 800) verbal, 514 math and 489 in writing. Among Pennsylvania's 500 public school districts, graduation requirements widely vary. Hermitage School Board has determined that a pupil must earn 25 credits to graduate, including: a required class every year in math, English, social studies, science, Physical Education 1/2 credit each year, Health 1/2 credit, Computer 1 and 8 electives. Students may exempt Physical education in 10th, 11th and 12th grades by participating in a school sponsored PIAA sport. By law, all Pennsylvania secondary school students were required to complete a project as a part of their eligibility to graduate from high school. The type of project, its rigor and its expectations are set by the individual school district. Effective with the graduating class of 2017, the Pennsylvania State Board of Education eliminated the state mandate that students complete a culminating project in order to graduate. By Pennsylvania School Board regulations, beginning with the class of 2017, public school students must demonstrate successful completion of secondary level course work in Algebra I, Biology, and English Literature by passing the Keystone Exams. The exam is given at the end of the course. Keystone Exams replace the PSSAs for 11th grade. Students have several opportunities to pass the exam, with those who do not able to perform a project in order to graduate. For the class of 2019, a Composition exam will be added. For the class of 2020, passing a civics and government exam will be added to the graduation requirements. In 2011, Pennsylvania high school students field tested the Algebra 1, Biology and English Lit exams. The statewide results were: Algebra 1 38% on grade level, Biology 35% on grade level and English Lit - 49% on grade level. Individual student, school or district reports were not made public, although they were reported to district officials by the Pennsylvania Department of Education. Students identified as having special needs and qualifying for an Individual Educational Program (IEP) may graduate by meeting the requirements of their IEP.