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High school seniors who fear they won't pass Utah's new accountability tests in time for graduation this spring can breathe a little easier - but only a little.
The Utah Board of Education on Thursday decided students who fail the tests can receive real high school diplomas, not just certificates of completion. But students still have reason to stress over what those diplomas will say because they must state whether students have passed the reading, math and science portions of the Utah Basic Skills Competency Test (UBSCT).
Both diplomas will be accepted on applications for federal financial aid meant to help students attend college, said David Feitz, deputy executive director of the Utah Higher Education Assistance Authority. That point was in question under an earlier plan that would have withheld diplomas in favor of completion certificates for students failing UBSCT.
Mark H. Spencer, associate finance commissioner for the Utah System of High Education, said either diploma will be acceptable for admission to Utah's colleges. Students who lack the skills measured by UBSCT "might struggle to meet eligibility requirements at some Utah colleges," Spencer said, but they would be accepted at the state's open-enrollment and community colleges.
The state school board's vote culminates months of debate. Those pushing for greater student accountability argued that taking the teeth out of UBSCT by granting diplomas to those who didn't pass it decreases incentive for students to improve their school performance. But others believe withholding diplomas puts already-struggling students at further disadvantage.
When it comes to college admission, what the diploma says isn't the real issue, said Myron Cottam, associate state school superintendant.
"The diploma is important, and I don't have a problem with differentiating between those who passed and who did not pass," Cottam said. "But the transcripts are what is going out to colleges, and the [UBSCT scores are] on them, so colleges will have what they need to make determinations."
Ramifications in the job market are still unknown. Jeanine Wilson, past president for the Utah chapter of the Society for Human Resources Management, said she never asks to see diplomas in her position as a human resources director at Harman Music Group.
The state board requires that students must try to pass UBSCT at least three times in order to get a diploma. And, beginning with the graduating class of 2008, they must show they took advantage of their districts' opportunities for remediation.
Districts will make their own decisions about how to help students who haven't passed the test, but how much remediation is offered could depend on actions of the Legislature. The base budget proposed by the House appropriations committee does not include money for UBSCT remediation in schools. Rep. Howard Stephenson, R-Draper, chairman of the appropriations committee, is sponsoring a bill to offer vouchers to families so they can pay for UBSCT remediation from private tutoring sources.
Brett Moulding, state director of curriculum, says the Legislature needs to provide up to $10 million to school districts so they can create remediation programs personalized to the learning gaps of individual students. "Then [districts] can put remediation in the high schools based on student needs, focused within daily school schedule and involving parents, students and school counselors in preparing for re-take of the tests."