Parents could blame the Legislature, as Utah ranks dead last among the 50 states and the District of Columbia in per-pupil spending at only 66 percent of the national average. The state Board of Education has asked for additional funds to help high school students get prepared for the state's first graduation exam. Legislators should grant it to help ameliorate the underfunding.

A year ago, nearly 15,000 Utah high school students who are due to graduate in 2006 failed at least one section of the exam, which covers math, reading and writing. Results of their second try will be reported later this month. But it seems inevitable that some of these students, who attended school for years under the old standards and have only in the past two years been required to demonstrate proficiency in those subjects, will not pass.

When that happens, Utah may no longer be one of only six states that have not been sued over inadequate school funding. It's likely that some parents will blame schools for failing to prepare their children to meet requirements mandated by the Legislature and put in place by the state Board of Education.

The education community may, in turn, rightly point to what it sees as the Legislature's failure to give educators the resources they need to do the job.

To help the class of 2006 successfully make the leap from the old standard, based primarily on "seat time," to the new competency-based graduation requirement, the state Board of Education is asking legislators for an additional 0 million. That would fund tutors and remedial classes to help struggling high school juniors, and younger students, catch up to their peers.

Utah has so far avoided a lawsuit because it has not required students to demonstrate proficiency on an exit exam and because the state's system of equal funding per student statewide means property-tax-poor school districts are funded the same as wealthier districts.

But, the state may have to defend the amount it spends per student. Part of that defense would be that Utah taxes are among the nation's highest and Utah's percentage of total taxable resources spent on education is equal to the national average at 3.8 percent.

However, more important than potential legal liability is the state's responsibility - and its best interest - to prepare students for college and/or employment. Given the needed resources, schools can provide a meaningful graduation exam to test that preparedness and a diploma that reflects it.

If not, parents will be justified in pointing the finger of blame at Capitol Hill where it belongs.