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A bill tweaking how the state give letter grades to schools based on year-end testing and graduation rates is headed to Gov. Gary Herbert for his signature.
The House passed SB209 on 62-12 vote Thursday, and the Senate concurred in amendments it made to give the bill final passage.
A major change is that it would end the practice of giving schools an automatic F grade if they fail to test at least 95 percent of students.
Instead, it would drop them by one letter grade, such as from an A to a B.
In earlier debate, Sen. Todd Weiler, R-Wood Cross, said Viewmont High School in his district would have received a B recently, but received an F because not enough students had been tested. He said the change provides a more reasonable way to judge schools.
Sen. Stuart Adams, R-Layton, sponsor of the bill, also has said it will exempt alternative high schools and new schools from grading, and would exclude students with severe disabilities from being included in a school's graduation-rate calculation.
It also allows "combination schools" — which combine secondary and elementary education — to provide separate grades for each.
Adams said the changes were requested by schools.