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House OKs Bill Requiring Test for School Diploma

Posted on: Thursday, 23 February 2006, 18:01 CST

By Tiffany Erickson Deseret Morning News

The House, after being lobbied by the governor's office and State Office of Education leaders, voted Wednesday to reconsider a bill that would require all students to pass the Utah Basic Skills Competency Test to get a diploma.

The House on Tuesday amended and approved HB155, which says students who don't pass the UBSCT, regardless of how many times they attempted the test, would only get a certificate of completion and no diploma.

"It's the bottom line -- you don't pass the UBSCT, you don't get a diploma; there is no wiggle room at all," said Kory Holdaway, R- Taylorsville, in support of the change.

But state Education Deputy Kristine Kearl questioned whether lawmakers understood what the amendment would mean for the students who did not pass the test.

"I am not sure they realized that with only one diploma being given those students who completed their high school requirements would only receive a certificate of completion," Kearl said. "I think they forgot about those students."

The UBSCT, which measures math, reading and writing skills, is required of every Utah student from the Class of 2006 on.

Under current law those who pass it can receive a high school diploma. Those who try and fail three times can get an alternative diploma and those who do neither can get a certificate of completion.

A certificate of completion says only that a student has attended school and speaks nothing of meeting graduation requirements, Kearl said.

But under the bill those who do not pass the UBSCT will only get a certificate of completion regardless of meeting high school graduation requirements.

"They are going to get a certificate that is meaningless," said Jean Hill, state Office of Education government and legislative relations specialist. "The diploma gives them the opportunity to go on to college even though they didn't pass the UBSCT. They are going to have to deal with that when they apply to college, but at least they would have the opportunity."

Kearl said that with a certificate of completion students may not be able to gain admission into colleges or be eligible for grants and financial aid.

Originally HB155, sponsored by Rep. Neil Hansen, D-Ogden, would allow special education and adult education students to pass an alternative assessment in place of the UBSCT, required for a basic high school diploma.

Those who don't pass it would still get a differentiated diploma determined by the state school board or school districts.

However, Merlynn Newbold, R-South Jordan, amended the bill to take out language that would allow for an alternative diploma.

"That was in the original language of the statute," Newbold said. "If we are going to change that, it should be the Legislature to decide what that standard is."

Newbold said there does need to be some accommodations for those who have an IEP, those who go to adult high school and move here from another state.

"But are we going to stick to the standard that they have to pass (to get a diploma) or are we going to lower the standard or say there is no standard," Newbold said. "If it doesn't really matter then why ware we going to all the effort if it really isn't important that they pass the UBSCT?"

She said it would be a step backwards to say "well it's not really important" when the state has put a lot of time and money into the UBSCT.

E-mail: terickson@desnews.com

Source: Deseret News (Salt Lake City)

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