"Our assumption is," Johnson said, "in qualifying that we don't have single student identifiers, and this is based on enrollment, or this is based on participation, that they understood" the numbers were estimates.

That said, the range of pass rates found by the Deseret Morning News is within reason, Harrington said.

"(Our numbers are) based upon the best information we have. . . . We understand the data are at least unclean and perhaps not exactly on the money yet, because data don't account for transfers in and out of schools. . . . All those will be cleared up by a single student identifier," Harrington said. "I can't tell you how fast we need that. . . . It's important for me there is a high trust level in what is coming out of our office . . . for the sake of parents and our schools as well."

Still, even she reports having difficulty running results of other tests. About six months ago, the state wanted to know how many schools were missing the mark as far as No Child Left Behind was concerned. Harrington said the numbers were run three times; the first simply didn't make intuitive sense.

"That's how slippery this is right now," Harrington said. "We have lots to do."

Nevertheless, Harrington says principals never disputed or questioned UBSCT data in her presentations, even when given the chance.

"That's one more check on the system," Harrington said. "I would think if they were totally outrageous . . . (but) it did not come up."

But why, if the numbers were estimates, did state education chiefs not lay out precisely where they came from? Or, why didn't they release several different snapshots of the data to offer a broader look of what might be happening with UBSCT results?

"Data management is complex when you're talking about 36,000 students across 40 districts and they're moving around," Salt Lake City Associate Superintendent Charles Hausman said. "If they can't release perfect information, then they should release information with qualifiers explaining why their information is accurate and what concerns there may be that it's not."

Meanwhile, districts are doing their own work.

They've been verifying tests and are pinpointing exactly which students need help in what subject, and how many and which students, for whatever reason, have not taken the test at all.

They're offering summer classes, help during the school day, and talking to junior highs about weaknesses they might address on their end.

They want students to succeed. And that, they say, remains their focus.

"Did we make every effort possible?" said Davis assessment supervisor Jeff Williams. "I think in the end, that's what matters."

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E-mail: jtcook@desnews.com