"I guess it would be important for the state to have accurate data in those circumstances. If there are kids who aren't accounted for, does that create an impression we don't need as much focus on remediation, and if the percentages are higher, is that (going to affect) a discussion at the legislative level?" asked Tim McConnell, who oversees testing in Park City School District.

"To me, we've got a system set up that wasn't built to be able to handle all these anomalies."

Discrepancies in data

The Utah Basic Skills Competency Test aims to ensure a high school diploma equals basic reading, writing and math skills. It follows a criticism, often reiterated in Capitol Hill discussions, that public schools nationwide had been churning out graduates who can't read their own diplomas.

All students, beginning with the Class of 2006, must pass all three test sections — reading, math and writing — to earn a basic high school diploma. Generally, they have five chances to do it, beginning in the spring of their sophomore year. Students who take test sections three times but don't pass can receive an alternative completion diploma; others could receive a certificate of completion.

People making decisions about education want to know how many students are at risk for not receiving basic diplomas next year.

The State Office of Education attempted to answer the question, initially in an early May presentation to the State Board of Education, reports Sandra Johnson, the state's basic skills competency test specialist. To do so, it looked at test results and the number of students enrolled in the Class of 2006.

But several school district testing bosses say the 97 percent pass rate in reading can't possibly be right. It just doesn't add up.

School districts compile their own numbers, which several provided to the Deseret Morning News upon request.

Those numbers show the number of students failing the reading test in Jordan, Granite, Davis, Alpine and Salt Lake City school districts — which educate more than half of Utah's schoolchildren — surpasses the number of students reportedly failing statewide by more than 700. Not even high-performing Park City, which bests state numbers in math and writing, reported 97 percent of students passing reading.