• One Utah senior maintains a 3.6 GPA and is involved in school activities, her dad says. She earns top grades in language arts, and B's and C's in math. She's tried the UBSCT math test three times. But her test anxiety is so severe she just freezes.

"It's a slap in the face to go to school for 12 years and do your best and push really hard and maintain the best grades you can — and they're high grades, and honestly earned grades— to get (an alternative completion diploma)," says the father, who like other parents asked to be unnamed to protect his child's identity. "It's a slap in the face that is not earned; it's a slap in the face that is legislated."

A Salt Lake County student with an eye on college and B-average grades despite dyslexia also is struggling on the UBSCT. Her mom says she hasn't been able to find any help through her public school. She's shelling out bucks for private tutoring.

"They're guinea pigs," the mother said of high school seniors. "And I think the Class of (2007), it's not going to be much better for them."

Juniors are feeling the heat, too.

West High's Liliana Sonntag says she has taken the test once and took a prep class beforehand. She failed the math section and enrolled in a summer help class. But by the end of July, she didn't have much peace of mind.

"I am really nervous because the test is not even until October," she said. "I don't know what I will do if I fail again — I just hope I remember."

Classmate Liz McGee shares the sentiment.

"I think I feel more confident, but I am still probably going to fail it," McGee said of the math test. "I am still hoping to be able to catch up enough that I pass."

Utah has plenty of seniors who have repeatedly failed. In Granite District alone, 535 have attempted the math test three times, the district reports. Davis District has 251 students in the same boat.

School bosses' greatest fear is students will get so frustrated they drop out. Davis School District's testing boss Chris Wahlquist hopes you understand the "alternative completion diploma" is the same thing as every high school graduate in Utah has to date. The "basic diploma" just has extra bells and whistles.

"I worry," she said. "We're doing everything possible to reach students who need assistance. I'm focused on it — absolutely. This is important to the students. I believe we can (do it)."

• Everybody must pass the UBSCT to get a basic high school diploma, even if they barely speak English or are in special education. There is one exception: Students with significant cognitive disabilities — the state says there are few — can take the Utah Alternate Assessment instead.

The law is strict for a reason, Stephenson says. Loopholes would cheapen the diploma for everybody.