Diplomas, fed aid targeted

The state school board's idea to make sure the federal government can award Pell grants to students not passing Utah's high school basic skills test isn't sitting well with lawmakers.

Wednesday, the Administrative Rules Committee agreed that not setting apart a diploma for kids who try three times but don't pass the Utah Basic Skills Competency Test is out of line with Utah law.

"I recognize we have a lot of students who give their best effort who can't pass the basic skills competency test," said Sen. Howard Stephenson, R-Draper. "Then again, a diploma needs to mean something in terms of basic skills. It's sort of a tough-love situation."

But the committee left in the air the big question: How will districts, or the state, designate diplomas for students who don't pass the exam?

State school law and legislation director Carol Lear believes the board might change the rule. Maybe diplomas — even though now under the purview of districts — will have to say a student didn't pass the basic skills test. Maybe the student's transcript could specify that, too.

But, noted board member Teresa Theurer: "I don't know what the board will do."

The issue is rooted in the state's premiere high-stakes test for high school students and how it might impact federal aid for college.

Beginning with this year's seniors, all students have to pass the Utah Basic Skills Competency Test, which measures reading, writing and math, to receive a "basic" high school diploma. The idea is to guarantee high school graduates are competent in those areas.

Students have five times to pass. If unsuccessful after the third attempt, they can receive an alternative completion diploma. Anything less could net a certificate of completion. As many as 9,300 seniors were failing at least one part of the test as of last spring, according to state data and a Deseret Morning News analysis.

The state considers an alternative completion diploma equivalent to high school graduation.

While employers don't ask to see job applicants' actual diplomas — transcripts, if anything, are more likely — federal aid offices will ask what kind of diploma a student received, Lear said.

Therein lies the rub.

Federal financial aid regulations define an equivalent high school diploma as a GED, or a state certificate awarded following a high-school equivalency test, or completion of a two-year college program acceptable toward a bachelor's degree.