Deseret News | 80 percent of grads have passed basic skills exam

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80 percent of grads have passed basic skills exam

Anonymous | 1:33 p.m. May 15, 2008

I don't think we should be rejoicing that 20% of our seniors can't pass a simple test of simple skills in 5 attempts.

robert | 1:53 p.m. May 15, 2008

raise or lower the standards, and more kids will flunk or pass

my univ. found a test that the leg. thought was cool... and 98.8 of the kids pass it... to move from sophomore to junior. What good is a test that 98.8% pass? It keeps the state led. off our backs.

Change the test, more kids will pass. Once you get on that merrygoround where you have a percentage passing, the bean counters will show up and inquire about up and down up and down up and down... and more beaucracy will inevitably makes it face shown...

just pass 80% every year and all will be well. we do.

Maybe, just maybe | 2:02 p.m. May 15, 2008

All kids don't have identical learning potentials.

Maybe their achievement can be measured on a curved distribution graph.

Of course that would be science, which is different from politics.

Politics says "Every person will be forced to succeed. No individual shall fail." Science says "Some will do better than others."

Which plan seems better?

Which is more politically expedient in Utah?

Comments continue below

Anonymous | 3:03 p.m. May 15, 2008

This test is very basic. Just because they pass this test doesn't mean they have great skill in math or science.

Science Teacher | 3:03 p.m. May 15, 2008

the UBSCT forces all students to test (minus a small %) so, no wonder many fail. HALF of the students are below average... get it?

Rodney | 3:21 p.m. May 15, 2008

Last year, when they took out the scores of students who did not attend school in Utah all school years (in-migration) and those who are in special education programs, the passing rate was closer to 98%. In other words, students educated here who do not have some type of learning disability nearly always pass UBSCT.

GC | 3:25 p.m. May 15, 2008

It seems that Robert has provided an example of why having a system of accountability is important to help make sure that critical subjects are taught better. I had to read his post several times to understand what he was trying to say. Hopefully graduating more people who can pass these tests will result in more adults who can reason clearly and communicate that in writing.

Keeping standards at one level instead of lowering them will hopefully mean that all parties involved (students, parents, teachers, and administrators) will each do their best to reach the goals.

Og | 3:34 p.m. May 15, 2008

20% of Utah's High School seniors could not pass the very minimal standards of this test!!! It shows our public schools are in deep trouble and we really need educational choice. Too bad Utahns have their heads in the sand about what is happening to their children.

Stewart | 8:02 p.m. May 15, 2008

Since this test is not standardized against any other state or school, most of these comments appear to have been made by the 20% that failed. The purpose of this test is not to judge Utah students, but to measure progress, and areas needing improvement. As was mentioned the test could be made so everyone would pass or very few would pass. It is designed to give the poorest of students a target to work for. Remember without the test, all a student had to do was sit in class to pass. There is great improvement here.

Science Teacher | 3:09 p.m. May 16, 2008

Stewart: false. You do not pass most classes based on attendance alone. Credits are earned with passing grades.

Remember, the 20% failure also includes people who don't grasp the English language fully and all the developmentally disabled kids not exempted from the test.

It is not "easy"... just moderately easy.

Do a search for UBSCT sample tests and you'll find a few you can peruse.

Brook | 9:36 a.m. May 17, 2008

Mandated multiple choice tests encourage convergent thinking, complying to the norm, not thinking outside the box, not being innovative. I think there are many great teachers who could inspire and motivate students if these teachers were not judged by a students performance on a multiple choice format. As it is, teachers teach to the test. Opportunities for students to learn higher order thinking skills and explore real life applications are lost. Without this challenge for students to think creatively students lose interest in learning and are even turned off by formal education. The unintended consequence of these tests is that students are turned off by formal education and teachers become machinations, void of charisma personality and enthusiasm.

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