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This year's high-school graduates have mastered basic skills better than the class of 2007 according to state test results released today.
According to the State Office of Education, 80 percent of the class of 2008 has passed all three sections -- math, reading and writing -- of the Utah Basic Skills Competency Test, commonly called the U-Biscuit. That is nearly a 2-percent increase over the class of 2007.
Passing rates are also increasing in Alpine and Nebo school districts, who both say they are at or above the state average. Scores for the Provo School District were unavailable Wednesday.
State Director of Assessment Deborah Swenson credits districts' efforts to prepare students for the test starting in middle school for the increase. Rhonda Bromley, a spokeswoman for Alpine School District said students there have been taking classes aimed at the UBSCT as well as practice tests and other preparatory measures.
Seth Sorensen, assessment director for Nebo School District, said he has seen a 3-percent increase in students who pass the reading section, a 7-percent increase in students who pass the writing section and about a 10-percent increase in those passing the math section -- where the most students struggle and where the district has placed most of its efforts to help students.
"We are actually seeing increases just like the state," Sorensen said. "Our increases are a little more dramatic."
However, the news may not be as good as it seems. New research shows that high-school exit exams may not increase student achievement. John Robert Warren is a professor of sociology at the University of Minnesota-Twin Cities who researches exit exams. His latest research, set to come in the next issue of the journal Educational Policy, compares students from states that required exit exams with students from those that didn't. He and his co-researchers found that students in states with exit exams don't know more than those in states that require an exam.
"It turns out that exit exams don't increase how much kids know about reading and math," Warren said. He did not comment specifically about the UBSCT.
Swenson had not seen the study and said she could not comment on it, but had faith in the UBSCT.
"The UBSCT has very strong validity and reliability. It does measure what it is developed to measure," she said.
John Jesse, director of research and evaluation in the Alpine School District, said the UBSCT is not a true exit exam because it is not administered at the end of a student's course work. It can be taken and passed when students are in 10th grade. He also said it is simply designed to measure basic skills and the exam has helped districts identify students who need more help.
"It has focused more attention on students with lower-level skills in high school, and I think that has been a good thing," Jesse said.
Sorensen defended the test against accusations that it has simply gotten easier and thus more passable for students.
"I would say it's not really getting easier. The reason for the increase is our increased focus on the basic skills that are tested," Sorensen said.
Passage of the UBSCT has been required for graduation since the class of 2006. Students who do not pass all three sections do not receive a diploma but receive a certificate of completion at the end of 12th grade. Students are given five chances to pass the test beginning their sophomore year of high school. According to state data, 64 percent of this year's high school sophomores have already passed all three sections of the test.
• Brittani Lusk can be reached at 344-2549 or at
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