Legislative opponents of the looming requirement that high school students pass the AIMS test to get a diploma call it bad public policy. It’s a concern that also hits close to home for some.

Rep. Andy Biggs, R-22, who is helping Sen. Thayer Verschoor, R-22, push legislation to lift the requirement, said he has two daughters who are high school juniors.

Current juniors — the graduating class of 2006 — would be the first students subject to the new diploma requirement for AIMS, a reading, writing and math test.

“I don’t think they would like me to disclose that,” Mr. Biggs said when asked during a news conference whether his daughters passed the test on their first attempt.

Mr. Verschoor said two of his children have already passed AIMS but he indicated they didn’t do so in their first attempts. He said he has other children who are in lower grades and will face the AIMS graduation requirement.

Mr. Verschoor and Mr. Biggs said they’re not challenging the graduation requirement because of the potential impact on their family members.

Verschoor: Local Control

“A lot of things that we do down here affect us,” Ms. Verschoor said. “This is an issue of local control, parental choice and also good or bad policy.”

Mr. Verschoor predicts a “train wreck” when the requirement takes hold next year, with thousands of students being denied diplomas and costly lawsuits being filed against the state.

Mr. Verschoor’s bill to lift the requirement remains bottled up in the Senate.

Senate President Ken Bennett, R-1, a supporter of both the AIMS test and the graduation requirement, stalled action on Mr. Verschoor’s bill and now says it’s too late in the legislative session for the full Senate to debate and vote on the bill, which also would still need to be considered by the House.

At least for now, the graduation requirement opponents said that leaves them trying to win House approval of another bill to exempt disabled and special-education students and to give other students an alternative path. The alternative’s requirements include near-perfect attendance and completion of all required courses with C grades or better.

Though it’s too late for Mr. Verschoor’s bill to be considered by the Senate, lawmakers still can consider AIMS issues through other pending measures, Mr. Bennett said.

“If the issues can be brought on bills that are already in the process, I’m happy to work the issue,” Mr. Bennett said. —