I think it all depends on the student, obviously. We like Senator Buttars raising the issue of the significance of the 12th year of high school. In Utah, we're finding however that the 12th year really needs to be intensified.
We need to have full four years of mathematics, we need four years of English, we're just seeing too many students coming into college not prepared to be successful. And so in working with the state superintendent of education, the State Board of Education to raise our graduation standards, our concern is really that eliminating the 12th year really moves in the wrong direction. We do compliment the senators about providing options. Some kids are really able to move on and I think we need to facilitate that.

PHILLIPS: You bring up a good point, Bill, that's a really good point. If you make that senior year more intense and you offer more, does that better the chances that maybe a student would be more motivated in school, more motivated to want to go to college.

Also, too, if you skip the senior year, would that affect the application process of getting into a good college? Would a college say, hmm, I don't know if I want a student that skipped the senior year.

SEDERBURG: Well, I think a lot of those standards are more determined by ACT tests and the courses you've taken as opposed to just having a 12th year. In that sense, Senator Buttars is onto something.

However, what we're finding is about half of our students are not prepared for mathematics at the college level. Almost a third are not prepared in writing skills. So we would really like to have the high school system take the 12th year serious and bring everybody up to a world competitive level and then allow some options for students that are ready to move on either through advanced placement.

Or in Utah, we use concurrent enrollment as a mechanism of doing this as well. So I think our position is just to strengthen K-12 and use that 12th year.

PHILLIPS: Well, it's interesting. We definitely will follow up and see what happens. I'm curious, you know, while I have you both, so, Senator, wasn't there a memory from the 12th grade that, you know, you just couldn't live without? Something must have happened to where you wouldn't have wanted to miss the 12th grade.

BUTTARS: Well, yes and no. I can't believe that it makes sense to spend $120 million so I can go to the prom.

PHILLIPS: Oh. Did you not have a good prom date, Senator?

BUTTARS: I could have eliminated my prom situation.

PHILLIPS: Yes, but did you have a memory that you can't forget, Bill?

BUTTARS: I would have been happy to give away that memory from my 12th grade.

PHILLIPS: Yes, I know. I think we've all got those deadly prom stories.

Gentlemen, we will definitely in a serious nature follow up on what happens. It's definitely an interesting discussion. Senator Chris Buttars and Bill Sederburg, commissioner of higher education, appreciate you two, thank you very much.

SEDERBURG: Thank you.

PHILLIPS: Thank you.

我认为，很明显，这完全取决与学生本身。我们赞同Buttars参议员提出的12年级问题的重要意义。在犹他州，我们发现12年级的情况确实应该得到加强。我们需要完整的四年的数学和英语学习，我们见到过许多学生进入大学，却没有做好充分的准备。所以，州教育委员会将和州教育监管部门一起提高毕业标准。我们真正的担忧是，取消12年级将朝着错误的方向前进。对参议员提出选择的做法，我们表示赞扬。一些孩子确实有能力继续深造，我认为我们需要促进这一方面。

PHILLIPS：你提到了很好的一点，Bill，真的非常好。如果让毕业的一年的学习得到强化，提供更多的帮助，这是不是能够更高的提高学生在校期间的积极性，提高他们升大学的积极性呢？

同时，如果跳过毕业年，会不会影响进入一所好大学的申请程序？大学会不会说，我们不确定要不要招跳级学生。

SEDERBURG：我认为这些标准更多的是由ACT考试决定的，当然，还有不读12年级时你学习的课程。从这个意义上来讲，Buttars提出的建议还是可行的。

然而，我们发现，大约一半的学生没有为大学的数学水平做好准备。大约三分之一的学生写作技能没有准备好。所以，我们希望高中教育系统能够认真对待12年级，使每一个学生都有国际竞争力，使学生在工作中处于更有利的位置，拥有更多选择。

在犹他州，我们采用同时录取机制，而且运作的比较好。所以我认为，我们应该加强从幼儿园到12年级的儿童教育，充分利用第12年。

PHILLIPS：非常有趣。我们肯定将继续跟进，看一下到底会发生怎样的状况。我很好奇，参议员先生，在12年级你没有难忘的回忆吗？一定发生了一些难忘的事情，让你不想错过12年级。

BUTTARS：也是也不是。我不相信花费1.2亿美元让我得以参加舞会行得通。

PHILLIPS：参议员先生，难道你没有一个好的舞伴吗？

BUTTARS：我可能已经不记得当时的误会场景。

PHILLIPS：但是难道你没有难忘的回忆吗，Bill？

BUTTARS：我很高兴剔除12年级的记忆。

PHILLIPS：是的，我知道。我们每个人都有一些难忘的舞会的故事。

先生们，我们将会继续追踪接下来的情况。这确实是非常有趣的讨论。非常感谢参议员Chris Buttars和高等教育专员Bill Sederburg的到来。谢谢你们。

SEDERBURG: 谢谢。

PHILLIPS: 谢谢。