Oregons high school class of 2013 is the first one required to demonstrate writing skills before getting a diploma.

Nearly a third of those who took the states test during their junior year failed to pass, according to preliminary figures presented to the State Board of Education on Thursday and reported by The Oregonian.

But instead of taking the test again, those who failed will be offered the chance to satisfy the requirement by writing two exercises that will be graded by teachers at their school.

Thats different from the approach to a similar reading requirement, which went into effect one year earlier. To satisfy the reading requirement, students are given the opportunity to repeat the test numerous times during grades 11 and 12.

The reason is budgetary, said Department of Education spokeswoman Crystal Greene. Reading tests, like math tests, are multiple choice and are easier and cheaper to grade. During recent budget cuts, administration of the writing test was eliminated from grades four and seven, and limited to once in high school.

Local teachers who grade the follow-up writing samples for those who dont pass the test have been trained to use a state scoring guide, Greene said, and they can use online resources as well.

Requiring that students be able to read and write before getting a high school diploma is obviously the right move. In fact, its so obvious that its hard to imagine how this could be a new requirement.

But having local teachers grade the follow-up writing samples opens up a big loophole. Even the best-trained and best-intentioned teacher is going to have a hard time squashing the graduation hopes of a student he or she knows.

Failing scores will also affect the districts graduation rate, now getting extra attention under the governors education-improvement plan. The incentives conscious and subconscious for a passing score will be enormous. It wont be the same standard thats imposed by the statewide test, and so the test will have been effectively dumbed down.

That said, the increased focus on basic skills is an overwhelming positive that promises to improve the value of a high school diploma. And its an important counter-balance to the emphasis on granting degrees thats at the core of the governors plan.