Bonnie, this is a situation where everyone, including you and the students you're trying to protect, knew what the requirements were for all four years of their high school enrollment.    Yet, here you are, complaining about the supposed unfairness of it all and I simply can't agree with that.  I also don't agree with your assertion that it's not a "small group of students"...of course it is.  3,000 seniors represent 5% of the graduating class statewide which means 57000, or 95%, somehow managed to pass all graduation requirements so it can't be as awful as you make it out to be.  I don't know why this small group of students couldn't manage to pass the one test that everyone knew was required for graduation but, I don't have much sympathy for them.  You can frame politicians kicking the can down the road and changing the rules as being in the "best interest of the children"...I don't think it is at all.