While postponement of the high school exit exam may come as a great relief for some, it's a grand disappointment for all who hoped that diplomas earned by the Class of 2004 would carry a new cachet.

Passage of the math and English/language arts exam would signify that diploma holders, indeed, had learned from their studies and completed high school not only meeting state standards, but also with at least a modicum of the knowledge needed to succeed in the real world.

But no. The State Board of Education voted unanimously Wednesday to delay the testing requirement for two years, making the Class of 2006 the new standard-bearer for academic achievement. Which amounts to a huge slap in the face to both teachers and next year's seniors, who essentially have had the goal post moved on the final down.

It's a message that can only frustrate all the educators who have striven hard to put the test mechanics in place and confound all the students who have strained valiantly to bring themselves up to par.

Oh sure, these students still will have benefited from all the special classes, before- and after-school tutoring, practice exams and targeted teaching aimed their way. The extra focus will not have gone for naught. And students in the Classes of 2004 and 2005 who already have passed the exam won't go away empty-handed but will get certificates of recognition. And yet, the board's decision to delay the day of reckoning poses a serious credibility issue for students and the public.

But make no mistake. As board President Reed Hastings was quick to point out, the test is here to stay. "Under California law, the state board cannot delay the exam again, and therefore, it will certainly apply to the Class of 2006.'

We can only hope that's true and that politics doesn't get in the way of the Class of 2006 meeting that goal. Passing the standards-based test should become an expectation to be met rather than a dubious feat. 1