Is it meaningless? It's USA Today, so um...yeah.
I don't have mine, and instead am going straight for an Associates in CS, because it's easier, and will be seen better--rightfully so, as well. Why is it that now I spend around 10 hours each week in a classroom, and learn more than when I spent 36!? Of course I could give many reasons why, so don't bother replying to that.
And...11th grade, after taking the SATs, in homeroom, a girl speaks up, talking about it:
"I ain't never seen no math with numbers before!"
IMO, it's very simple. People have not changed. We have a similar bell curve in intelligence and achievement (including potential achievement) as in the past. SO if you increase the numbers in high school, you decrease the value of the diploma. If you increase the number of people succeeding in high school, you further devalue it.
In addition, the techniques leading to doing this can often hinder those of us who gave a damn, and who might want or even need good jobs (doctors aren't free, and I cost a lot each month).