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Graduation Options for Students with Disabilities-Charter
Types of Graduation Options
The graduation options available to students are determined by LEA/district board policies and must be written into a school's charter. This may include:
- A diploma based on the state-mandated requirements,
- A diploma based on A-G requirements, or
- A charter school may set its own diploma requirements,
- A certificate of completion
Students with disabilities must be given adequate notice of the requirements for the types of graduation options offered. The following table shows a comparison of the different types of graduation options.
| Subject Area | State Mandated Requirements for High School Graduation (EC 51225.3) | A-G Requirements (as approved by UC course approval process) | Certificate of Completion (EC 56390) |
|---|---|---|---|
| English | Three Years. | Four years. | Satisfactorily completed a prescribed alternative course of study approved by the district governing board and identified in the student’s IEP AND Satisfactorily met his or her IEP goals and objectives as determined by the IEP team AND Satisfactorily attended high school, participated in instruction, and met the objectives of the statement of transition services. NOTE: The above is a requirement of a standard public school, but not of a charter school. A charter school can use this Ed. Code as a guideline for determining criteria for the board approved certificate of completion option. |
| Mathematics | Two years, including Algebra I. | Three years, including algebra, geometry, and intermediate algebra. Four years recommended. | |
| Social Science | Three years of social science (including U.S. history and geography; world history, culture, and geography; one semester of American government; and one semester of economics). | Two years of history/social science, including one year of U.S. history or 1/2 year of U.S. history and 1/2 year of civics or American government; and one year of world history, cultures, and geography. | |
| Science | Two years, including biology and physical science. | Two years with lab required, chosen from biology, chemistry, and physics. Three years recommended. | |
| Visual and Performing Arts | One year of either visual and performing arts, foreign language, or career technical education. | One year of visual and performing arts chosen from the following: dance, drama/theater, music, or visual art. | |
| Physical Education | Two years | Not Applicable | |
| Electives | Not Applicable | One year |
Termination of Special Education Services
The following table illustrates the guidelines around the termination of special education services. Prior written notice is required upon the termination of special education services for any of the situations below.
| If a student's 22nd birthday is between January and June, the student may continue through the remainder of the fiscal year (through and ending on June 30th of that same fiscal year). | EC 56026(c)(4)(A) |
| If a student's 22nd birthday is in July, August, or September of the new fiscal year, then the student will not be allowed to begin a new fiscal year (school year and ESY (Extended School Year) ending July 1st of the current year). However, if a student is in a year-round school program and is completing her individualized education program in a term that extends into the new fiscal year, then the student may complete that term. | EC 56026(c)(4)(B) |
| If a student's 22nd birthday is during October, November, or December, the student shall be terminated from the program on December 31 of current fiscal year unless the student would otherwise complete their IEP at the end of the current fiscal year. | EC 56026(c)(4)(C) |
| Student graduates from high school with a regular high school diploma. | EC 56026.1(a) |
Certificate of Completion or Regular High School Diploma
The IEP team must determine which graduation option is most appropriate for the student, given the options made available by the LEA/district as determined by the governing board. Not all LEAs/districts offer a diploma based on the state-mandated requirements; some choose to offer only diplomas based on A-G requirements or their own requirements as outlined in their charter. If the student is on track for earning a regular high school diploma, either A-G or state-mandated, then the student has until the date indicated in the table above to complete this course of study. Students may not receive a diploma if they do not meet the requirements of the types of diplomas offered as determined by the LEA/district.
The LEA/district cannot deny a student a diploma based on their disability, but the student does not have a right to a diploma because of their disability either. The certificate of completion option is available to those students who are not able to complete the requirements for a regular high school diploma as offered by the LEA/district. These students are eligible for educational placement and services in accordance with their IEP until the date indicated in the above table. If the school is a charter school, the governing board of the LEA/district approves the requirements for the certificate of completion graduation option. In a standard public school, the certificate of completion option is in accordance with EDC §56390, as stated above.
The graduation option chosen by the IEP team shall be documented clearly as part of the Transition Plan and marked on the Offer of FAPE- Educational Settings page of the IEP.
Additional Pathway to High School Diploma for Students with Significant Cognitive Disabilities
Effective June 30, 2022, California Education Code section 51225.31 established a new high school diploma pathway exclusively for students with significant cognitive disabilities in alignment with the federal Every Student Succeeds Act ("ESSA") (20 U.S.C. § 7801(23)(A)(ii)(I)(bb)).
California High School Proficiency Examination (CHSPE)
The California High School Proficiency Examination (CHSPE) is a testing program established by California law (EC 48412). Passing this test earns a student the legal equivalent of a high school diploma.
The CHSPE consists of two sections: an English-Language Arts section and a Mathematics section. If a student passes both sections of the CHSPE, the California State Board of Education will award a Certificate of Proficiency, which by state law is equivalent to a high school diploma (although not equivalent to completing all coursework required for regular graduation from high school).
If a student with an IEP takes and passes the CHSPE, the student is still eligible to receive educational placement and services in accordance with their IEP at the LEA/district until they meet the requirements of one of the graduation options offered by the LEA/district.
For more information please visit https://www.chspe.org/.
Graduation Checklist
When preparing a student with an Individualized Education Plan (IEP) to graduate with a high school diploma, please ensure the IEP team has completed the following steps:
- Schedule an IEP Amendment to be held within the last 8-10 weeks of school to address:
- Update Present Levels of Performance
- Complete SEIS Post-Secondary Exit Page 1 and Page 2
- Ensure the student's "Age of Majority" information has been discussed with the student and documented on the SEIS Individual Transition Plan page 2 form.
- Provide the parent1 with a copy of the most recent eligibility evaluation reports, most recent IEP documents, and a copy of the documents completed at the amendment
Upon completion of the required credits for graduation:
- Send the parent a Prior Written Notice (PWN) confirming the student has met the requirement to graduate with a high school diploma. The notice shall also specify that the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) states that students who receive a high school diploma are no longer eligible to receive a Free Appropriate Public Education (FAPE). As a result, the student's graduation is a change in placement, and upon graduation from high school the student will no longer be eligible for special education-related services. Lastly, the notice should include contact information for the LEA/district, should the parent disagree with the determination.
1The term “parent” refers to a natural parent, adopted parent, or legal guardian (EDC §49061). Any rights afforded to the parent are transferred to the adult student when they reach the age of majority (age 18), except in cases when a student with a disability has been deemed unable to make their own educational decisions under California Law. Therefore, references to the parent may also include adult students.