IKF - Graduation Requirements

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Code: IKF
Adopted: 8/08/17
Orig. Code(s): IKF

The Board will establish graduation requirements for the awarding of a high school diploma, a modified diploma, an extended diploma and an alternative certificate which meet or exceed state requirements. A student may satisfy graduation requirements in less than four years. The ESD will award a diploma to a student fulfilling graduation requirements in less than four years if consent is given by the student’s parent or guardian or by the student if the student is 18 years of age or older or emancipated. 

If the ESD requires diploma requirements beyond the state requirements, the ESD shall grant a waiver for those requirements to any student who, at any time from grade 9 to 12, was: 

  1. A foster child;1 

  2. Homeless; 

  3. A runaway; 

  4. A child in a military family covered by the Interstate Compact on Educational Opportunity for Military Children; 

  5. A child of a migrant worker; or 

  6. Enrolled in the Youth Corrections Education Program or the Juvenile Detention Education Program. 

For any student identified above, the ESD shall accept any credits earned by the student in another school district or public charter school, applying those credits toward the state requirements for a diploma if the credits satisfied those requirements in that school district or public charter school.2 

Diploma 

A high school diploma will be awarded to students in grades 9 through 12 who complete a minimum of 24 credits which include at least: 

  1. Three credits of mathematics (shall include one unit at the Algebra I level and two units at a higher level than Algebra I); 

  2. Four credits of English language arts (shall include the equivalent of one unit in written composition); 

  3. Three credits of science; 

  4. Three credits of social sciences (including history, civics, geography and economics (including personal finance)); 

  5. One credit in health education; 

  6. One credit in physical education; and 

  7. Three credits in career technical education, the arts or world languages (unit shall be earned in any one or a combination). 

The ESD shall offer students credit options provided the method for obtaining such credits is described in the student’s personal education plan and the credit is earned by meeting requirements described in OAR 581-022-1131. 

In addition to credit requirements outlined in OAR 581-022-2000 a student must: 

  1. Demonstrate proficiency in the essential skills of reading, writing and apply mathematics in a variety of settings ; 

  2. Develop an education plan and build an education profile; 

  3. Demonstrate extended application through a collection of evidence; 

  4. Participate in career-related learning experiences. 

Essential Skills 

The ESD will allow English Language Learner (ELL) students to demonstrate proficiency in all the required Essential Skills in the student’s language of origin. 

The ESD will develop procedures to provide assessment options as described in the Test Administration Manual, in the ELL student’s language of origin , and will develop procedures to ensure that locally scored assessment options administered in an ELL student’s language of origin are scored by a qualified rater. 

Modified Diploma 

A modified diploma will be awarded only to students who have demonstrated the inability to meet the full set of academic standards established by the State Board of Education for a diploma while receiving reasonable modifications and accommodations. A modified diploma may only be awarded to a student who meets the eligibility criteria below: 

  1. Have a documented history of an inability to maintain grade level achievement due to significant learning and instructional barriers; or 

  2. Have a documented history of a medical condition that creates a barrier to achievement. 

Having met the above eligibility criteria, a modified diploma will be awarded to students, who while in grade nine through completion of high school, complete 24 credits which shall include: 

  1. Three credits in English language arts; 

  2. Two credits in mathematics; 

  3. Two credits in science; 

  4. Two credits in social sciences; 

  5. One credit in health; 

  6. One credit in physical education; and 

  7. One credit in career technical education, the arts or a world language. 

In addition to credit requirements as outlined in OAR 581-022-2010, a student must: 

  1. Develop an education plan and build and education profile; and 

  2. Demonstrate extended application through a collection of evidence. 

A student must also demonstrate proficiency in the Essential Skills with reasonable modifications and accommodations. 

ESDs may make modifications to the assessment for students who seek a modified diploma when the following conditions are met: 

  1.  For a student on an individualized education program (IEP) ) or Section 504 plan, any modifications to work samples must be consistent with the requirements established in the IEP) or Section 504 plan. Modifications include practices and procedures that compromise the intent of the assessment through a change in learning expectations, construct, or content that is to be measured, grade level standard, or measured outcome of the assessment. This means that IEP or Section 504 school teams responsible for approving modifications for a student’s assessment may adjust the administration of the assessment and/or the assessment’s achievement standard; 

  2. For a student not on an IEP or 504 plan, any modifications to work samples must have been provided to the student during their instruction in the content area to be assessed, and in the year in which the student is being assessed, and modifications must be approved by the school team that is responsible for monitoring the student’s progress toward the modified diploma. 

Students not on an IEP or a 504 Plan may not receive a modified Smarter Balanced assessment. 

A student’s school team shall decide that a student should work toward a modified diploma no earlier than the end of grade six and no later than two years before the student’s anticipated exit from high school. 

A student’s school team may decide to revise a modified diploma decision. 

A student’s school team may decide that a student who was not previously working toward a modified diploma should work toward one when the student is less than two years from an anticipated exit from high school if the documented history has changed. 

Beginning in grade five or beginning after a documented history to qualify for a modified diploma, the ESD shall annually provide to the parents or guardians of the student, information about the availability and requirements of a modified diploma. 

Extended Diploma 

An extended diploma will be awarded only to students who have demonstrated the inability to meet the full set of academic content standards for a diploma while receiving modifications and accommodations. To be eligible for an extended diploma, a student must:

1. While in grade nine through completion of high school, complete 12 credits, which may not include more than six credits in a self-contained special education classroom and will include:

a. Two credits of mathematics;

b. Two credits of English;

c. Two credits of science;

d. Three credits of history, geography, economics or civics;

e. One credit of health;

f. One credit of physical education; and

g. One credit of the arts or a world language.

2. Have a documented history of:

a. An inability to maintain grade level achievement due to significant learning and instructional barriers;

b. A medical condition that creates a barrier to achievement; or

c. A change in the student’s ability to participate in grade level activities as a result of a serious illness or injury that occurred after grade eight. 

Beginning in grade five or beginning after a documented history to qualify for an extended diploma has been established, the ESD shall annually provide to the parents or guardians of the student, information about the availability and requirements of an extended diploma. 

Alternative Certificates 

Alternative certificates will be awarded to students who do not satisfy the requirements for a diploma, a modified diploma or an extended diploma if the students meet minimum credit requirements established by the ESD. 

Beginning in grade five or beginning after a documented history to qualify for an alternative certificate, the ESD shall annually provide to the parents or guardians of the student, information about the availability and requirements of an alternative certificate. 

Other ESD Responsibilities 

The ESD will ensure that students have onsite access to the appropriate resources to achieve a diploma, a modified diploma, an extended diploma or an alternative certificate at each high school. The ESD will provide age appropriate and developmentally appropriate literacy instruction to all students until graduation. 

The ESD may not deny a student the opportunity to pursue a diploma with more stringent requirements than a modified diploma or an extended diploma for the sole reason the student has the documented history listed under the above modified diploma or extended diploma requirements. 

The ESD may award a modified diploma or an extended diploma to a student only upon the written consent of a student who is emancipated or who has reached the age of 18 at the time the modified or extended diploma is awarded, or of the student’s parent or guardian. The ESD shall receive the written consent during the school year in which the modified diploma or the extended diploma is awarded. 

A student shall have the opportunity to satisfy the requirements for a modified diploma, an extended diploma or an alternative certificate in either four years after starting the ninth grade, or until the student reaches the age of 21, if the student is entitled to a public education until the age of 21 under state or federal law. 

A student may satisfy the requirements for a modified diploma, an extended diploma or an alternative certificate in less than four years but not less than three years. To satisfy the requirements for a modified diploma, an extended diploma or an alternative certificate in less than four years, the student’s parent or guardian or a student who is emancipated or has reached the age of 18 must provide written consent which clearly states the parent, guardian or student is waiving the fourth year and/or years until the student reaches the age of 21. A copy of the consent will be forwarded to the district superintendent who will annually report to the Superintendent of Public Instruction the number of such consents. A student who received a modified diploma, an extended diploma or an alternative certificate will have the option of participating in a high school graduation ceremony with the student’s class. 

A student who receives a modified diploma, an extended diploma, or an alternative certificate shall have access to instructional hours, hours of transition services and hours of other services that are designed to meet the unique needs of the student and when added together provide a total number of hours of instruction and services that equal at least the total number of instructional hours that are required to be provided to students who are attending a public high school. 

The ESD will award, to students with disabilities, a document certifying successful completion of program requirements. No document issued to students with disabilities educated in full or in part in a special education program shall indicate that the document is issued by such a program. When a student who has an IEP completes high school, the ESD will give the student an individualized summary of performance. 

Eligible students with disabilities are entitled to a free appropriate public education (FAPE) until the age of 21, even if they have earned a modified diploma, an extended diploma, an alternative certificate or completion of a General Education Development document. The continuance of services for students with disabilities for a modified diploma, extended diploma or alternative certificate is contingent on the IEP team determining the student’s continued eligibility and special education services are needed. 

Students and their guardians will be notified of graduation and diploma requirements. 

The ESD may not deny a diploma to a student who has opted out of statewide assessments if the student is able to satisfy all other requirements for the diploma. Students who opt-out will need to meet the Essential 

Skills graduation requirement using another approved assessment option. Students may opt out of the Smarter Balanced or alternate Oregon Extended Assessment by completing the Oregon Department of Education’s Opt-out Form and submit the form to the ESD.3 

The ESD shall establish conduct and discipline consequences for student-initiated test impropriety. “Student-initiated test impropriety” means student conduct that is inconsistent with the Test Administration Manual or accompanying guidance; or results in a score that is invalid. 

The ESD shall establish conduct and discipline consequences for student-initiated test impropriety. “Student-initiated test impropriety” means student conduct that is inconsistent with the Test Administration Manual or accompanying guidance; or results in a score that is invalid.

1 As defined in ORS 30.297. 

2 For a diploma awarded on or after January 1, 2018. 

3 www.ode.state.or.us: Educator Resources > Student Assessment > Test Administration > Forms > 2018-2019 30-day notice and opt-out form

END OF POLICY


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