When a student has an IEP, the school district is responsible for their education until the student receives a high school diploma or turns 22 years old. If the student stays in school until 22, they will receive a Certificate of Completion.
There are substantive differences between your child receiving a high school diploma and their receiving a Certificate of Completion. Which path they take is an IEP team decision. Like all IEP decisions, the IEP team must discuss and make a determination together. Often, a school team member will check this box during the IEP process; However, this is a discussion families should revisit at least once every few years.
The California Department of Education has requirements all students must meet to earn a diploma. They can be found here.
When your child is able to meet these requirements with some minor adaptations, then a high school diploma is an option. If your student is taking most or all of the classes and their work is heavily modified, then their route is more likely to be a Certificate of Completion.
Many parents are concerned that a Certificate of Completion will severely limit their child’s options after high school. The good news is that this does not have to be the case. Every community college in California accepts students with Certificates of Completion. Many have exceptional departments that support disabled students and give great personalized advice.
If your child is done with school and you are helping them with their resume, you can simply list the year they graduated from high school. They did graduate and received a Certificate of Completion.
As parents, we understand. As experienced and trained advocates, we can help.
