Grade 7 and After: Course of Study

Transition to Adulthood Resource Guide

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Will the student participate in a curriculum leading to a Diploma or in a curriculum leading to a Certificate of Completion?

Previously this question was addressed on the Offer of FAPE (Free Appropriate Public Education) – Educational Setting page of the IEP. It referenced a Graduation Plan (Grade 7 or higher) and a projected graduation date and/or secondary completion date. It had boxes to check: curriculum leading to a Diploma or curriculum leading to a Certificate of Completion. In order to check these boxes, the team needed to discuss whether the student was on track to get a Diploma or a Certificate of Completion when the student was in Grade 7 and continue that discussion into middle and high school.

Updated California state IEP forms have omitted the Graduation Plan language and check boxes, which doesn’t mean that it’s still not best practice to discuss a Graduation Plan with the IEP team when the student is in Grade 7. Parents and students need to be aware of this, and consider discussing the Graduation Plan with the IEP team when the student is in Grade 7.

“District Graduation Requirements: Course of Study leading to a Certificate of Completion or a Diploma” does appear on the Individual Transition Planning (ITP) page of the IEP. And even though it is best practice to bring the ITP into the IEP when the student is 12 – 14 years old, law does not require the ITP as part of the IEP until the student is 16 years old. As such, many districts may not introduce transition planning until the student is 16 years old, which may hamper transition planning, especially for those students seeking a diploma and needing to accumulate credits.

For an understanding of the difference between a Diploma and a Certificate of Completion:

https://www.understood.org/en/school-learning/choosing-starting-school/leaving-high-school/the-difference-between-a-high-school-diploma-and-a-certificate-of-completion

Having discussions about Transition to Adulthood with the IEP team will help reveal which path to take.