Certificate of Completion

The Certificate of Completion is a document presented to students with an IEP who have been moved from a diploma path

BRIEF SUMMARY

The Certificate of Completion is a document presented to students with an IEP who have been moved from a diploma path. For the past two years, a group of stakeholders from schools, the Indiana Resource Network, Workforce Development, Vocational Rehabilitation, INSOURCE, ICASE and others have been meeting regularly to develop a course of study that outlines requirements for the Certificate of Completion that mirror a regular high school diploma.  The revised Certificate of Completion requirements will meet new ESSA regulations for providing all students access to academic content standards and will be effective for the 2018-19 freshman class.  For a more detailed explanation of the Certificate of Completion, please read the Director’s Newsletter or watch this video.

KEY POINTS

  • Only special education students are eligible for a Certificate of Completion and even then, this must be determined by a case conference committee as the most appropriate means for high school completion for a given student.
  • The State Board of Education recently approved a new set of requirements for the Certificate of Completion to increase access to academic instruction, emphasizes employability skills and promotes job related activities and experiences in high school.
  • Indiana Certificate of Completion: Effective with students who enter high school in the 2018-2019 school year (class of 2022) The Course of Study for the Certificate of Completion is a framework for aligning curriculum to grade level standards while meeting the individual goals and transition needs stated in the student’s Individual Education Plan (IEP).
  • The new CoC framework requires a minimum of 40 credits/applied units.
  • As some schools have requested additional time for implementation, the department will not require schools to report credits or applied units for  completion until the 2019-20 school year.
  • The new CoC framework emphasizes employability skills and job experiences and activities.
  • Although most students with disabilities are capable of earning a diploma, for a small population of students, the Certificate of Completion path may be determined as more appropriate by a case conference committee.
  • 511 IAC 7-43-4(h) requires that the IEP of a student entering grade 9 or becoming 14 years of age must contain documentation regarding whether the student will pursue a high school diploma, as defined in 511 IAC 6-7.1-1(e), or a certificate of completion. The term “certificate of completion” is not further defined, but is interpreted to be a document awarded to a special education student who has been taken off of the diploma path but completes the public school educational program prescribed in the student’s IEP. The term “Certificate of Completion” may only be used to refer to a document awarded for completion of the special educational program outlined in a student’s IEP, and may not be used in any other circumstances.

RESOURCES

SHARED WISDOM

  • (Update From the Indiana Department of Education for March 31, 2023): Alternate Diploma Seals: The Indiana Alternate Diploma is a state-recognized credential available to students with the most significant cognitive disabilities who participate in alternate assessments and satisfy graduation requirements. Eligible students in cohort 2023 may earn the Indiana Alternate Diploma beginning this spring. Schools should provide the number of students in need of the Alternate Diploma Seal for graduation in 2023 using this form. Contact DOEGradPathways@doe.in.gov with any questions.

  • (Update From the Indiana Department of Education for February 17, 2023):Indiana Alternate Diploma: The Indiana Alternate Diploma is available to students with the most-significant cognitive disabilities who participate in alternate assessments and satisfy graduation requirements. Eligible students in cohort 2023 may earn the Indiana Alternate Diploma beginning this spring. IDOE has provided answers to frequently asked questions regarding this new diploma. Refer to the I AM Alternate Assessment Participation Guidance and Flowchart for additional support in determining eligibility for the Indiana Alternate Diploma. Contact IDOE’s Office of Special Education with any questions.

  • Q: We are searching for a tracking sheet to track units/credits for Certificate of Completion students.
  • The Class of 2022 should be following the Certificate of Completion course of study released by Indiana Department of Education. Here is the link to it on the website: https://www.doe.in.gov/sites/default/files/specialed/2017-9-7-final-certificate-completion-course-study.pdf.  (From Michelle Oja, IDOE Special Education Specialist, March 2020)
  • Certificate of Completion and Two-Year College: A student who has a Certificate of Completion could take classes so long they show program readiness, but without a high school diploma or GED/HSE they are ineligible for financial aid. Without a high school diploma or GED/HSE a student also wouldn’t meet graduation requirements and would not be able to be degree seeking. Some certifications may require the diploma or HSE/GED as well. So in short, a person with a COC could take classes, but it would be out of pocket and wouldn’t be eligible to complete a degree. (From Counselor Talk, February 2020)

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