It shall be the policy of the School Board to acknowledge each student's successful completion of the instructional program appropriate to the achievement of School Corporation goals and objectives as well as personal proficiency by the awarding of a diploma at fitting graduation ceremonies.

The Board shall award a regular high school diploma to every student enrolled in this Corporation who meets the requirements of graduation established by this Board as provided by the State. Students enrolled in the Corporation shall have the opportunity to earn any type of State diploma approved by the Indiana State Board of Education.

The Corporation may award a Core 40 diploma, a Core 40 with Academic Honors diploma, or a Core 40 with Technical Honors diploma. A general diploma may be awarded by the Corporation to students who complete the formal opt-out process.

The Board shall issue a diploma for a deceased student at the request of a parent (as defined in I.C. 20-18-2-13) of the student if the student:

A student who is issued a diploma pursuant to this provision may not be considered a graduate for purposes of I.C. 20-26-13.

The Corporation shall not require students with disabilities to complete locally required credits that exceed State credit requirements to receive a diploma unless otherwise required as part of the student’s individualized education program (IEP). The Board shall award a certificate of achievement to a student who is on a nondiploma track as determined by that student’s case conference committee and indicated on the student's (IEP).

The Board shall award a certificate of course completion to a student who completes the minimum courses required for high school graduation but does not pass the Graduation Qualifying Examination unless the student meets the criteria for waiver under State law, in which case the Board shall award a diploma to the student.

The Board shall award a high school equivalency certificate to any individual who meets the criteria established by State law.

During the student’s annual case review held when a student with a disability is enrolled in 8^th grade, the case conference committee shall review and discuss with the student's parent (and the student, if appropriate):

The student's IEP must include the type of diploma the student will seek and courses that will allow the student to progress toward the diploma in a timely manner.

Beginning in grade 9 and in addition to the annual case review, the student's teacher of record shall communicate at least once each grading period with the student's parent concerning the student's progress toward the selected diploma. If the parent requests a meeting with the teacher of record to discuss the student's progress, the teacher must meet with the parent in a timely manner. Such a meeting does not constitute a case conference committee meeting, and a request for such a meeting does not abrogate a parent's right to call for a meeting of the case conference committee at any time.

Each student is required to meet:

Upon the request of the student’s parents, the student may be exempted from the Core 40 curriculum requirements and be required to complete the general curriculum to graduate as required by State law. Also, school officials may initiate a discussion with the parents about exempting a student from the Core 40 curriculum if the student does not pass at least three (3) courses required under the Core 40 curriculum or if the student scores in the twenty-fifth (25th) percentile or lower the first time the student takes the graduation exam. If the parent makes the decision to exempt the student from the Core 40 requirement, the student will be required to complete the general curriculum as required by State law.

Commencement exercises will include those students who are eligible for a diploma, or certificate of course completion as certified by the high school principal. No student who has completed the requirements for graduation shall be denied a diploma as a disciplinary measure. A student may be denied participation in the ceremony of graduation when personal conduct so warrants.

I.C. 20-26-5-37
I.C. 20-32-4-1 through 10
I.C. 20-32-4-13
I.C. 20-35-4-11
511 IAC 6-7.1-4 through 7

Revised 10/18/16
Revised 3/7/17
Revised 2/6/18