Addressing Trends and Developments in Secondary Education and Transition
February 2005 • Vol. 4, Issue 1
Diploma Options for Students with Disabilities
By David R. Johnson, Martha Thurlow, Anna Cosio, and Christine
The high school diploma is a benchmark of success in the United
States, but what the diploma represents has continued to change.
The number and types of options for diplomas vary from state to
state, with some states having as many as seven choices and others
as few as one. The No Child Left Behind (NCLB) Act of 2001 has increased
the pressure on schools across the country to improve graduation
rates for all students, including students with disabilities. The
Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) Amendments of
1997 require that students with disabilities participate in state
and district assessments and that results be reported. These requirements
have had an impact on the states, affecting the range of diploma
options offered to students. Many states offer multiple diploma
options as a strategy to meet the requirements of NCLB and IDEA
and to improve school completion rates for students, especially
those with disabilities.
What are Diploma Options?
Diploma options represent alternative means of graduating from
high school. While some schools offer only one diploma (e.g., a
standard diploma), others have developed alternative diplomas in
an effort to include more students and increase graduation rates.
Of the 47 states that responded to the survey by Johnson and Thurlow
(2003), 13 reported that they offered a single diploma for students
with and without disabilities.
Each state has unique graduation requirements and diploma options.
Across the country, several types of diplomas are offered. These
include honors diplomas or diplomas of high distinction, standard
diplomas, certificates of completion or attendance, certificates
of achievement, Individualized Education Program (IEP) diplomas
or special education diplomas, and occupational diplomas. For a
further description of these diploma options, see the table below.
Debate continues about the meaning of a high school diploma in
today’s society and whether multiple diploma options cause
confusion for higher education institutions and employers who need
to understand a graduate’s qualifications. Some contend that
having multiple diploma options hinders students, especially those
with disabilities, because it can create confusion and doubt as
to what the student has accomplished. Those in favor of a single
diploma also cite a need to maintain high expectations for all students
and to ensure that all students are taught the same curriculum for
obtaining a standard diploma. In contrast, those who favor multiple
diploma options feel that this approach is best suited for a wider
range of students in order to increase graduation rates and help
more students feel successful.
Instead of offering alternative diplomas, some states allow students
with disabilities to receive a modified standard diploma. Modifications
may include reducing the number of credits required to graduate,
allowing completion of alternative courses to earn required course
credits, lowering performance criteria, providing accommodations
in coursework and on exit exams, and altering curricula.
|Honors diploma/diploma of high distinction
||Students must achieve at a high academic level.
Often this diploma requires a certain grade-point average (GPA).
||A student must complete a certain number of credits
and obtain a minimum GPA to receive a diploma.
|Certificate of completion/attendance
||This option, for students who have not received
the grades necessary to obtain a standard or honors diploma,
demonstrates that a student completed a set number of classes
or that a student qualifies for a diploma because of sufficient
attendance in a set period of time.
|Certificate of achievement
||This option demonstrates that the student has
achieved a certain level of performance. This type of diploma
certifies that the student was present and performed to the
best of his or her ability but did not attain the necessary
grades and/or credits to obtain a standard or honors diploma.
|IEP/special education diploma
||This is an option for students receiving special
education services and those who have an IEP. Requirements are
usually set by the student's IEP team and are therefore unique
to each student.
||For students who are enrolled in vocational programs,
this type of diploma certifies that a student has demonstrated
a specific level of competence in an occupational area.
Who Determines the Diploma Options Available?
Generally, decisions about diploma options are made at the state
level. Some states allow local education agencies (LEAs) to determine
what options a district can offer, although the state normally maintains
an advisory role. Those involved in determining what diplomas options
a state or district will offer include administrators, educators,
and at times, members of the community, such as parents and concerned
citizens. Some states have begun to involve postsecondary institutions
and community businesses in the decision-making process concerning
diploma options. Collaboration among stakeholders helps ensure that
the diplomas awarded to students are understood and valued by the
community into which these young adults will venture.
Benefits of Multiple Diploma Options for Students with Disabilities
Those who support the use of multiple diploma options say it benefits
students, particularly those with disabilities. Students who do
not have a high school diploma are known to experience difficulties
in finding jobs or continuing their education at the postsecondary
level. Those in favor of multiple diploma options believe that offering
several paths to graduation helps some students with disabilities
stay in school rather than becoming frustrated and dropping out.
In addition, the provision of multiple diploma options is considered
by some to be a way to maintain high standards for the standard
diploma, as these options reduce pressure to make the standard diploma
attainable by more students. As states seek to increase graduation
rates, they may feel compelled to reduce the rigor of standard diploma
requirements. Multiple diploma options are thus seen as providing
a reasonable and fair approach to accommodating the diversity in
student abilities without diluting the standard diploma. Unfortunately,
there has been little research on the affect of multiple diploma
options on overall student achievement, employment, or participation
in higher education.
Benefits of Single Diploma Options for Students with Disabilities
Proponents of a single diploma for all students, including students
with disabilities, claim that the standard diploma helps maintain
high expectations across the diversity of students who attend the
nation’s schools. As employers and higher education institutions
voice concerns that high school diplomas do not mean what they once
did, having a single diploma available in each state or district
would help to create a more consistent system and would reaffirm
the traditional meaning of a high school diploma. Advocates for
standard diplomas support giving recognition to students, both those
with and without disabilities, who perform above the requirements
for the standard diploma.
In response to NCLB, educators across the United States are searching
for ways to increase graduation rates. Many students with disabilities
find it difficult or impossible to meet the criteria in a standard
diploma, and alternative forms of diplomas may be their only route
In Johnson and Thurlow’s study (2003), all states were asked
to provide information about the types of diplomas offered to their
students. It was found that many states have multiple diploma options
with some states offering as many as seven; other states offer only
one or two diploma options. Because students with disabilities have
high dropout rates and experience negative outcomes when they do
not have a high school diploma, it is critical to understand the
impact of diploma options on the postsecondary and employment outcomes
of students with disabilities. Such research will help states meet
the requirements of NCLB and support the goal of better outcomes
for all students.
Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, 20 U.S.C. §
1400 et seq. (1997).
Johnson, D. R., & Thurlow, M. L. (2003). A
national study on graduation requirements and diploma options for
youth with disabilities (Technical Report No. 36). Minneapolis,
MN: University of Minnesota, National Center on Educational Outcomes.
Retrieved February 2, 2005, from http://education.umn.edu/nceo/OnlinePubs/Technical36.htm
National Center on Educational Outcomes
University of Minnesota
350 Elliott Hall
75 East River Road
Minneapolis, MN 55455
The Transition Center at the University of Florida
G315 Norman Hall
University of Florida
P.O. Box 117050
Gainesville, FL 32611-7050
352.392.0701 ext. 267
Authors David R. Johnson, Anna Cosio, and Christine Bremer are with NCSET at the University of Minnesota. Martha Thurlow is with the National Center on Educational Outcomes at the University of Minnesota.
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This report was supported in whole or in part by the U.S. Department of Education, Office of Special Education Programs, (Cooperative Agreement No. H326J000005). The opinions expressed herein do not necessarily reflect the policy or position of the U.S. Department of Education, Office of Special Education Programs, and no official endorsement by the Department should be inferred.
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