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New Definitions in 4 AAC 06.790:
Certificate of Achievement: A certificate earned by a student who has met all local graduation requirements but does not take the College and Career Ready Assessment and is therefore ineligible for a diploma.
Certificate of Attendance: A certificate earned by a student who is not able to complete regular or substitute courses described in 4 AAC 06.078(a), takes the alternate assessment described in 4 AAC 06.775(b), and completes at least 4 years of attendance in high school.
Certificate of Completion: A certificate earned by a student who is not able to complete regular or substitute courses described in 4 AAC 06.078(a), takes the alternate assessment described in 4 AAC 06.775(b), and completes the IEP goals.
What does this mean for special education students?
Under these new regulations, students who take the standards-based assessment (AMP) are eligible to receive a Diploma or a Certificate of Achievement. To earn either, students must complete all graduation requirements, meaning they must earn 22 credits in the required areas that are laid out in KPBSD board policy. Substitute courses are acceptable at the discretion of the IEP team, but they must be aligned to grade level content standards. Modified courses (YY courses) typically will not satisfy the requirements to earn a diploma or a certificate of achievement.
A Certificate of Achievement means that the student has completed their 22 credits, but has not taken a College and Career Readiness Assessment (CCRA). We anticipate very few, if any, students will fall in this category since the only distinction between this certificate and a diploma is the requirement to take a CCRA, not to earn a particular score.
Essentially, this means that there is no longer a non-diploma, certificate track for students who are not on the Alternate Assessment. Current high school students who are on a non-diploma track (taking modified courses), who have not been assessed under the Alternate Assessment will be handled on an individual basis. Please speak with your program coordinator if you have questions.
Students who take the Alternate Assessment (AKAA) are eligible to earn either a Certificate of Attendance or a Certificate of Completion. Students on the Alternate Assessment who complete four years of high school will receive a certificate of attendance. AKAA students who “complete their IEP goals,” defined as making reasonable progress toward IEP goals as determined by the IEP team, will earn a certificate of completion. The Alternate Assessment is designed for “students with significant cognitive disabilities who are not able to complete either regular curricular offerings nor substitute courses” (4 AAC 06.775(b)).