Students with disabilities under IDEA or Section 504 may be eligible for credit accommodations. Credit accommodations provide alternatives for students with disabilities in earning the standard and verified credits required to graduate with a Standard Diploma. Credit accommodations for the Standard Diploma shall be determined by the student’s Individualized Education Program (IEP) or Section 504 team, including the student where appropriate, at any point after the student’s eighth grade year. The school must secure the informed written consent of the parent/guardian and the student, as appropriate, to choose credit accommodations after review of the student’s academic history and full disclosure of the student’s options.
Students must meet the following criteria to be eligible to receive credit accommodations for the Standard Diploma:
- Student must have a current IEP or Section 504 plan with standards-based content goals.
- Student has a disability that precludes him or her from achieving and progressing commensurate with grade level expectations but is learning on grade level content.
- Student needs significant instructional supports to access grade level SOL content and to show progress.
- Based on multiple objective measures of past performance, student might not be expected to achieve the required standard and verified units of credit within the standard time frame.