Graduation Requirements
During the first two years of high school, students should focus on building on the knowledge and skills they gained in previous grades. Every 9th and 10th grade student (beginning 2014-2015 and thereafter) will take core academic classes to work towards a diploma. Following the student’s 10th grade year, a student may choose to work toward a Jump Start TOPS Tech Pathway or pursue the TOPS University Pathway. Students may choose both pathways. Decisions are made with counseling and guidance, based on the student’s interests, capabilities, and ambitions.
COURSE EQUIVALENTS, COURSE CODES, AND WEIGHTED GPA DESIGNATION
Most students with disabilities will work towards earning a TOPS University Diploma or Jump Start TOPS Tech Career Diploma. In the rare situation that a student participating in the alternate assessment does not meet the graduation requirements for a high school diploma, the student may still pursue a Certificate of Achievement. Students who meet the April Dunn Act* criteria and/or take the alternate assessment can work towards earning a Jump Start TOPS Tech Career Diploma.
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*In June 2020, Gov. Edwards signed HB 848 into law which renamed Act 833 of 2014 as the April Dunn Act. April Dunn was a longtime advocate for people with disabilities who was instrumental in the passing of Act 833. The Department is in the process of updating language in our guidance documents to reflect the name change of Act 833 to the April Dunn Act.
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CREDIT RECOVERY
School systems may offer Credit Recovery Programs for students who have failed courses taken previously. The policy was updated by BESE in March 2020 to include the following. The policy applies to all high school students with the advent of the 2020-2021 academic year.
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Credit recovery program and policy should be included in the local Pupil Progression Plan
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Students may earn a maximum of 7 credit recovery units with no more than 2 annually
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All coursework should be documented on the official transcript
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Credit recovery courses are identified and labeled on the official transcript
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Credit recovery courses should be aligned to the state’s content standards and should include a pre-test to identify unfinished learning and a post-test to demonstrate proficiency
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Online credit recovery courses must have an assigned Louisiana certified teacher of record or certified teacher of record recognized through state reciprocity facilitating instruction
If a student falls out of line with the policy, earning more than 2 Credit Recovery units annually or over 7 Credit Recovery units in total during high school, the overage is reported to LDOE with a rationale. Please complete the Credit Recovery Overage form at the end of each semester.
JUMP START
Planning for students with disabilities pursuing the traditional pathway is the same as planning for any other student pursuing a traditional Jump Start pathway.
JUMP START – APPLYING THE APRIL DUNN ACT
Students eligible for the April Dunn Act can work towards earning a Jump Start diploma if they meet one of the following eligibility criteria:
- Enter high school having not achieved at least a combination of basic/approaching basic on math and ELA in two of the three most recent years (6th, 7th, and 8th grades) or
- Do not achieve a score of Fair, Good, or Excellent after two attempts on the same EOC test.
Planning for students who qualify for and actively apply the April Dunn Act is very similar to planning for students on the traditional pathway. The key difference is the IEP team determines appropriate exit goals, credentials, and individual performance criteria for required courses and assessments the student must take in order to achieve the standard diploma requirements.
JUMP START – STUDENTS WHO TAKE LEAP CONNECT
Students who take the alternate assessment are eligible to work towards a Jump Start TOPS Tech Career Diploma.
Planning for students who take the alternate assessment working towards a Jump Start diploma is very similar to planning for students on the traditional pathway. The key difference is the student has to meet an alternative set of requirements for the purposes of graduation.
For more information on planning an effective high school experience for students eligible for alternative pathways to a high school diploma visit the Students with Disabilities Library.
PUPIL PROGRESSION PLAN
Pupil Progression Plans are the policies and guidelines local school systems use to determine whether students will be promoted to the next grade, retained in the current grade, or advanced (or skipped) to higher grades. The Pupil Progression Plan also outlines the criteria for high school graduation.
Each Local Education Agency (LEA) is required to develop a Pupil Progression Plan for review. Each agency may have slightly different procedures related to retention, advancement, promotion, and graduation.
For 2023-2024, school systems should submit a locally approved Pupil Progression Plan by October 31, 2023 to ppp@la.gov. Please email any questions to ppp@la.gov.
HISET®
Obtaining a HISET®, a high school equivalency credential, may be a viable option for an overage under-credited student based on their unique needs and individual circumstances. A HISET® can position an overage under-credited student for a career or continued education. The
HISET Guidance document is intended to support school administrators and staff in evaluating and pursuing the option of a HISET program and credential for an overage under-credited student. Email
rabalais@la.gov with questions.