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Jefferson County Education Service District

Code:
IKF
Adopted:
12/07/11

IKF – Graduation Requirements

Adopted:
December 7, 2011
Posted on this site:
October 29, 2026
Download PDF of IKF Graduation Requirements Original adopted PDF of IKF Graduation Requirements

“Download PDF” is made from this page and is tagged for screen readers. The original adopted PDF is the district’s record copy and may not be fully accessible.

The Board will assist constituent districts in establishing graduation requirements for the awarding of a high school diploma, modified diploma, extended diploma and alternative certificate which meet or exceed state requirements. A student may satisfy graduation requirements in less than four years. The ESD will award a diploma to a student fulfilling graduation requirements in less than four years if consent is received by the student’s parent or guardian or by the student if they 18 years of age or older or emancipated.

Diploma

A high school diploma will be awarded to students in grades 9 through 12 who complete a minimum of 24 credits which include at least:

  1. Three credits of mathematics;
  2. Four credits of English (one unit in written comprehension);
  3. Three credits of science;
  4. Three credits of social sciences;
  5. One credit in health education;
  6. One credit in physical education; and
  7. Three credit in career and technical education, the arts or second language.

The ESD shall offer students credit options provided the method for obtaining such credits is described in the student’s personal education plan and the credit is earned by meeting requirements described in OAR 581-022-1131.

Students first enrolled in grade 9 during the 2010-11 school year must complete their math credits at the Algebra I level and higher.

To receive a diploma or modified diploma, in addition to credit requirements, as outlined in OAR 581- 022-1130 and OAR 581-022-1134, respectively, a student must:

  1. Demonstrate proficiency in the essential skills1;
  2. Develop an education plan and build an education profile;
  1. Demonstrate extended application through a collection of evidence;
  2. Participate in career-related learning experiences.

Essential Skills

The ESD will allow English Language Learner (ELL) students to demonstrate proficiency in the Essential Skill of Apply Mathematics, in a variety of settings, in the student’s language of origin for those students who by the end of their 11th year are:

  1. On track to meet all other graduation requirements; and
  2. Unable to demonstrate proficiency in the Essential Skills in English.

The ESD will allow ELL students to demonstrate proficiency in Essential Skills other than Apply Mathematics, in a variety of settings, in the student’s language of origin for those students who by the end of their 11th grade year:

  1. Are on track to meet all other graduation requirements;
  2. Are unable to demonstrate proficiency in the Essential Skills in English;
  3. Have been enrolled in a U.S. school for five years or less; and
  4. Receives at least a level 3 (Intermediate) on the English Language Proficiency Assessment (ELPA).

The ESD will develop procedures to provide assessment options as described in the Test Administration Manual in the ELL student’s language of origin for those ELL students who meet the criteria above and will develop procedures to ensure that locally scored assessment options administered in an ELL student’s language of origin are scored by a qualified rater.

Essential Skills Appeal

The ESD will follow Board policy KL - Public Complaints in the event of an appeal for the denial of a diploma based on the Essential Skills graduation requirement. The ESD will retain student work samples and student performance data to ensure that sufficient evidence is available in the event of an appeal.

Modified Diploma

A modified diploma will be awarded only to students who have demonstrated the inability to meet the full set of academic standards established by the State Board of Education for a diploma while receiving reasonable modifications and accommodations. On or after July 1, 2009 a modified diploma may only be awarded to a student who meets the eligibility criteria below:

  1. Have a documented history of an inability to maintain grade level achievement due to significant learning and instructional barriers; or
  2. Have a documented history of a medical condition that creates a barrier to achievement.

Having met the above eligibility criteria, a modified diploma will be awarded to students, who while in grade nine through completion of high school, complete 24 credits which shall include:

  1. Three credits in English;
  2. Two credits in mathematics;
  3. Two credits in science;
  4. Two credits in social sciences;
  5. One credit in health;
  6. One credit in physical education; and
  7. One credit in career technology, the arts or a second language.

ESDs may make modifications to the assessment for students who seek a modified diploma when the following conditions are met:

  1. For a student on an IEP, any modifications to work samples must be consistent with the requirements established in the IEP. Modifications are changes to the achievement level, construct, or measured outcome of an assessment. This means that IEP or school teams responsible for approving modifications for a student’s assessment may adjust the administration of the assessment and/or the assessment’s achievement standard;
  2. For a student not on an IEP, any modifications to work samples must have been provided to the student during their instruction in the content area to be assessed; and in the year in which the student is being assessed and modifications must be approved by the school team that is responsible for monitoring the student’s progress toward the modified diploma.

Students not on an IEP or a 504 Plan may not receive a modified OAKS assessment.

A student’s school team shall decide that a student should work toward a modified diploma no earlier than the end of grade six and no later than two years before the student’s anticipated exit from high school. A student’s school team may decide to revise a modified diploma decision.

A student’s school team may decide that a student who was not previously working towards a modified diploma should work towards one when the student is less than two years from anticipated exit from high school if the documented history has changed.

Extended Diploma

An extended diploma will be awarded only to students who have demonstrated the inability to meet the full set of academic content standards for a diploma while receiving modifications and accommodations. To be eligible for an extended diploma, a student must:

  1. While in grade nine through completion of high school, complete 12 credits, which may not include more than six credits in a self-contained special education classroom and will include:
    1. Two credits of mathematics;
    2. Two credits of English;
    3. Two credits of science;
    4. Three credits of history, geography, economics or civics;
    5. One credit of health;
    6. One credit of physical education; and
    7. One credit of the arts or a second language.
  2. Have a documented history of an inability to maintain grade level achievement due to significant learning and instructional barriers; or
  3. Have a documented history of a medical condition that creates a barrier to achievements; and
  4. Participate in an alternate assessment beginning no later than grade six and lasting for two or more assessment cycles; or
  5. Have a serious illness or injury that occurs after grade eight, that changes the student’s ability to participate in grade level activities and that results in the student participating in alternate assessments.

Alternative Certificates

Alternative certificates will be awarded to students who do not satisfy the requirements for a diploma, modified diploma or extended diploma if the students meet minimum credit requirements established by the ESD. Alternative certificates will be awarded based on individual student needs and achievement. A student who receives a modified diploma, extended diploma or alternative certificate will have the option of participating in a high school graduation ceremony with the student’s class.

Other ESD Responsibilities

The ESD will ensure that students have onsite access to the appropriate resources to achieve a diploma, modified diploma, extended diploma or alternative certificate at each high school. The ESD will provide age appropriate and developmentally appropriate literacy instruction to all students until graduation.

The ESD may not deny a student, who has the documented history of an inability to maintain grade level achievement due to significant learning and instructional barriers, or of a medical condition that creates a barrier to achievements, the opportunity to pursue a diploma with more stringent requirements than a modified diploma or an extended diploma for the sole reason the student has the documented history.

The ESD may award a modified diploma or extended diploma to a student only upon the written consent of the student’s parent or guardian. The ESD shall receive the written consent during the school year in which the modified diploma or extended diploma is awarded. A student who is emancipated or has reached the age of 18 at the time the modified diploma or extended diploma is awarded may sign the consent.

A student shall have the opportunity to satisfy the requirements for a modified diploma, extended diploma or alternative certificate in either four years after starting the ninth grade, or until the student reaches the age of 21, if the student is entitled to a public education until the age of 21 under state or federal law.

A student may satisfy the requirements for a modified diploma, extended diploma or alternative certificate in less than four years but not less than three years. In order to satisfy the requirements for a modified diploma, extended diploma or alternative certificate in less than four years, the student’s parent or guardian or a student who is emancipated or has reached the age of 18 must provide written consent which clearly states the parent, guardian or student is waiving the fourth year and/or years until the student reaches the age of 21. A copy of the consent will be forwarded to the district superintendent who will annually report to the Superintendent of Public Instruction the number of such consents.

Beginning in grade five, the ESD will annually provide information on the availability of a modified diploma, an extended diploma, and an alternative certificate and the requirement for the diplomas and certificate to the parents or guardians of a student taking an alternate assessment.

A student who received a modified diploma, extended diploma or alternative certificate will have the option of participating in a high school graduation ceremony with the student’s class.

A student who receives a modified diploma, extended diploma or alternative certificate shall have access to individually designed instructional hours, hours of transition services and hours of other services that equals at least the total number of instructional hours that is required to be provided to students who are attending a public high school, unless reduced by the IEP team.

The ESD will award to students with disabilities a document certifying successful completion of program requirements. No document issued to students with disabilities educated in full or in part in a special education program shall indicate that the document is issued by such a program. When a student who has an individualized education program (“IEP”) completes high school, the ESD will give the student an individualized summary of performance.

Eligible students with disabilities are entitled to a Free Appropriate Public Education (“FAPE”) until the age of 21, even if they have earned a modified diploma, an extended diploma, an alternative certificate or completion of a General Education Development document. The continuance of services for students with disabilities for a modified diploma, extended diploma or alternative certificate is contingent on the IEP team determining the student’s continued eligibility and special education services are needed.

Students and their parents will be notified of graduation and diploma requirements.

The ESD will review graduation requirements biennially in conjunction with the secondary school improvement plan. Graduation requirements may be revised to address student performance.

The ESD will issue a high school diploma, upon request, to a person who served in the Armed Forces2, as specified in Oregon law, if the person was discharged or released under honorable conditions and has

received either a General Educational Development, a post-secondary degree or has received a minimum score on the Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery.

END OF POLICY

1Each student shall demonstrate proficiency in essential skills adopted by the State Board of Education as provided in OAR 581- 022-0615. Proficiency is required in reading in 2012, writing in 2013 and apply math in 2014.

2The policy applies to any person who: 1. Served in the Armed Forces of the U.S. at any time during: a. World War I; b. World War II; c. The Korean Conflict; or d. The Vietnam War; 2. Served in the Armed Forces of the U.S. and was physically present in: a. Operation Urgent Fury (Grenada); b. Operation Just Cause (Panama); c. Operation Desert Shield/Desert Storm (Persian Gulf War); d. Operation Restore Hope (Somalia); e. Operation Enduring Freedom (Afghanistan); or f. Operation Iraqi Freedom (Iraq); 3. Served in the Armed Forces of the U.S. in an area designated as a combat zone by the President of the U.S.

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