High School Diploma Vs. Certificate

Education Update Each year more and more of our children are successfully included in regular classrooms, and receive the accommodations they need to access the standard curriculum. With that success, the dilemma of aspiring for the standard high school diploma vs. accepting the “certificate of attendance” that is the norm for many students with special needs becomes very real. Recent posts on the WSA list serve depict the anguish that parents suffer over how to in- sure that they’ve made the right choice - whichever path they choose. We would all love our children to attain high school diplomas, and for those who can pass state testing requirements its a wonderful achievment...or is it? What about future benefits? Will your child need the services that states provide to age 21 for job and life skills training? Will a diploma disqualify your child from receiving those benefits, or make it more difficult to receive on-going services as an adult? Unfortunately, the answer to those questions may be “yes”, and therein lies the dilemma. Will the accommodations that made the curriculum accessible and the diploma a possibility be available if needed for future school and work opportunities? Unfortunately, once a student has the diploma in hand, future accommodations and support are often not available. The options as well as the consequences vary from state to state, even school district to school district. It’s important to do your homework on the possibillities well ahead of your child’s senior year in high school. The articles below may help with the process. High School Diploma vs. Certificate Susan Bruce der to meet the same expectations and functional achievement of as other students? your child to “move” your child What can a parent do? • Could your child complete the re- from school to post school activi- First, consider what the IDEA quirements for the regular diploma ties. says about high expectations in by the time he is 21? A student Post school activities could in- the purposes section. “Almost 30 with a disability can receive ser- clude any of the following. years of research and experience has vices until the age of 21 or until • Postsecondary education (college) demonstrated that the education he graduates with a regular high • Vocational education of children with disabilities can be school diploma, whichever comes • Integrated employment made more effective by having high first. • Continuing adult education expectations for such children and • Would the “alternate diploma” (GED, perhaps) ensuring their access to the general allow your child, to the maximum • Adult services education curriculum in the regular extent possible, to lead a produc- • Independent living education classroom, to the maxi- tive and independent life? • Community participation mum extent possible ... “ • Is the alternate diploma ap- The transition plan should base This should be done in order for a propriate for your child’s level of transition services on your child’s child to “meet developmental goals functioning? individual needs. The IEP and, to the maximum extent pos- Third, consider using the transi- team should consider your child’s sible, the challenging expectations tion plan to address the diploma. preferences, interests, and strengths. that have been established for all What does he want to do? children; and be prepared to lead Transition Planning If your child wants to attend a productive and independent lives, to An IEP should include transition community or 4-year college, he the maximum extent possible.” services no later than the first IEP will need that regular high school Second, consider the following in effect when the student turns 16. diploma! questions. The age could be younger, depend- Transition services should include • Why does the IEP team feel your ing on your state’s special education the following. child cannot meet course standards regulations. • Instruction (address deficit areas) in order to receive a regular high Transition services are services • Related services school diploma? that step your child up to moving to • Community experiences • What supports and accommoda- the adult world. • Development of employment and tions were discussed that would Transition services should: other post school living objectives help your child receive a regular • Be designed with a results ori- • Acquisition of daily living skills, high school diploma? ented process. if appropriate • What does your child need in or- • Focus on improving the academic Transition services in the IEP Heart to Heart September 2011 9 High Expectations, Appropriate Testing must include: • Appropriate measurable post- PACESETTER - Summer 2010 issue Leveling the playing field secondary goals based upon age Assessment accommodations appropriate transition assessments, During middle school and then are changes in testing materials or related to training, education, em- high school, classes become increas- procedures that enable students to ployment, and, where appropriate, ingly challenging, but students with participate in assessments in a way independent living skills; and disabilities can do well academically that measures abilities rather than • The transition services (including if expectations and accommodations disabilities. courses of study) needed to assist help them along. Paying close at- “The purpose of accommoda- the child in reaching those goals. tention to testing accommodations tions is to level the playing field Transition services can be spe- during middle school and expecting so students can display what they cial education, if your child needs the best from your child can help you know without being hindered by the services provided as specially set the course for a successful future. their disability,” Leuchovius says. designed instruction or a related ser- Such accommodations do not lower vice in order to benefit from special Expecting the best the difficulty of the test- but may education! Today’s national and state educa- change the way information is pre- When thinking about transition tion policies reflect an expectation sented, the way a student responds, planning, ask yourself these ques- that most special education students, the setting in which the test is taken, tions. if given appropriate accommoda- or in the timing and scheduling of • How does your child’s transition tions, services, supports, and instruc- the test. For example, a student plan address moving her from the tion, can learn grade-level content with a fine motor impairment taking school world to the real world? and achieve grade-level standards. a test might need a note taker to • What are your child’s prefer- In addition, research shows that write answers or extended time to ences? teachers’ expectations of student complete the test. A student with at- • What are your child’s strengths? achievement do matter: What they tention difficulties may need to have • What does your child want to do expect of students is typically what a test broken into segments. after graduation? they get, regardless of student abil- • What does your child need in ity. “Having high expectations for Choosing accommodations order to help her meet those goals? your children is so important,” says Parents can work with the IEP • Does your child need remedia- Deborah Leuchovius, project direc- team to ensure that their children tion in a particular area in order to tor of PACER’s Technical Assistance receive the accommodations they meet these goals? on Transition and the Rehabilitation need to demonstrate what they • What assessments tools did the Act program (TATRA). “Your expec- know. Accommodations should be school use? tations will influence the teachers chosen on the basis of the individual • Are the transition goals in the who work with your child and the student’s needs, not on the basis of IEP measurable? expectations young people set for the disability category, grade level, • Where is the data? themselves.” or instructional setting. IEP teams can develop and use As you encourage your child The student’s IEP should contain transition plans to help students and his or her teachers to have documentation for all identified ac- with disabilities meet the high expec- high learning expectations, it’s also commodations, and these accommo- tations set for all students. important to make sure your child’s dations should be used consistently As with every other special educa- knowledge is being accurately mea- for instruction and assessment. Once tion issue, make yourself an expert. sured. For students who have a dis- documented in the IEP, each teacher ability affecting their ability to show and others responsible for imple- what they know on typical tests, an menting the accommodations must important part of their Individual- be informed of the specific accommo- ized Education Programs (lEPs) is dations that must be provided. defining testing accommodations. Ideally, the same or similar ac- Without the needed accommodations commodations should be used during in the classroom or when taking state classroom instruction, classroom and district-wide assessments, test- tests, and state and district tests. ing may not accurately measure a Accommodations that are intro- student’s knowledge and skills. duced to a student for the first time on the day of a test are not likely 10 Heart to Heart September 2011 Assistive Technology - Explained to be effective. If students are not already familiar with how an accommodation works, it could hurt rather By Bridget Gilormini an accommodation.

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