Diploma options for students with IEPs

The diploma your child works toward shapes which classes they take, which tests they sit, and how long they can get special education. It is one of the biggest choices in high school. It is also easy to miss, because it is often decided quietly in eighth or ninth grade.

This page explains the common options in plain words, what each one means for services, and what to ask.

The main diploma options

Names change from state to state. Most options fall into one of these groups.

Some states have only one or two of these. Some use different names. Your school can tell you which ones exist where you live.

Why the regular diploma ends services

Under federal law, a school must offer special education to eligible students until a set age, often 21.^[1] The same federal rules say that duty ends when a student graduates with a regular high school diploma. They also say a certificate, an equivalency test like the GED, or a diploma not fully lined up with state standards does not end it.^[5]

So the choice has a trade-off. A regular diploma opens doors to college, the military and many jobs. It also closes special education services, even if your child is only 18. A certificate or alternate diploma keeps services open, so your child can stay in school longer to build work and life skills. The page on staying in school until 21 explains those extra years.

Graduating with a regular diploma counts as a change in placement. The school must give you written notice before it happens.^[2] The school must also give your child a summary of their skills and suggestions for after high school.^[3] The summary of performance template shows what that document looks like.

What it looks like on the IEP

Here is a made-up course of study section for a ninth grader named Jada. Hold it next to your child's IEP.

What each part means:

• "Working toward a regular high school diploma" names the diploma. If this line is missing, ask which diploma your child is on.
• "With co-teaching" means a special education teacher works in the class. Accommodations and support do not change the diploma.
• "With extended time and a separate setting" lists test accommodations. Taking the regular test, with accommodations, usually keeps the regular diploma open.
• "Expected graduation: June 2030" is the planned exit date. Your child can stay longer if the team agrees and your child is still eligible.

If your child takes the state's alternate test, ask how that affects the diploma. In many states, it means the regular diploma is off the table. The page on alternate assessment eligibility explains that decision.

Choices made early can be hard to undo

Diploma tracks often get set by the classes your child takes in ninth grade. If your child is placed in classes that do not earn credit, switching to the regular diploma later can mean extra years of classes.

That is why the course of study on the transition plan matters. It should match the diploma, and both should match what your child wants to do after high school.

Questions to ask the team

1. "Which diploma is my child working toward right now?"
2. "What diploma options does our state offer?"
3. "If my child earns a regular diploma, when do services end?"
4. "If my child earns a certificate, can they stay in school until 21?"
5. "Do the classes on my child's schedule earn credit toward a regular diploma?"
6. "Does taking the alternate test change which diploma my child can get?"
7. "Can my child switch tracks later? What would that take?"
8. "Will my child be able to go to college or join the military with this diploma?"
9. "When will we get written notice before graduation?"

What to do next

1. Find the diploma line in the IEP. Look in the course of study or transition section.
2. Ask about your state's options. Your state education agency's website lists graduation rules.
3. Talk with your child about after high school. Their plans should drive the choice, not the other way around.
4. Revisit the choice every year. Ask at each annual review whether the track still fits.
5. Get free help. Your state's Parent Training and Information Center can explain local diploma rules. You can find yours through the Center for Parent Information and Resources.^[4]

For a closer look at two of the options, see certificate of completion vs diploma. The diploma options glossary entry has a short definition you can share with family.

Frequently asked questions

Use it in IEP Atlas

• Diploma options in the IEP glossary
• Transition IEP goals
• IEP goals for transition age
• Summary of performance in the IEP glossary

Related guides

• Transition planning in the IEP: what is required and when
• Certificate of completion vs diploma
• Staying in school until 21
• Course of study statement examples
• Exit IEP and graduation meeting
• Career exploration activities for special education
• Teaching job interview skills in special education

Sources

1. 34 CFR §300.101: Free appropriate public education (FAPE), Legal Information Institute, Cornell Law School
2. 34 CFR §300.503: Prior notice by the public agency; content of notice, U.S. Department of Education (IDEA website)
3. 34 CFR §300.305: Additional requirements for evaluations and reevaluations, U.S. Department of Education (IDEA website)
4. Center for Parent Information and Resources, CPIR
5. 34 CFR §300.102: Limitation, exception to FAPE for certain ages (including students who graduate with a regular high school diploma), Legal Information Institute, Cornell Law School

Written and checked by the IEP Atlas editorial team under our editorial policy. This guide describes general practice and federal rules. It is not legal advice; your state may add requirements, and the IEP team makes the decisions for each student.