High School Exit Exam Elimination
Act 155 (H. 3919) passed by the General Assembly and signed into law by Governor Nikki R. Haley on April 14, 2014, states in part “Beginning with the graduating class of 2015, students are no longer required to meet the exit examination requirements set forth in in this section and State Regulation to earn a South Carolina high school diploma."
A person who is no longer enrolled in a public school and who previously failed to receive a high school diploma or was denied graduation solely for failing to meet the exit exam requirements may petition the local school board to determine the student’s eligibility to receive a high school diploma. The elimination of the exit exam (BSAP, HSAP) requirement is retroactive to the graduating class of 1990. The local school board will transmit diploma requests to the South Carolina Department of Education in accordance with Department procedures, which are included below. Petitions under this section must be submitted to the local school board.
Persons eligible to receive a South Carolina high school diploma under these provisions must have met all other graduation requirements at the time of his or her high school attendance. All eligible candidates' names must be verified and submitted by the local school board. The State Department will not accept requests directly from a diploma candidate. Petitions should be directed to the local school board based upon the high school that the eligible candidate attended. The process for completing petitions will vary according to local district policy. Students receiving diplomas in accordance with this section shall not be counted as graduates in the graduation rate calculations for affected schools and districts, either retroactively or in current or future calculations."
Please see the resources below and contact Mr. James R. Ford, the Darlington County School District Director of Secondary Education, with any questions. Mr. Ford can be reached by calling (843) 398-2229. You can also email Mr. Ford at james.ford@darlington.k12.sc.us.
How To Petition For Act 155 High School Diploma
Once a person chooses to petition for an Act 155 High School Diploma, he/she must complete the required district application and submit it to James R. Ford, Director of Secondary Education, at the district office. This application is available at the Darlington County School District office at 120 E. Smith Avenue in Darlington and can be downloaded, see link below.
The application and academic records will be reviewed to determine if the petitioner meets the requirement for this proviso. If found that the only thing preventing the petitioner from receiving a high school diploma was the passage of an exit exam (BSAP or HSAP), the petitioner’s name will be submitted to the Darlington County School District Board of Trustees for diploma approval during regularly scheduled monthly meetings.
The diploma request will be submitted to the South Carolina Department of Education by the office of the Director of Secondary Education.
The date of graduation that will be recorded will be the day that the local school board officially approves the student’s petition – not the original, traditional graduation ceremony date.
The diploma must be picked up at the Darlington County School District office (120 E. Smith Avenue, Darlington). A picture ID must be presented.
As stated by ACT 155 of 2014, “Students receiving diplomas in accordance with this section shall not be counted as graduates in the graduation rate calculations for affected schools and districts, either retroactively or in current or future calculations.”
Resources: