MCA or MTAS

The annual statewide assessments (i.e., the MCA or MTAS) also function as graduation assessment requirements. However, students are not required to achieve a specified score or level of proficiency on any statewide assessment in order to graduate from high school.

Civics Test

In addition, students enrolled in grade 9 must take a civics test with the objective of correctly answering at least 30 of 50 questions. However, students are not required to correctly answer 30 civics test questions in order to graduate from high school. If the IEP team determines that the standard civics assessment is inappropriate for the student, an alternative assessment on civics content may be used.

College Entrance Exam

Finally, to the extent that state funding is available, districts must pay the cost, one time, for students in grade 11 or 12 to take a nationally normed college entrance exam at the student’s high school during the school day (e.g., the ACT or ACCUPLACER). Students are not required to complete a college entrance exam in order to graduate from high school.

ACT approves accommodations for students with disabilities in accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Refer to the ACT Accommodations webpage for more details. Accommodations requests must be submitted by the late registration deadline, and because ACT frequently rejects initial applications and requests additional documentation, it is highly recommended that school teams and families begin collaborating on this task well in advance of the school's annual ACT testing date. The most frequently accessed ACT-approved accommodations are: 

• Extended time (either double or time and one half)

• Standard time with stop the clock breaks

• Alternate test format (braille, audio, reader)

Only tests taken without accommodations or with ACT-approved accommodations are eligible to be submitted to colleges as part of the application process. Locally-decided non-ACT-approved accommodations result in test scores that cannot be submitted to colleges.

● Planning should begin with the IEP team no later than 9th grade. The IEP team should plan appropriate courses of study related to measurable postsecondary goals of employment and postsecondary education.

● The IEP team must review annually the student’s present levels of performance, post-secondary goals, courses of study, and transition activities.

● In the fall of the year the student is expected to graduate, inform the parents of the district’s intent to graduate/exit the student and the anticipated date of graduation. The school district should initiate a review of the IEP to assure that graduation requirements, as well as goals and objectives on the IEP will be met, prior to graduation or aging out. This can be done anytime during the year. Graduation is also a change in placement, so when graduation approaches, a PWN should be sent, including the date that services will be ending. 

When may a student be exited from special education services? 

• Upon graduation from high school with a regular high school diploma; or 

• Upon the student exceeding the maximum age for receiving special education services (until the day before a student becomes 22 years old) 

• Students ages 18-22, can graduate at any time the IEP team determines is appropriate based on needs. Note: Students have the right to continue their education until age 22 if the IEP team determines it is necessary and the student continues to demonstrate secondary transition needs.

The IEP team has the flexibility to determine what is appropriate for a student to accomplish in order to graduate with a diploma. The decision that a student is ready to graduate is made by the IEP team on a case-by-case basis. Students in special education can obtain a regular diploma through the same process as their general education peers. A second option for earning a regular diploma is through an IEP team decision. The IEP team could determine a student will receive his/her diploma based on any one of, or a combination of, the following factors: 

• Meeting the current goals and objectives in the IEP 

• Meeting a reduced number of credit requirements 

• Meeting the normal credit requirements but altering the courses necessary by substituting more appropriate courses in place of required courses for gen ed. 

Specific language regarding the proposed graduation should occur in the IEP: 

• Transition Services page: Anticipated month and year of graduation: 6/2028

• Service page: anticipated length of services (the start of service date and the end of service date should be the number of months between the annual IEP meeting and graduation date-usually less than a year)  

• Program modifications/accommodations page: include a statement like: “Student’s graduation is proposed for June 2028.” 

• Annual goals/objectives are written so as to be attainable by the graduation date 

Progress Reports

Progress report must be completed for all graduating students. If graduating based on meeting IEP goals, progress report must indicate “met goal” with data. 

Prior Written Notice (PWN)

Prior Written Notice (PWN) proposing graduation on ___ (date). Graduation or aging out is a change of placement; therefore, it is necessary to provide a Prior Written Notice indicating the student’s dismissal due to graduation. A student over the age of 18 (whose legal rights have transferred) or the parents of students under 18 must be notified of the district’s intent to proceed with graduation and discontinue special education services unless the parent/student objects in writing within 14 calendar days. The PWN should be sent home approximately one month prior to graduation. 

Summary of Performance

Summary of Performance: a summary of the child’s academic achievement and functional performance, which shall include recommendations on how to assist the child in meeting the child’s postsecondary goals.

Copy of all Documents

Teams are encouraged to conduct an exit meeting towards end of year to provide student with a copy of his/her final IEP, current evaluation, prior written notice, progress report, and review the summary of performance. Copies may also be provided outside of a meeting. 

Inactivate File in SpEd Forms

Change the student setup to indicate an exit status of “Graduated” at the end of the school year. 

Notify MARSS Secretary

Notify the building MARSS secretary of the student’s service end due to graduation. 

A Summary of Performance is designed to help a student identify their strengths, needs, and goals so they can secure assistance at the next level. An SOP also is intended to assist future employers or educators by informing them of the student's goals and needs along with insight into what has or hasn't worked for them. It is important to complete a Summary of Performance for your students who are graduating or aging out before they graduate. The Summary of Performance should identify the student’s strengths, needs, and goals. The document should be written in a manner which will help the student communicate with others after high school about what his learning needs may be, what supports he may need in the employment arena, and what strengths and skills he will bring to his new environment. Involving the student in the development of the SOP will help make the document more relevant for the student, and may help the student understand how to use the document in the future. The Summary of Performance form is located in the Dismissal section of the SpEd Forms Menu. 

You and your fellow IEP team members can involve students in writing SOPs by asking these questions:

1. What are your skills? SOPS must note students' skill sets and should focus on what they can dy. Refer to the students' present levels of performance to guide this discussion. Write the child's skills, not skill level, in their SOP. Document skills that are helpful for employers such as "Student can count change". Also, have the student practice describing their skills so they are able to discuss them with future potential employers.

2. What interests you? If you and your team members write SOPs without involving students, you risk creating documents limited to students' academic strengths and skills. The IDEA requires that information, but you also want to document students' interests otherwise an employer may put a student in a position that is not a good match for them. Talk to students about what they are good at and what they want to do. This will allow the student and future employers to determine which jobs may be a good fit.

3. What accommodations do you need? Involving students in writing SOPs gives you an opportunity to make sure they understand what to ask for in a work or college setting. For example, if a student receives copies of class notes throughout high school, tell them to ask for this accommodation in college. The accommodations section in the student's IEP can guide this discussion. Review with the student what accommodations have worked for them in the past. Those are what you want to put in the SOP, so the student can be successful in the future as well. 

Describe academic career, courses of study, type of courses taken, accommodations and modifications utilized, paraprofessional support needs, strengths, learning needs, and need for assistive technology.

Example: James’s recent academic achievement testing showed he is reading at approximately a 7th grade level. His comprehension is stronger than his decoding skills. His test performance has improved in his Social Studies and English class when tests are read to him and he has more time to complete the test. He uses books on tape for his English and history. James is at grade level with math. He has completed most of his classes with B’s without modifications/accommodations. He does struggle with multi-step story problems however. In the area of writing, he is functioning at about 8th grade level. Spelling and content are a strength, while his punctuations and handwriting are areas of need. He does utilize technology to assist him. James seems to learn best when he hears things and is shown several examples. 

Describe what the student is able to do in school and the community and address the level of independence and support needed. 

• Talk about each of the transition areas; transportation, sports, extracurricular, employment, living situation, cooking, etc. 

• Discuss general ability and problem solving -don’t give the IQ score, but describe range(s). Include teacher comments -general observations related to attention and organization, organizational tools that help, accommodations that improve on-task behaviors, etc.

• Communication skills –both written and verbal 

• Social skills and behavior –how the student interacts with peers and staff, general behavior remarks 

• Independent living skills -driving, cooking, money management, insurance, etc. 

• Self-advocacy skills – Is the student able to describe his/her disability, needs, and strengths. Can and does he/she ask for help when needed? 

• Career/vocational -describe types of jobs in and out of school 

• Other: Vocational Rehab Services, SSI, other services in the community, awards, sports, etc. 

Make recommendations to assist the student in attaining their post-secondary goals in the areas listed below:

Education -apply for disability services, VRS, OJT, military, social services, accommodations, etc. Discuss courses student may not do well in and suggestions (part-time vs. full-time) summer classes. 

Employment -apply for VRS, supported employment, specific jobs, apprenticeships, contact people that may assist the student, SSI counselor, etc. 

Independent Living (where appropriate and may include recreation/leisure, community living and/or home living) -examples may include that the student needs to: apply for social security, driver’s license, access health care, housing, accessing county DD social worker/waiver, budget information, etc.