Mississippi Administrative Code
Title 7 - Education K-12
Part 24 - Mississippi Public School Accountability Standards 2023
ACCREDITATION POLICIES OF THE STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION
Appendix 7-24-A-10

APPENDIX A-10

GRADUATION REQUIREMENTS STANDARD 14

ALTERNATE DIPLOMA OPTION

NOTE: This option shall be offered by districts for incoming ninth graders with significant cognitive disabilities in 2018-2019 and thereafter.

Only students identified by their Individualized Education Program Committee as having a significant cognitive disability, as defined by the Testing Students with Disabilities Regulations and State Board Policy Chapter 78, Rule 78.1, may be eligible to earn the Alternate Diploma. Each student graduating from a secondary school in an accredited school district with the Alternate Diploma will have earned the required units as specified in the following table. Contents of each required and elective course must include the core objectives identified in the State Board approved Alternate Academic Achievement Standards. Course titles and identification numbers must appear in the current edition of the Approved Courses for Secondary Schools of Mississippi. (See 7 Miss. Admin. Code Pt. 3, Ch. 28, R. 28.2, R. 28.3.) Students with significant cognitive disabilities enrolled in grades 7 12 may be awarded a credit provided the course content is a credit bearing course in the current edition of the Approved Courses for the Secondary Schools of Mississippi.

Any student with a significant cognitive disability who completes the minimum graduation requirements as specified below and has achieved a level of Passing or Proficient on the end-of-course alternate assessments, is eligible to receive an Alternate Diploma. Students must participate in the alternate assessments during the year the student is enrolled in the corresponding courses (Alternate Biology, Alternate English II, Alternate Algebra). The local school district may establish additional local requirements approved by the local school board as authorized under Miss. Code Ann. § 37-16-7.

The Alternate Diploma meets the requirements for graduation rate in the same manner as a Traditional Diploma. Students with this diploma must contact the postsecondary institution to determine eligibility for Ability to Benefit (ATB).

1Carnegie units earned for Compensatory English courses cannot be included as any of the four (4) English Carnegie units required for graduation; however, Carnegie units earned for these courses may be included in the general elective graduation requirements. Compensatory English may be taken only if a credit-bearing English course is taken in the same school year.

2Carnegie units earned for Compensatory Mathematics courses cannot be included as any of the four (4) Math Carnegie units required for graduation; however, Carnegie units earned for these courses may be included in the general elective graduation requirements. Compensatory Mathematics may be taken only if a credit-bearing Math course is taken in the same school year.

3Successful completion in JROTC I and JROTC II may be accepted in lieu of Contemporary Health to meet graduation requirement for one-half (1/2) Carnegie unit in Health. For approved Career and Technical course substitutions see Appendix A-12.

4The graduation requirement for one-half (1/2) unit in physical education may include participation in interscholastic athletic activities, choral performance courses for show choir (i.e. Choral, Music-Choral-Ensembles), instrumental performance courses (i.e. Band, Music Instrumental Ensembles, Strings), dance courses or JROTC that meet the instructional requirements specified in the Fitness through Physical Education Framework and that are sanctioned by the Mississippi High School Activities Association. Only one (1) elective unit in physical education including participation in interscholastic athletic activities, choral performance courses for show choir (i.e. Choral, Music-Choral-Ensembles), instrumental performance courses (i.e. Band, Music Instrumental Ensembles, Strings), dance courses or JROTC that meet the instructional requirements specified in the Fitness through Physical Education Framework and that are sanctioned by the Mississippi High School Activities Association may be applied each year to the minimum 24 required Carnegie units. If a local district has graduation requirements above the state requirements, the district may award additional units as outlined in the local school board policy.

5Evidence of proficiency in technology is embedded in the course strands for both Career Readiness and Life Skills Development so that students with significant cognitive disabilities may be taught these skills within the natural environment assuring greater application and generalization of the skills.

6The Arts refers to Dance, Media Arts, Music, Theatre, and Visual Arts. For a listing of approved secondary course codes please refer to the arts section or the Mississippi Online Course Approval (MOCA) section of the current Approved Courses for the Secondary Schools of Mississippi. The following dual credit classes: Music Appreciation, Theatre Appreciation, or Art Appreciation may be accepted in lieu of the art requirement for students. For approved Career and Technical course substitutions see Appendix A-12.