Pennsylvania Code
Title 22 - EDUCATION
Part I - State Board of Education
Subpart A - Miscellaneous Provisions
Chapter 4 - ACADEMIC STANDARDS AND ASSESSMENT
PROVISIONS RELATING TO OTHER THAN PUBLIC SCHOOLS
Section 4.72 - Credentials other than the high school diploma

(1) The Commonwealth secondary school diploma may be issued to an applicant who is a resident of this Commonwealth and does not possess a secondary school diploma upon presentation of evidence of full matriculation and the satisfactory completion of a minimum of 1 full year or 30 semester hours of study at an accredited institution of postsecondary education.

(2) In addition to the provisions of paragraph (1), the Commonwealth secondary school diploma may be issued to an applicant who is a resident of this Commonwealth, does not possess a secondary school diploma and is not enrolled in a public, licensed private, registered accredited or licensed nonpublic secondary school upon earning a passing score as determined by the Department on the high school level tests of General Educational Development (GED). A person 18 years of age or older may qualify for GED testing upon request. A person between 16 and 18 years of age may qualify for GED testing upon the issuance of a court order or at the written request of one of the following:

(3) The Department will not ordinarily issue a diploma until after the high school class of which the applicant was a member has been graduated. This restriction may be waived by the Department upon the recommendation of the school district for persons between 16 and 18 years of age who meet the higher education or GED requirements for the secondary school diploma.