Miami-Dade County Public Schools
Diplomas and Certificates
The Miami-Dade County School Board provides for the awarding of a standard diploma, a certificate of completion, a special diploma, or a special certificate of completion.
A standard diploma will be awarded to graduates, if the student has earned the required 24 credits with a cumulative unweighted grade point average of 2.0 or above. Credits must have been earned in all required courses. Also, students must pass the Grade 10 Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test (FCAT) SSS, and complete a community service project and demonstrate computer literacy. The purpose of the standard diploma is to certify that the student has met all local and state standards for graduation. An exceptional education student will be awarded a standard diploma if all of the criteria for a standard diploma have been met by that student.
This diploma will be awarded to students who complete an academically rigorous course of study. The requirements include at least four honors, Advanced Placement, International Baccalaureate and/or International Studies courses; and completion of 75 hours of community service, which includes identification of a social problem of interest, development of a plan for personal involvement in addressing the problem and, through papers and other presentations, evaluate, and reflect upon the experience. All students must earn a 3.5 GPA (weighted scale) with no final grade less than a "C."
Certificate of Completion
A student who has met all requirements for graduation except passing the HSCT or Grade 10 FCAT, or earning the GPA required for graduation shall be awarded certificate of completion. A student may make further attempts to meet the requirements for a standard diploma.
Exceptional students who have been properly classified may be eligible to receive a special diploma or a special certificate of completion. Parents who have questions concerning these special diplomas or certificates are urged to consult the school counselor, exceptional student education department chairperson, or Region exceptional student education staffing specialist.
A student with disabilities may exit high school with either a Standard Diploma or a Special Diploma. If the student does not fulfill criteria for a diploma, he/she may exit high school with either a Certificate of Completion or a Special Certificate of Completion.
The selection of a diploma option must take place at an Individual Educational Plan (IEP) team meeting during the eighth grade or the year prior to the student’s sixteenth birthday, whichever comes first. Since the selection of a diploma option will have significant impact upon the student’s high school curriculum, the parent or guardian must be involved in the decision-making process. The parent or guardian will be informed in writing about course/credit requirements and other requirements for each diploma option. The diploma option selected at the IEP team meeting must be noted on the IEP. At subsequent IEP meetings, the academic performance of the student, in relation to the diploma option selected, shall be addressed. If the IEP team determines that a diploma option should change, the impact of the change must be explained to the parent or guardian.
A student may switch from a Standard Diploma to Special Diploma and receive credit toward a Special Diploma for passing basic (general) education courses. Students may switch from a Special Diploma to a Standard Diploma and receive elective credit toward a Standard Diploma for passing exceptional student education courses. Elective credits may be counted toward graduation requirements for a Standard Diploma.