Early Graduation
Early Graduation Information
Letter of Intent to Apply for Early Graduation
Senate Bill 61, passed during the 2013 Kentucky General Assembly, provides a pathway to early graduation for students who intend to complete high school in three academic years or less. Beginning with the 2014-2015 academic year, students who complete the Early Graduation requirements (see below) may receive a diploma from their district. Students who graduate in three years or less are also eligible for an Early Graduation Certificate, which they may use the year immediately following high school graduation when enrolling in an SACS accredited Kentucky two- or four- year institute of higher education.
Clarifying Points:
The statutory changes and regulation go into effect beginning with the 2014-2015 academic year.
KRS 158.142 states that a local board of education shall not impose graduation requirements that prohibit a student who is pursuing an early graduation program from finishing high school in less than four (4) years.
Early Graduation is defined as a student meeting the performance criteria outlined in 704 KAR 3:305 Section 9 (2) and doing so in three years or less from the date of first enrolling in grade nine.
To meet the criteria, students that intend to graduate early must meet minimum proficiency benchmarks for the four End of Course exams required for state accountability and meet college ready benchmarks for the ACT or other college readiness exam.
A student who wishes to graduate early must complete a Letter of Intent to Apply for Early Graduation within the first 30 days of the academic year in which they want to graduate and the information must be entered into Infinite Campus and the ILP no later than October 1st of the academic year they intend to graduate.
Students may take their one state supported ACT exam earlier than their junior year, as provided by the regulation.
Early Graduation students require consistent monitoring and counseling to ensure they are on track to complete the early graduation requirement. The ILP should be completed and regular meetings between the student, family and counselor should monitor and update student progress as required in Section 4 of 704 KAR 3:305.
The Letter of Intent is not binding; students may revert to regular student enrollment with the knowledge they have to meet the District's minimum requirements and that they will not be eligible for the Early Graduation Certificate.
Incentives:
1) A student who meets the Early Graduation requirements in 704 KAR 3:305 shall earn an Early Graduation Certificate to be eligible for a one time scholarship award to be used at a Kentucky two- or four-year public or independent non-profit SAC's accredited college or university the year immediately following high school graduation. The award shall be equal to one-half (1/2) of the SEEK statewide per pupil guarantee for one year.
2) Students who graduate from high school in three years shall also receive a Kentucky Educational Excellence Scholarship (KEES) award equivalent to completing high school in four years.
Letter of Intent to Apply for Early Graduation
Senate Bill 61, passed during the 2013 Kentucky General Assembly, provides a pathway to early graduation for students who intend to complete high school in three academic years or less. Beginning with the 2014-2015 academic year, students who complete the Early Graduation requirements (see below) may receive a diploma from their district. Students who graduate in three years or less are also eligible for an Early Graduation Certificate, which they may use the year immediately following high school graduation when enrolling in an SACS accredited Kentucky two- or four- year institute of higher education.
Clarifying Points:
The statutory changes and regulation go into effect beginning with the 2014-2015 academic year.
KRS 158.142 states that a local board of education shall not impose graduation requirements that prohibit a student who is pursuing an early graduation program from finishing high school in less than four (4) years.
Early Graduation is defined as a student meeting the performance criteria outlined in 704 KAR 3:305 Section 9 (2) and doing so in three years or less from the date of first enrolling in grade nine.
To meet the criteria, students that intend to graduate early must meet minimum proficiency benchmarks for the four End of Course exams required for state accountability and meet college ready benchmarks for the ACT or other college readiness exam.
A student who wishes to graduate early must complete a Letter of Intent to Apply for Early Graduation within the first 30 days of the academic year in which they want to graduate and the information must be entered into Infinite Campus and the ILP no later than October 1st of the academic year they intend to graduate.
Students may take their one state supported ACT exam earlier than their junior year, as provided by the regulation.
Early Graduation students require consistent monitoring and counseling to ensure they are on track to complete the early graduation requirement. The ILP should be completed and regular meetings between the student, family and counselor should monitor and update student progress as required in Section 4 of 704 KAR 3:305.
The Letter of Intent is not binding; students may revert to regular student enrollment with the knowledge they have to meet the District's minimum requirements and that they will not be eligible for the Early Graduation Certificate.
Incentives:
1) A student who meets the Early Graduation requirements in 704 KAR 3:305 shall earn an Early Graduation Certificate to be eligible for a one time scholarship award to be used at a Kentucky two- or four-year public or independent non-profit SAC's accredited college or university the year immediately following high school graduation. The award shall be equal to one-half (1/2) of the SEEK statewide per pupil guarantee for one year.
2) Students who graduate from high school in three years shall also receive a Kentucky Educational Excellence Scholarship (KEES) award equivalent to completing high school in four years.