U.S. Dept. of Education Statement:

05/17/06

Thank you for contacting the United States Department of Education.

The individual state departments of education, not the U. S. Department of Education, issue high school diplomas and their equivalents. Certificates of completion policies will vary from state to state but generally, certificates of completion are used for students with Individualized Education Plans (IEPs) who do not earn the number of credits to meet state graduation requirements but still want to participate in graduation ceremonies with their class. A certificate of completion is not an academic credential in this situation.

In the state of Indiana and the Indiana Statewide Testing for Educational Progress (ISTEP), certificates of completion are issued to students who have not earned enough credits to graduate, but wish to participate in graduation ceremonies. Recipients of certificates of completion are permitted to continue their pursuit of a state issued high school diploma or its equivalent. For further information, please view the fact sheet provided by the Indiana Department of Education, or contact them at:

Indiana Department of Education
State House, Room 229
Indianapolis, IN 46204-2795
Phone: (317) 232-6610
Fax: (317) 233-6326
Email: webmaster@doe.state.in.us
Website: http://www.doe.state.in.us/

You may find information concerning certificates of completion policies for other states by using the search engine at http://www.ed.gov/about/contacts/state/index.html?src=ln.

Admission to postsecondary institutions will vary by institution, but most will require a state issued high school diploma or its equivalent.

To be eligible for federal student aid, a student must have a high school diploma or a General Education Development (GED) certificate, pass a test approved by the U.S. Department of Education, meet other standards the state establishes that the Department approves, or complete a high school education in a home school setting that is treated as such under state law.

Again, the individual state departments of education determine graduation requirements. The No Child Left Behind Act does not address certificates of completion. We are not aware of any state's certificates of completion that would prohibit the recipient from finishing his or her high school education or equivalent at a later date.

Once again, thank you for contacting the U.S. Department of Education. If we can provide further assistance, please do not hesitate to contact us again or call 1-800-USA-LEARN (800-872-5327) between 9AM and 5PM EST.

Sincerely,

Jim Mould
Information Resource Specialist

U.S. Department of Education
400 Maryland Avenue SW
Washington, DC 20202