Fairfield County School District ACT 155 (Now Act 207) Diploma Petition Process Guidelines

Purpose According to Act 155 passed in 2014 (Now Act 207, passed in 2016), students who met all course requirements but did not receive a high school diploma because they did not pass the BSAP or HSAP exit exams may now petition Fairfield County School District Board of Trustees to receive a high school diploma. Please allow at least 6-8 weeks for processing, printing, and delivery. Petition Process Procedures ●

The petition form, a valid photo ID, and a copy of your birth certificate can be submitted to the Deputy Superintendent of Academics (District Contact) for review. The petition form, a valid photo ID, and a copy of your birth certificate can be mailed or submitted to the Fairfield County District Office, Attention: Dr. Claudia Edwards. The form can be found online, at Fairfield Central High School and Gordon Odyssey Center.

●

The petition will be verified by the Director of Secondary Education using official transcripts in consultation with the Director of Guidance, PowerSchool, and Guidance clerks at Fairfield Central High School.

●

Once verified by the Director of Secondary Education, the status of the petition will be updated to approved or denied.

●

A list of all approved petitions will be submitted to the Superintendent and Board Chair on a monthly basis (first day of the month).

●

The district contact will send a letter to all individuals regarding their petition status.

●

All approved petitions will be forwarded to the State Department of Education for diploma printing.

●

Each petitioner will be contacted to pick up the diploma from the District Office, once it has been received from the SDE. A valid photo ID must be presented at the time of pick up.

Fairfield County School District Act 155 (Now Act 207) Diploma Petition Form A person, no longer enrolled in a public school, who has been denied graduation solely for failing to meet the exit exam requirements (S.C. Code Section 59-18-310(B)(2)) may petition the local school board of trustees to determine his or her eligibility to receive a high school diploma. Pursuant to Act 155 (Now Act 207), the local school in the district where the person completed graduation requirements will receive the petition, determine the person’s eligibility to receive a high school diploma, and request a diploma. Please complete this petition in its entirety. You must use your FULL NAME as displayed on your birth certificate. Submit this completed form by mail to: Dr. Claudia Edwards, Deputy Superintendent of Academics, Fairfield County School District, 1226 US Highway 321 Bypass South, Winnsboro, SC 29180, or submit in person to Fairfield County School District Office along with a copy of valid photo ID and birth certificate. Incomplete information will delay processing. Allow at least 6-8 weeks for processing, printing, and delivery.

Last Name:

First Name:

Middle Name:

Date of Birth:

Current Street Address:

City:

State:

Zip Code:

Cell and Home Phone Number: Email Address: High School Attended: School Year in which Student Would Have Graduated:

I verify the above information is complete and accurate. Petitioner’s Signature: ____________________________ Date: ___________________________________ The application and academic records will be reviewed to determine if the petitioner meets the requirement for this proviso. If found that the only thing preventing the petitioner from receiving a high school diploma was the passage of an exit exam (BSAP or HSAP), the petitioner’s request will be approved and the request will be forwarded to the SDE for diploma printing. The petitioner will be notified to pick up the diploma from the District Office. For Office Use Only: Date Petition Request Received:

Number of credits received:

Valid ID/BC Received:

______ 1990-2000 (20)

Transcript Approval: _____ Approved _____ Denied

YES ___

______ 2001-2014 (24)

Reason Denied:

NO ___

District Contact’s Name:

_________________________________

District Contact’s Signature: _________________________________

Act 155 and Act 207 Diploma FAQs When is the High School Exit Exam eliminated as a requirement for high school graduation? The exit exam is eliminated as a graduation requirement to receive a S.C. high school diploma beginning with the graduating class of 2015. May a person who did not receive a passing score on the exit exam receive a S.C. high school diploma? Yes, a person no longer enrolled in a public school who was denied graduation solely for failing to meet the exit exam requirements may petition the local school board to determine eligibility to receive a high school diploma. When did the exit exam requirement for high school graduation apply? There are exit exam requirements for graduation going back to the graduating class of 1990. Persons who did not meet the exit exam requirements for the Basic Skills Assessment Program (BSAP) or the exit exam requirements under the High School Assessment Program (HSAP) may petition their local school board to receive a S.C. high school diploma. What if the person has moved from the school district where they went to high school? The person should petition the school board of the district where they attended high school. What if the high school they attended is no longer in operation or has merged with another high school? The person would still petition the school board of the district where they attended high school. What type of high school diploma will the person receive? Once the petition has been approved by the local school board, a standard S.C. high school diploma will be ordered. The diploma will be a current diploma issued from the high school that currently serves the attendance area where the person went to high school. What name will be used for the diploma? Under current diploma guidelines, the name as it appears on the birth certificate will be used. What requirements must be met for the petitioner to receive a diploma under the law? You must have met all of the graduation requirements, except for passing the exit exam, for the year in which you would have graduated.

How will school boards know what requirements were in place at the time the person went to high school? The basic graduation requirements, including the number and types of credits, are included in the diploma-ordering procedures that have been sent to all school districts from the South Carolina Department of Education. Who will make the determination as to persons having met all of the graduation requirements? The local school board will establish a procedure and process for considering the eligibility of the petitioner to receive a diploma. When will petitions be accepted? As of July 1, 2016, the local school boards will establish a procedure for petitioning to receive a diploma under the law. Is there a deadline for petitioning the local school board? There no longer is a petition deadline. What procedure is in place to request a S.C. diploma under the law? Once local school boards have determined eligibility to receive diplomas, the diplomas will be ordered through procedures established by the South Carolina Department of Education. How long will it take to receive a diploma once it is ordered? The South Carolina Department of Education is working with the diploma printer to process the orders. It may take three or four weeks to complete. The diplomas will be sent to the school districts for distribution to the petitioners. Will diplomas granted under these laws affect graduation rates as reported for state and federal accountability? No, the act specifically states that persons receiving diplomas under these laws will not be counted as graduates for determining graduation rates of schools and districts. Will student transcripts be adjusted? An official transcript will not be adjusted, but a separate documentation should be attached to the transcripts by the high school or district indicating the students received high school diplomas pursuant to Act 155 and Act 207.

How will students with IEPs be affected? The Office of Special Education has outlined guidance regarding special education students. Please refer any questions related to special education students to the Office of Special Education at (803) 734-8224. Who should I petition if I attended a public charter school? A student who attended a public charter school would petition the local school board that sponsored the public charter school—not the public charter school’s board. A student who attended a public charter school in the South Carolina Public Charter School District (SCPCSD) would petition the SCPCSD board. If a student attended a public charter school that was sponsored by a school district at the time of their attendance and the public charter school then relocated to the SCPCSD, then the student would petition the SCPCSD for the Act 155 diploma. How will the public be alerted to the availability of receiving high school diplomas through the amended law process? The South Carolina Department of Education is placing advertisements in all major newspapers across the state. Local school districts will also be establishing and communicating their procedures for receiving petitions. Are districts required to search their records for all students who may not have passed the exit exam? No. Individuals must petition their local school board using procedures established by the districts. How do I contact my school district to file my petition with my local school board? Please contact your school district using our online district and school directory.