The Oklahoma legislature ended its session with a caring eye towards our students with profound disabilities who also have the capacity to earn a high school diploma. HB 1756 eases graduation requirements by creating an important exception to Achieving Classroom Excellence for profoundly disabled students.
As a condition of graduation, Achieving Classroom Excellence legislation requires that all students must pass four of seven end-of-instruction exams. Disabled students are now offered an alternative form of exam to accommodate their specific challenges. Federal civil rights laws mandate assessments of all students, yet accommodations are required to prevent discrimination based on disabilities.
- HB 1756 has all students take the end-of-instruction exams, but profoundly disabled students can either retake a failed exam or prove proficiency using an alternative method.
- A first attempt for all is still required. Yet each local school district, working with the Individual Education Plan team that devised the profoundly disabled student’s curriculum, will meet to determine if the student has successfully completed enough work to meet the graduation requirement without further evaluation.
Oklahoma is furthering the completion of high school for this unique group of residents, so that they, too, can feel the pride of accomplishment and have a diploma to help them achieve economic independence, if feasible.
Oklahoma residents deserve access to justice, using the laws and courts to secure their rights and privileges of citizenship. Stipe Law Firm’s knowledgeable Social Security Disability lawyers know how to guide your family when facing how to provide for your profoundly disabled child in the future. Contact our firm today to learn more.