704 KAR 3:340. Commonwealth Diploma Program.

704 KAR 3:340. Commonwealth Diploma Program.

RELATES TO: KRS 156.031, 156.070, 156.160

STATUTORY AUTHORITY: KRS 156.070, 156.160

NECESSITY, FUNCTION, AND CONFORMITY: KRS 156.031 requires that administrative regulations relating to statutes amended by the 1990 Kentucky Education Reform Act be reviewed, amended if necessary, and resubmitted to the Legislative Research Commission prior to December 30, 1990; KRS 156.070 authorizes the State Board for Elementary and Secondary Education to prescribe such courses of study, curriculums, and programs as it deems necessary for the common schools; and KRS 156.160 requires the State Board for Elementary and Secondary Education to adopt administrative regulations determining the courses of study for the different grades and the requirements for graduation from offered courses. A Commonwealth Diploma shall be issued to students completing a Commonwealth Diploma Program. The purpose of such a diploma and program are to encourage high academic achievement in Kentucky high schools; to encourage more of the capable students to attend college; to improve the working relationship between high schools and colleges and universities; and to allow students to gain college credit prior to attending college. This administrative regulation implements a Commonwealth Diploma Program and sets forth the conditions and criteria under which a Commonwealth Diploma shall be issued.

Section 1. The Kentucky State Board for Elementary and Secondary Education shall award to each student in the public schools of this state completing a Commonwealth Diploma Program a Commonwealth Diploma. This diploma shall be printed by the Kentucky Department of Education and sent to the appropriate district upon verification of program completion to the Department of Education by the local district. Each diploma shall be issued in the name of each student so identified. Verification to the Department of Education shall be on forms supplied by the Department of Education and shall be submitted in a timely fashion so as to provide for awarding of the Commonwealth Diploma at regularly scheduled graduation ceremonies, said forms being incorporated herein by reference and available for inspection, copying, and obtaining from the Office of Instruction, 18th Floor, Capital Plaza Tower, 500 Mero Street, Frankfort, Kentucky 40601, 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday. Those students receiving Commonwealth Diplomas shall be cited as recipients at graduation ceremonies.

Section 2. The requirements for obtaining a Commonwealth Diploma are as follows:

(1) Successful completion of at least twenty-two (22) approved units of credit, including all the minimum unit requirements for high school graduation set forth in 704 KAR 3:305 and any additional units specified by the applicable local board of education.

(2) Successful completion of all minimum requirements of the Precollege Curriculum established by the Council on Higher Education. Minimum Precollege Preparation requirements are as follows:

(a) Language arts - four (4) units (English I, English II, English III, and English IV);

(b) Mathematics - three (3) units (Algebra I or Algebra II, geometry, and one (1) elective);

(d) Social Studies - two (2) units (including World Civilization and U. S. History).

(3)(a) Successful completion (i.e., receiving a grade or the equivalent of "C" or better) of at least four (4) courses, as hereinafter designated and which contain essential content as described in the Advanced Placement (AP) Program Course Description booklets of the College Entrance Examination Board, such booklets being incorporated herein by reference and copies of which may be obtained from the College Entrance Examination Board:

1. English - one (1) course;

2. Science or mathematics - one (1) course (selected from biology, chemistry, or physics, or mathematics);

3. Foreign language - one (1) course (selected from French, German, Latin, or Spanish); and

4. One (1) additional AP course (selected from English, science, foreign language, history, computer science, political science, music, or art); or

(b) Successful completion (i.e., receiving a grade or the equivalent of "C" or better) of at least four (4) courses, as hereinafter designated and which contain essential content as described in the International Baccalaureate (IB) program course description booklets such booklets being incorporated herein by reference and copies of which may be obtained from the International Baccalaureate North America, Inc.:

1. Language A, the student's first language English, - one (1) course;

2. Natural or experimental science or mathematics - one (1) course (selected from biology, chemistry, physics, or mathematics);

3. Language B, a foreign language - one (1) course (selected from French, or Spanish); and

4. One (1) additional IB or AP course.

(4) Completion of one (1) AP Examination in at least three (3) of the AP or IB areas specified in subsection (3) of this section, without regard to score.

Section 3. During the 1987-88 and 1988-89 school years, the Kentucky Department of Education shall reimburse to local school districts the costs of required AP examinations for all students successfully completing the aforementioned criteria. Beginning with the 1989-90 school year, reimbursement will be contingent upon a student's receiving a specified minimum composite score on the three (3) required AP examination. This requirement shall be phased in over a four-year period, with said minimum composite score starting at five (5) in 1989-90 and being raised by one (1) each school year until it reaches a minimum score of eight (8) in 1992-93. Reimbursement funds shall be sent for distribution to local districts once each year on the basis of documentation supplied by the district. (11 Ky.R. 1105; Am. 1267; eff. 3-12-85; 14 Ky.R. 1965; eff. 5-9-88; 17 Ky.R. 2243; eff. 3-13-91.)