(a) The Department of Education shall establish an academic advancement program to allow local and regional boards of education to permit students in grades eleven and twelve to substitute (1) achievement of a passing score on an existing nationally recognized examination, approved by the State Board of Education, or series of examinations approved by the State Board of Education, (2) a cumulative grade point average determined by the State Board of Education, and (3) at least three letters of recommendation from school professionals, as defined in section 10-66dd, for the high school graduation requirements pursuant to section 10-221a. The State Board of Education shall issue an academic advancement program certificate to any student who has successfully completed such program. Such academic advancement program certificate shall be considered in the same manner as a high school diploma for purposes of determining eligibility of a student for enrollment at a public institution of higher education in this state.
(b) Notwithstanding the high school graduation requirements pursuant to section 10-221a, for the school year commencing July 1, 2014, and each school year thereafter, a local or regional board of education shall permit a student to graduate from high school upon the successful completion of the academic advancement program described in subsection (a) of this section.
(P.A. 10-111, S. 17; P.A. 13-247, S. 188; P.A. 15-215, S. 7.)
History: P.A. 10-111 effective July 1, 2010; P.A. 13-247 replaced references to board examination series pilot program and board examination series program with references to academic advancement program, amended Subsec. (a) by replacing “may” with “shall” re establishment of program, replacing “grades nine to twelve, inclusive” with “grades eleven and twelve”, designating existing provision re achievement of passing score on a series of examinations as Subdiv. (1) and amending same to include provision re existing national examination, and adding Subdivs. (2) and (3) re grade point average and letters of recommendation, and amended Subsec. (b) by replacing “2011” with “2014”, effective July 1, 2013; P.A. 15-215 amended Subsec. (a) by replacing “national examination” with “nationally recognized examination” and replaced “as determined by the department” with “approved by the State Board of Education”, effective July 1, 2015.