Day 13: Real diploma pathways for students with disabilities (HB 562)

Day 13: Real diploma pathways for students with disabilities (HB 562)

For students with disabilities who can’t meet the requirements of a standard diploma, Kentucky law didn’t offer much of a real, structured alternative, in practice, districts often improvised, and options varied district to district. HB 562 fixes that with two new statewide options: an alternate high school diploma and a modified high school diploma, each with clear, defined requirements set by the Kentucky Board of Education.

This isn’t just about handing out a piece of paper. The bill also requires the Department of Workforce Development to build and publish a list of employers actually willing to hire someone who holds an alternate diploma, so there’s a real bridge from graduation to a job. And a modified diploma now counts for state scholarship eligibility the same way an alternate diploma does, so a student isn’t shut out of financial aid because of which diploma path fit them best.

Sponsored by Rep. Thomas Truett, with 27 additional House co-sponsors. It passed the House 96-0, the Senate 36-0, and cleared final concurrence 95-0, about as close to universal agreement as you’ll find at the Capitol.

Every kid deserves a real path forward, not just the same path forced to fit everyone. This bill builds one.