Earning a High School Diploma through Alternative Routes - Synthesis Report 76 - study

Sep 14, 2026

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The synthesis report examines alternative routes for students in 26 states with active or soon-to-be active high school exit exams to earn a regular/standard high school diploma during the 2008-09 school year. It documents which alternatives exist for all students and which are specifically designated for students with disabilities, totaling 46 routes across 19 states. Findings indicate that information is often difficult to access and that route requirements vary in names, sequencing, approval authorities, and performance expectations.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryResearch & Report

FormatPDF

Pages110

Reading Time4 h 37 min

AccessFree to download

Earning a High School Diploma through Alternative Routes

Study purpose and scope (2008-09, 26 states)

Identification of designated alternative routes (19 states, 46 alternatives)

Accessibility and information challenges

Variations in route names and performance expectations

Variations in processes, requests, and approvals

Differences for students with disabilities

Comparison with prior analysis (Krentz et al., 2005)

Synthesis Report 76 Earning a High School Diploma through Alternative Routes N A T I O N A LC E N T E R O NE D UCAT IO NA LO U T C O M E S In collaboration with: Council of Chief State School Officers (CCSSO) National Association of State Directors of Special Education (NASDSE) Supported by: U.S. Office of Special Education Programs Synthesis Report 76 Earning a High School Diploma through Alternative Routes Martha L. Thurlow • Miong Vang • Damien Cormier June 2010 All rights reserved. Any or all portions of this document may be reproduced and distributed without prior permission, provided the source is cited as: Thurlow, M., Vang, M., & Cormier, D. (2010) . Earning a High School Diploma through Alternative Routes (Synthesis Report 76) . Minneapolis, MN: University of Minnesota, National Center on Educational Outcomes. N A T I O N A LC E N T E R O NE D UCAT IO NA LO U T C O M E S The Center is supported through a CooperativeAgreement (\#H326G050007) with the Research to Practice Division, Office of Special Education Programs, U.S. Department of Education. Additional support for targeted projects, including those on English language learners, is provided by other federal and state agencies. The Center is affiliated with the Institute on Community Integration at the College of Education and Human Development, University of Minnesota. Opinions expressed herein do not necessarily reflect those of the U.S. Department of Education or Offices within it. NCEO Core Staff Martha L. Thurlow, Director Deb A. Albus Jason R. Altman Manuel T. Barrera Laurene L. Christensen Christopher J. Johnstone Jane L. Krentz Sheryl S. Lazarus Kristi K. Liu Ross E. Moen Michael L. Moore Rachel F. Quenemoen Christopher Rogers Dorene L. Scott MiongVang Yi-Chen Wu National Center on Educational Outcomes University of Minnesota • 207 Pattee Hall 150 Pillsbury Dr. SE • Minneapolis, MN 55455 Phone 612/626-1530 • Fax 612/624-0879 [http://www.nceo.info](http://www.nceo.info) The University of Minnesota shall provide equal access to and opportunity in its programs, facilities, and employment without regard to race, color, creed, religion, national origin, gender, age, marital status, disability, public assistance status, veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity, or gender expression. This document is available in alternative formats upon request. Earning a standard diploma has increased in importance during the past several years. Not only is ita document that improves post school outcomes, but it also has become a part of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) accountability system at the high school level—with the required graduation rate including only those students who have earned a regular/standard high school diploma or higher. Complicating matters in several states is the addition of an exit exam requirement to the traditional coursework requirements. The addition of a testing requirement to other requirements for earning a standard diploma is a challenge for students who do not perform well on assessments. Many, but not all, of these students have disabilities. The purpose of the study reported here was to examine the alternative routes to passing the high school exit exam that were available during the school year 2008-09 to students to earn a standard high school diploma. We examined alternative routes in the 26 states with active or soon to be active exit exams. We documented the alternative routes available for all students and those specifically for students with disabilities. Nineteen states were identified as having exit exams that had designated alternative routes to the standard diploma. Most of these states had multiple alternative routes, totalling 46 across the 19 states. Thirteen of these states had alternative routes for all students (which included students with disabilities); sixteen had alternative routes uniquely available to students with disabilities. T

FAQs

What is the purpose of this synthesis report?

To examine alternative routes for passing a high school exit exam that were available during the 2008-09 school year to earn a standard high school diploma.

Which states and student groups are covered in the study?

The study analyzes 26 states with active or soon-to-be active exit exams and documents alternatives for all students as well as specifically for students with disabilities.

How many states and alternative routes were identified?

Nineteen states were identified with designated alternative routes, totaling 46 alternatives across those 19 states.

What major challenges did the analysis find about alternative routes?

Information about alternative routes is not always easily accessible, and even when located, basic details about the route can be difficult to find.

Sep 14, 2026

Uploaded by Melati