Potentially, thousands of Nevadans who never received a high school diploma now have a chance to get one retroactively.
The rule change is all due to the transition out of high school proficiency exams (HSPEs). That process started in 2013, but for many years, those exams dictated whether a student could receive a diploma. Passing the tests, especially for nervous test-takers, was a major barrier to graduation.
On Friday, the state directed the school districts to grant retroactive diplomas to former students who earned all their credits, but just couldn't pass the proficiency tests. In Washoe County, that means students all the way back to 1982.
"The people are pretty excited when they receive the news that they have earned a high school diploma," WCSD Senior Director of Student Accounting Bryn Lapenta said. "We've received quite a number of applications. I personally have received about 50 (since Friday)."
Starting Wednesday. applicants can go to the school district website to apply online for a retroactive diploma. If you attended a Washoe County high school since 1982, earned all your credits, but didn't pass the proficiency tests, you qualify.
For those who attended school in another district, it gets a little complicated. Each district can interpret the policy change differently.
"It's 100 percent up to the school districts in how they want to carry this out," Nevada Department of Education Public Information Officer Greg Bortolin said.
Bortolin said other districts could grant retroactive diplomas as far back as 1982, like Washoe County, or they could just go back a few years to 2013, when the state first started making the transition away from proficiency tests. He encourages any possible applicant to check with the individual school district to find out.
