Ask an Expert: Judy Goddess
Using California School Law To Advocate For Your Kids

EQUIVALENCY DEGREES FOR DROP-OUTS

My child is 15 and ready to drop out of school. Is there any way he could earn an equivalency degree?

Students who are 16 or older, whether enrolled in school or not, may take the California High School Proficiency Exam (CHSPE). Younger students may also take the CHSPE if they have completed the tenth grade or are in the second semester of tenth grade. Students who pass the exam receive a Certificate of Proficiency, which is considered legally equivalent to a high school diploma, with two exceptions: the Student Aid Commission does not accept the CHSPE for purposes of obtaining a California Grant, as students leaving school early do not always establish a complete grade-point average; and the military does not always consider the CHSPE equivalent to a high school diploma.

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