The Daily Populous Saturday August 23rd, 2025 morning edition
Authored by wusf.org and submitted by Hrekires

The Florida Board of Education voted to sunset certificates of completion for students with disabilities who attend K-12 school. These certificates were awarded to students who couldn't complete the coursework needed for a diploma.

The change starts this year under a new Florida law (HB 1105). Students with severe disabilities who can't earn a standard high school diploma will leave school without any formal recognition upon graduation.

Amy Van Bergen ran the Down Syndrome Association of Central Florida and is also the mom of a son with disabilities. She said her son wouldn't have been able to get the two jobs he works at a law office without his certificate, and she's worried for other students like him.

ALSO READ: Families of kids with autism hail Florida's new law that increases early detection, intervention

People with disabilities already have a higher rate of unemployment and a lower rate of job placement after school.

"Without that certificate, they are potentially going to lose eligibility to all sorts of opportunities after high school, whether that's even taking a college placement test or pursuing developmental or vocational programs," said Van Bergen.

Van Bergen said she's worried students with disabilities who can't earn a standard diploma could be ineligible to participate in graduation ceremonies. Ultimately, she says this could take away some of the incentives these students have to complete school.

"The whole dissolution of certificates of completion absolutely disproportionately harms students with disabilities. So rather than helping bridge that educational disparity gap, it's only going to widen it. Why on Earth should these students attend school?" asked Van Bergen.

ALSO READ: DeSantis signs a sweeping bill that expands services and funding for students with autism

The Florida Department of Education says the focus will now be on alternate pathways to completing a high school diploma and that the change is needed to "ensure students receive appropriate support and recognition for their achievements."

The change is an outlier in a legislative session that otherwise championed the rights of students and people with disabilities. Senate President Ben Albritton made increasing the support and services available to people with disabilities the focus of the last session.

Through laws passed last session, Gov. Ron DeSantis and the Republican-majority Legislature not only increased early detection and intervention for students who have autism, but also created a micro-credential for teachers who work with those students.

The Legislature also created a credential that students with disabilities can earn after completing their work placements. These credentials or badges can be used to seek postgraduation employment.

Copyright 2025 Central Florida Public Media

Muzzerduzzer on August 22nd, 2025 at 14:25 UTC »

I think it's already tough on these kids that they don't receive a diploma like the rest of their classmates. A certificate is at least something's physical they could hold on to and feel recognized and that they worked hard and accomplished something. Not being able to list a highschool education doesn't really matter for those with disabilities IF there are support systems around them that can help them with or without a diploma.

My brother works with a county wide program that takes disabled adults to job sights and has them help out. They get training and a bit of money to spend on something fun.

But unless Florida has programs like that, not receiving anything will hurt disabled students in the long run.

It's horrible that we are so afraid of someone born different standing at the finish line with us.

Edit: grammer

sysadminbj on August 22nd, 2025 at 14:18 UTC »

My brother in law is extremely disabled. I've never seen him more happy than when he graduated high school. Is he going to get any use out of that diploma? No. Do I think that his time in school was beneficial? Hell yes I do.

Fuck you, Florida.

YesterShill on August 22nd, 2025 at 14:15 UTC »

Does this sound cruel to anyone else?