Will my child be at a disadvantage if they don’t get a high school diploma?

Strictly speaking, earning a diploma means that a student has met the requirements for graduation, and earning a certificate of completion means the student has finished high school without completing all the requirements. Having a certificate rather than a diploma will disqualify a student from some post-secondary options, but not permanently. For example, many students with disabilities who do not receive a diploma transition to community college after high school, as this allows for engagement with career classes, work experience, and completing post-secondary educational goals without having to meet the university system requirements. They still have the option of transferring to a four-year university later.

For more information on this topic, check out our article about high school graduation options.