Clark County schools set process for retroactive high school diplomas
Students who think they are eligible for a high school diploma from the Clark County School District under a new state policy should send their requests to the district’s transcript records office.
District officials announced the procedure on Tuesday following a policy change earlier this month that enables students who failed proficiency exams to receive their high school diplomas. The policy shift was contained in a state memo sent to districts on Oct. 13 that said those former students can now be granted diplomas if they met all other requirements for graduation.
Since the Review-Journal first reported on the memo last week, CCSD’s Student Records Services has received approximately 1,400 requests and fielded over 600 phone calls, according to the district.
The district will first update student transcripts and will issue a ceremonial diploma at a later date, officials said.
“Our goal moving forward is to work expeditiously to update the transcripts of former students seeking graduate status,” Rick Neal, the district’s chief operating officer, said in a statement. “We want our former students to know that we understand their desire for this process to move along as quickly as possible.”
In 2013, the state Legislature approved phasing out the proficiency exam graduation requirement in favor of four end-of-course tests. But legislation removed that requirement in 2017 before it took effect.
The state said the change announced this month means adult education learners who are still trying to earn a diploma won’t be held to a different standard than those who attended district high schools after that change occurred.
To submit a request for a retroactive diploma, the district recommends going online. But requests can also be made in person at the Student Records Services office inside building B at 4260 Eucalyptus Ave. in Las Vegas.
Contact Meghin Delaney at mdelaney@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-0281. Follow @MeghinDelaney on Twitter.
Apply online or in person
The district says fastest and most efficient way to submit a "Proficiency Exemption Request" for updated transcripts is to do so online. Requests also can be submitted in person at Student Records Services in Building B at 4260 Eucalyptus Ave., Las Vegas.
Steps to establish a Proficiency Exemption Request:
1. Visit https://transcripts.ccsd.net/. This website is available in both English and Spanish.
2. Under "Who is making the record request?" select "I am an Individual."
3. Complete the required fields of the request form.
4. In the "Records Requested" section, only select "Proficiency Exemption Request."
5. After all required information has been filled in, click the "Submit Records Request" button at the bottom of the page.
6. If an email was provided, the customer will receive automated email notifications regarding the progress of the request. This includes a reference number of the request.
Source: Clark County School District
