Department of Education Diploma

The purpose of the Maine Department of Education diploma is to provide students residing in Maine, who have experienced an “education disruption” and are unable to meet the graduation requirements of the local school unit, with an opportunity to seek a Maine Department of Education diploma. Me. Rev. Stat. Ann. Tit. 20-A, § 257-A (2014). This diploma can be issued to students whose education was disrupted by homelessness, unplanned psychiatric hospitalization, unplanned hospitalization for a medical emergency, foster care placement, or youth development center placement. They must have a school work recognition plan initiated upon the interim placement of the student. Me. Rev. Stat. Ann. Tit. 20-A, § 5161(2-A)(2015). The school work recognition plan must be developed or updated by the student, the parent or guardian, the sending and receiving schools and others such as juvenile community corrections officers and community case managers no later than 10 school days after the interim placement of the student. This plan may be developed through alternate forms of meeting such as e-mail or teleconferencing. If the student has an existing plan such as an individualized education program or a transition plan as defined in the rules adopted by the department, a school work recognition plan is not required. For every student who experiences education disruption, receiving school professional staff must be assigned to ensure the complete transfer of all records, grades and credits and all academic material, including an academic programming waiver, if applicable, from the sending school to the receiving school no later than 5 school days after the student enrolls in the receiving school.