Navigating Deferment; One District’s Mission to WINNER ......• Students who earn a standard diploma and do not defer are NOT eligible for any further services. • Students who

Orange County Public Schools

Cannon Cameron, Ph.D.Visions Conference, 2018

WINNERNavigating Deferment; One District’s Mission to

Make it Clear and Concise


Deferment is kind of like this…


Disclaimer• I do not claim to be the authority on

deferment• There is a very good Technical Assistance

Paper ‘High School Graduation Options for Students with Disabilities’

• Each district has to determine the specific processes and procedures

https://info.fldoe.org/docushare/dsweb/Get/Document-7322/dps-2015-34.pdf


So who is the ‘expert’?• In Orange, we have an ESE Curriculum team

that works closely with the Guidance team so it made sense for them to take ownership

• Plan, Plan, Plan– Our team included Policy and Procedures,

Curriculum, Guidance, CTE, and Transition Services

– Spent the first year developing deliverables– Year two we offered Training


Training and Deliverables• Face to face at each of the 5 Learning

Communities• Two online Big Blue Button• Customized follow up by high school• Adapted version for parent presentation

– Open House, ACE Conference, Lunch and Learn for CARD



So what is Deferment?A student with a disability who has met the standard high school diploma requirements may defer the receipt of their diploma and continue to receive transition and related services if the student meets the following criteria established in Florida State Statute [s.1003.4282(11)(c), F.S.]:

1. the IEP team has determined and their IEP specifies the need for special education, transition planning, transition services or related services through the age of 21

2. once the student defers, they will be enrolled in:• accelerated college credit instruction• industry certification courses that lead to college credit• a collegiate high school program• courses necessary to satisfy the Scholar designation requirements• a structured work-study, internship or pre-apprenticeship program


Basic criteria…• Students must have met graduation

requirements• Students must have a documented need of

specific transition related services and supports that they will need to be successful in the next step after high school or to continue with a specified course of study

• Student must defer for one of the 5 aforementioned categories


Diploma Deferment• It is best practice to discuss deferring graduation as soon as a student

begins high school

• Although formal documentation of the deferral decision does not occur until the semester in which a student is expected to meet all of the requirements for a standard diploma, planning for the deferral must take place as soon as the IEP team suspects a student may qualify.

• Students who earn a standard diploma and do not defer are NOT eligible for any further services.

• Students who earned a special diploma (before 2017-18 SY) may return to the district and request FAPE at any time before they turn 22. Last SY was the final cohort to earn a special diploma.


Diploma Deferment

• Students with significant cognitive disabilities who have met graduation requirements and have historically continued as a “senior opting to return” MUST defer receipt of their standard diploma in order to receive FAPE.

• Students with significant cognitive disabilities who defer must demonstrate the need for special education, transition planning, transition services or related services through the age of 21.

• Students with significant cognitive disabilities who defer must be enrolled in:– accelerated college credit instruction– industry certification courses that lead to college credit– a collegiate high school program– courses necessary to satisfy the Scholar designation requirements– a structured work-study, internship or pre-apprenticeship program



OCPS Diploma Deferment Flowchart


Deferment Program Options Matrix


Diploma Deferment Parent Information Letter

• A principal memo sharing Diploma Deferment requirements is sent out in the deputy superintendent’s January newsletter accompanied by a Parent Letter.

• Schools are responsible for distributing the parent letter to all students with an IEP no later than the last day of January


IEP Team Procedures for Diploma DefermentBeginning at the 11th Grade Annual

Review and at each Subsequent AR until Graduation Requirements are Met:

□ Review benefits of deferring with the parent and the student, including continuation of educational and related services

□ Describe the services and programs available to students who defer to parent/student, in writing; See Deferment Program Options Matrix

□ Ensure that student/parent understands criteria and established timelines for acceptance in the student’s selected program


IEP Team Procedures for Diploma DefermentBeginning at the 11th Grade Annual

Review and at each Subsequent AR until Graduation Requirements are Met:

□ Inform the parent that: - failure to defer releases the

school district of the obligation to provide FAPE & initiates release of student’s HS Diploma

- the deadline for the deferral decision is May 15 of each school year

- failure to attend graduation ceremony does NOT constitute deferral


IEP Team Procedures for Diploma Deferment

• IEP team notes must clearly indicate that the team discussed diploma deferment including services, benefits and criteria.

• The decision to defer must be submitted by no later than May 15.


Documentation of Diploma Deferment

The program the student is deferring to attend is listed here


IEP Team Procedures for Diploma DefermentThe Following Questions MUST be Answered Beginning at the 12th Grade Annual Review and at each Subsequent AR until Graduation

Requirements are Met:

□ Will the student require special education, transition planning, transition services or related services through age of 21?

□ Based on the student’s transition needs and post-high school transition goals, will the student continue to receive transition and related services in order to receive FAPE through accelerated college credit instruction, industry certification courses that lead to college credit, a collegiate high school program, enrollment in courses necessary to satisfy the Scholar designation requirements or a structured work-study, internship or pre-apprenticeship program?


Is student on track to graduate by end of year?

IEP Team Procedures for Diploma Deferment12th Grade or anticipated graduation year


Document transition program, services, next steps and persons responsible (by role) in the IEP team notes.

IEP Team Procedures for Diploma Deferment12th Grade or anticipated graduation year


Diploma Deferment Reminders

• Student & parent must be informed that the student may participate in the graduation ceremony but will not receive their actual diploma.

• School MUST withhold the diploma until the student either completes or leaves the deferment program.

• If the student requests and takes possession of the diploma then the student is NO LONGER ELIGIBLE for deferment.


End of Year Registrar Procedures

School Registrar

– Data must be entered into three separate fields in SMS• School Specific tab (Student Promotion Status D)• Historical (Additional School Year)• Personal Info tab (Planning District Calendar)



Deferment Program Options Matrix


OCPS Deferment Options Matrix


OCPS Deferment Options MatrixStructured work-study, internship or

pre-apprenticeship program


School Specific TabStudent Promotion Status D

• On School Specific page for student• Under Student Promotion Status

– Enter D-Senior Opting to Remain in School– See screen shot on next slideDeferred receipt of standard diploma for SWD per section 1003.4282 (11) (c) F.S. for students who met all graduation requirements in 2014-15 SY and beyond


School Specific tab Student Promotion Status D


Historical InfoAdditional School Year

• In Additional School Year– Select appropriate code depending on Diploma

Type• IF Diploma Type is W07- Special Diploma

– Enter F- SWD entered Gr 9 Prior to 14-15 cont. FAPE

• IF Diploma Type is W06- Standard Diploma AND student is deferring receipt of diploma

– Enter D- Deferred receipt of standard diploma for SWD

• See next slide for screen shot


Historical InfoAdditional School Year


Personal Info tabPlanning District Calendar

• On Personal Info tab • Under Planning District Calendar

(for Home School)– Enter Requested school– Enter Exception reason– See next slide for screen shot


Personal Info tabPlanning District Calendar


Procedures for Enrollment

• School registrars should follow the standard practice for entering student re-entry codes.

• School Guidance Counselors should follow the standard practice for scheduling students.


FAQ…• Does a student need to be enrolled in their intended

program before they can defer OR can a student enroll in their intended program after they defer?

• A student must be enrolled in an accelerated college credit instruction program (Dual Enrollment), Industry certification that lead to college credit, Collegiate High School courses to satisfy the scholar designation requirements or a structured work-study, internship or pre-apprenticeship program. As some of these programs are post diploma, the intent to enroll after deferral will suffice.


FAQ…• Would the diploma state they are graduating the year they

defer or the year they complete their program?• The student will graduate the year that they defer and they

would be a graduate for that year. Furthermore the deferring students are also allowed to "walk" with their graduating class.


FAQ…• When a student defers, does the deferment count as a

negative grad rate for the student’s home school?• When students defer the school receives a POSITIVE grad

code if they graduate with their 4 year cohort. Students who meet the 24 requirements for any of the standard diploma options count toward the federal uniform graduation rate.


FAQ…• Do the schools maintain the diplomas on file

for deferment?• Yes, the school maintains physical custody of

the diploma.


FAQ…• What is the process for a significantly

impaired student to defer? • A student must have an IEP that “prescribes

special education, transition planning, transition services, or related services through 21.”This means that a student must require services to be successful.


FAQ…• If a student is currently enrolled in dual enrollment via VCC

or one of the tech schools and does not receive ESE services to support them there, are they still eligible for deferment?

• No. The student must have an IEP and have evidence and data to support that a student needs services to be successful. The majority of students who earn a standard diploma via an option open to all students will likely NOT meet this criteria.


FAQ…• If a student applies to Post-High Transition (they are on

Access Points) but they are not accepted. Do they return to home school after graduation?

• The IEP team will then need to reconvene and discuss other program options. If a student does not get accepted to Post-High transition because it is full one option is provide CBVE through home school until a position with Post-High is available.


FAQ…• What if an ESE student does not meet the 24 credits the 4th

year and needs to return back for a 5th year, do they defer to return back for 5th year or do we get hit with a non-graduate by having them return to complete the graduation requirements?

• If a student does not meet the 24 credit requirement, then they do not have to defer. They can return to continue working on their high school diploma. If an ESE student takes 5 years to complete their 24 credits it counts as a negative code on GRAD RATE as any other student.


FAQ…• Are we able to defer a student who wants to

go to a technical college, and will have met their graduation requirements?

• No, there has to be a need for deferral clearly indicated on their IEP. If the student is able to access the programs outside of OCPS, then OCPS services are not needed and there is no need to defer



Contact InfoCannon [email protected] SpecialistESE Transition Services and ESE Transition School407-203-2022 x6252522

Additional Questions?

mailto:[email protected]

Documents

Navigating Deferment; One District’s Mission to WINNER ......• Students who earn a standard diploma and do not defer are NOT eligible for any further services. • Students who