16 NCAC 06D .0510         Three-Year graduation

(a)  For the purposes of this Rule, the following definitions shall apply:

(1)           "Public school unit" or "PSU" is defined in G.S. 115C-5(7a). This Rule shall not apply to a charter school unless the charter school has elected to offer a three-year sequence of courses under G.S. 115C-218.85, or to a regional school unless the regional school has elected to offer a three-year sequence of courses under G.S. 115C-238.66.

(2)           "Superintendent" means the superintendent of a local school administrative unit or the staff member with the highest decision-making authority for a public school unit, if there is no superintendent.

(b)  A student enrolled in a PSU who requests to graduate from high school 3 years after entering Grade 9 shall do so in accordance with this Rule. This Rule shall apply to a student who enters Grade 11 on or after July 1, 2024 and is at least 16 years of age at the time of graduation.

(c)  The student shall complete and sign a 3-year graduation request form provided by the student's PSU. The form must be signed by the student's parent or legal guardian, unless the student is at least 18 years of age or has been emancipated in accordance with Chapter 7B, Article 35 of the General Statutes.

(d)  An administrator from the student's high school or the PSU shall meet with the student and, if the student is under 18 years of age and not emancipated, the student's parent or legal guardian, to discuss the implications of graduating after three years. The administrator shall address, at minimum, the following topics:

(1)           Plans for transitioning into higher education, employment, or enlistment in the Armed Forces of the United States;

(2)           Discontinued access to high school services and programming, including extracurricular activities and interscholastic athletics; and

(3)           Support structures available to the student in the high school environment, such as nutrition and school counseling services, which will no longer be available upon graduation.

(e)  The superintendent or designee shall verify that the student has met the minimum graduation requirements established by the State Board of Education ("SBE"), as defined in 16 NCAC 06D .0503.

(f)  The superintendent shall approve the request upon verification of the student's eligibility and compliance with the procedures set forth above, no later than 45 school days after receipt of a request. If the request is approved during the semester after classes have started, the student may elect to graduate immediately or graduate at the end of the semester. However, if the student does not submit the request until after classes have started, the student shall be required to complete the current semester.

(g)  PSUs shall provide students with information on how to graduate from high school within three years prior to the student selecting the student's course schedule for Grade 9. Such information shall include the topics listed in Paragraph (d) in this Rule as well as a recommended course schedule to allow the student to satisfy the minimum graduation requirements established by the SBE.

History Note:        Authority G.S. 115C-12(9d); 115C-218.85; 115C-238.66;

Codifier determined that rule did not meet criteria for emergency rule on November 6, 2023.

Emergency Adoption Eff. November. 16, 2023;

Temporary Adoption Eff. February 8, 2024.