Sec. 10-5. State high school diploma; "honors diploma". Payment of fees; exceptions.
Sec. 10-5. State high school diploma; "honors diploma". Payment of fees; exceptions. (a) The Commissioner of Education shall, in accordance with this section,
issue a state high school diploma to any person (1) who successfully completes an
examination approved by the commissioner, or (2) who (A) is sixteen or seventeen years
of age and has been officially withdrawn from school in accordance with the provisions
of section 10-184 or is eighteen years of age or older, and (B) presents to the commissioner evidence demonstrating educational qualifications which the commissioner
deems equivalent to those required for graduation from a public high school. Application
for such a diploma shall be made in the manner and form prescribed by the commissioner
provided at the time of application to take the examination described in subdivision (1)
of this subsection the applicant is seventeen years of age or older, has been officially
withdrawn from school, in accordance with section 10-184, for at least six months and
has been advised, in such manner as may be prescribed by the commissioner, of the
other options for high school completion and other available educational programs. For
good cause shown, the commissioner may allow a person who is sixteen years of age
to apply to take the examination, provided the commissioner may not issue a state high
school diploma to such person until the person has attained seventeen years of age.
(b) Application to take or retake the examination described in subdivision (1) of
subsection (a) of this section shall be accompanied by a money order or certified check
in the nonrefundable amount of thirteen dollars. This amount shall include the fee for
the state high school diploma.
(c) No veteran, member of the armed forces, as defined in section 27-103, or any
person under twenty-one years of age shall be required to pay the fees described in
subsection (b) of this section. The commissioner may waive any fee described in subsection (b) upon the submission of evidence indicating an inability to pay.
(d) The Commissioner of Education shall keep a correct account of all money received under the provisions of this section and shall deposit with the State Treasurer all
such money received by said commissioner. Funds paid to a local or regional board of
education under this section shall be deposited in the school activity fund established
under section 10-237 and expended to defray the costs of such testing and related administration and information.
(e) The commissioner shall establish criteria by which an "honors diploma" may
be issued for exemplary performance on the examination.
(1949 Rev., S. 1336; 1951, S. 880d; 1957, P.A. 163, S. 17; February, 1965, P.A. 330, S. 11; P.A. 73-79; P.A. 77-614,
S. 302, 587, 610; P.A. 78-218, S. 7; 78-303, S. 85, 136; P.A. 83-146, S. 1, 2; P.A. 84-325, S. 6; P.A. 86-333, S. 1, 32; P.A.
89-251, S. 65, 203; P.A. 91-295, S. 1, 7; P.A. 95-259, S. 2, 32; P.A. 00-157, S. 2, 8.)
History: 1965 act substituted "state high school diploma" for "qualifying academic certificate" and deleted definition
of certificate; P.A. 73-79 allowed payment of testing fee to local boards of education providing testing services as well as
to state board and required that fees paid to local boards be deposited in school activity fund to cover testing costs; P.A.
77-614 and P.A. 78-303 substituted commissioner of education for secretary of state board of education, effective January
1, 1979; P.A. 78-218 allowed payment of testing fees to regional boards of education; P.A. 83-146 increased fee for
examination from $3 to $10, required payment of all fees to be by money order or certified check unless made in person
for subsequent examinations, and exempted persons under age 21 from paying fees required under the section; P.A. 84-325 stipulated that any sums paid under the provisions of the section were nonrefundable, added provision permitting
commissioner to waive payment of any fee and established criteria for the earning of an "honors diploma"; P.A. 86-333
deleted the provision that the examination be in one or more subjects; P.A. 89-251 increased fee for a state high school
diploma from $2 to $3, increased fee for a first examination from $10 to $13 and increased fee for subsequent examinations
from $2 to $3; P.A. 91-295 added provision requiring that person be at least 17 years of age and withdrawn from school
for at least six months, and that applicant be advised of options and available programs and provision re use of funds to
defray the costs of related administration and information; P.A. 95-259 rewrote the section, added the provision for 16-year-olds to apply to take the examination and changed the provision concerning an honors diploma, effective July 1, 1995;
P.A. 00-157 amended Subsec. (a) to only allow 16 or 17-year-olds to receive the diploma if they have officially withdrawn
from school, effective July 1, 2001.
See Sec. 10a-43 re postsecondary education certificates.