{"data":{"id":"us-ky/krs-158.140","jurisdiction":"us-ky","citation":"KRS 158.140","heading":"Admission to high school -- Promotion -- Classification -- High school","body":"diploma -- Alternate high school diploma -- Academy diploma -- Posthumous\ndiploma -- Diploma for certain honorably discharged veterans -- Vocational\ncertificate of completion.\n(1) When a pupil in any public elementary school or any approved private or parochial\nschool completes the prescribed elementary program of studies, he or she is entitled\nto a certificate of completion signed by the teacher or teachers under who m the\nprogram was completed. The certificate shall entitle the pupil to admission into any\npublic high school. Any promotions or credits earned in attendance in any approved\npublic school are valid in any other public school to which a pupil may go, but th e\nsuperintendent or principal of a school, as the case may be, may assign the pupil to\nthe class or grade to which the pupil is best suited. In case a pupil transfers from the\nschool of one (1) district to the school of another district, an assignment to a  lower\ngrade or course shall not be made until the pupil has demonstrated that he or she is\nnot suited for the work in the grade or course to which he or she has been promoted.\n(2) Upon successful completion of all state and local board requirements, the s tudent\nshall receive:\n(a) A diploma indicating graduation from high school; or\n(b) An alternate high school diploma if the student has a disability and has\ncompleted a modified curriculum and an individualized course of study\npursuant to requirements estab lished by the Kentucky Board of Education in\naccordance with KRS 156.160.\n(3) (a) The Gatton Academy of Mathematics and Science in Kentucky, located at\nWestern Kentucky University, and the Craft Academy for Excellence in\nScience and Mathematics, located at Morehead State University, may award a\ndiploma to any student who completes his or her high school program at the\nrespective academy. If the academy issues a diploma, the board of regents of\nthe host university shall provide to the commissioner of educati on a letter of\nassurance that the program of study completed by its students, in combination\nwith previously earned secondary credits, meets the minimum high school\ngraduation requirements established by the Kentucky Board of Education\nunder KRS 156.160(1)(d).\n(b) A local school district may award a joint diploma with the Gatton Academy of\nMathematics and Science in Kentucky or the Craft Academy for Excellence in\nScience and Mathematics to any student who was enrolled in a district high\nschool and completed  his or her high school program at the respective\nacademy.\n(c) The respective academy and the home school district shall ensure that student\ntranscripts from each institution accurately reflect the dual credit coursework.\n(4) A local school board may award  a diploma indicating graduation from high school\nto any student posthumously with the high school class the student was expected to\ngraduate.\n(5) (a) A local board of education shall award an authentic high school diploma to an\nhonorably discharged veteran who did not complete high school prior to being\ninducted into the United States Armed Forces during:\n1. World War II, as defined in KRS 40.010;\n2. The Korean conflict, as defined in KRS 40.010; or\n3. The Vietnam War. As used in this paragraph, \"Vietnam War\" means the\nperiod beginning August 5, 1964, and ending May 7, 1975. However,\nfor a member of the United States Armed Forces serving in Vietnam\nprior to August 5, 1964, the period shall begin February 28, 1961.\n(b) Upon recommendation of the commissioner, the Kentucky Board of\nEducation in consultation with the Kentucky Department of Veterans' Affairs\nshall promulgate administrative regulations to esta blish the guidelines for\nawarding the authentic diplomas referred to in paragraph (a) of this\nsubsection.\n(6) Any high school graduation requirements adopted by a local board shall not include\nachieving a minimum score on a statewide assessment administere d under KRS\n158.6453.\n(7) The Department of Education shall establish the requirements for a vocational\ncertificate of completion. A student who has returned to school after dropping out\nshall receive counseling concerning the vocational program. A student  who has\ncompleted the requirements established for a vocational program shall receive a\nvocational certificate of completion specifying the areas of competence.","path":["KRS Chapter 158"],"source_url":"https://apps.legislature.ky.gov/law/statutes/statute.aspx?id=57191","current_through":"Includes enactments through the 2026 Regular Session","vintage":"09/05/2026","retrieved_at":"2026-09-05T20:51:04Z","sha256":"bfbf8968370f70e07e1d8ee6f2dbe3ff6c9158ab8f5a5d20f7fde046bf763c72","source_id":"us-ky","stale":false,"prev":"us-ky/krs-158.139","next":"us-ky/krs-158.141"},"notice":"GroundRules: Original legal text. Not legal advice."}