SECTIONS 51450-51455 - California Statutes

EDUCATION CODE

SECTION 51450-51455

51450. The Golden State Seal Merit Diploma is hereby established as
an honors diploma to recognize high school graduates who have
mastered the high school curriculum. The Golden State Seal Merit
Diploma shall be awarded jointly by the State Board of Education and
the Superintendent of Public Instruction to each qualifying high
school student.

51451. A student who meets the following requirements shall qualify
for a Golden State Seal Merit Diploma:
(a) The completion of all requirements for a high school diploma.
(b) A demonstration of the mastery of the curriculum in at least
six subject matter areas, four of which shall be mathematics, English
language arts, science, and United States history, with the
remaining two subject matter areas selected by the student.

51452. The state board shall determine and adopt, based upon the
recommendations of the Superintendent, the following:
(a) The means by which pupils may demonstrate mastery of the
curriculum. For subject matter areas, the means may include, but
shall not be limited to, any subject matter examinations deemed
appropriately rigorous by the state board. For this purpose, the
state board may designate examinations administered by or under the
auspices of the department, or examinations produced by private
providers or local educational agencies, that are supervised and
administered under conditions that are deemed adequate by the state
board.
(b) Pupil performance standards or achievement levels that
demonstrate mastery of the curriculum.

51453. Under the policy direction of the State Board of Education
and the administrative leadership of the Superintendent of Public
Instruction, the State Department of Education shall do the
following:
(a) Ensure that the results of the Golden State Examination are
sent to school districts in a timely manner and work with providers
of other examinations to provide timely information to school
districts on students who have met the performance standards so that
school districts can efficiently maintain student records and
identify pupils who meet the requirements of the Golden State Seal
Merit Diploma.
(b) Prepare and distribute to school districts an appropriate
insignia to be affixed to a student's diploma and transcript
indicating that the student has been awarded a Golden State Seal
Merit Diploma by the State Board of Education and the Superintendent
of Public Instruction.
(c) Consider whether it would be appropriate and feasible to
provide any additional awards to recipients of the Golden State Seal
Merit Diploma.

51454. Each school district that confers high school diplomas shall
maintain appropriate records in order to identify students who have
earned a Golden State Seal Merit Diploma, and shall affix the
appropriate insignia to the diploma and transcript of each student
that earns a Golden State Seal Merit Diploma.

51455. (a) It is the intent of the Legislature that no fee or other
cost be charged to any pupil pursuant to this article. However,
notwithstanding any other provision of law, a school district
receiving funds pursuant to Chapter 1 (commencing with Section 54000)
of Part 29 may expend any portion of those funds to pay for all or
part of the costs of one or more examinations pursuant to this
article that are charged to economically disadvantaged pupils.
(b) An economically disadvantaged pupil means a pupil from a
family that receives Aid to Families with Dependent Children.