HB562
Log in to followAN ACT relating to alternative high school diplomas.
Amend KRS 156.160 to require the Kentucky Board of Education to promulgate administrative regulations for an alternate high school diploma and a modified high school diploma; specify requirements for alternate and modified high school diplomas; create a new section of KRS Chapter 158 to require the Department of Workforce Development to identify, compile, and publish a list of employers willing to employ individuals possessing an alternate high school diploma; amend KRS 158.140, 164.787, and 164.7882 to conform.
Introduced: February 4, 2026
Last action: April 3, 2026
In effect since July 15, 2026
Acts from the 2026 Regular Session that don't carry an emergency clause or set their own effective date took effect 90 days after the session adjourned (Ky. Constitution § 55).
Plain-language summary
This bill creates two new types of high school diplomas in Kentucky, an alternate diploma and a modified diploma, with specific requirements for each. It also directs the Department of Workforce Development to find and publish a list of employers who are willing to hire people who hold these alternative diplomas. This gives students who may not be able to meet standard graduation requirements a recognized credential and a clearer path to employment. Who it may affect: students with disabilities or other barriers to earning a traditional diploma, their families, and employers participating in the workforce program.
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Legislative History
Primary Sponsor
Co-sponsors (27)
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