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LSU Health New OrleansHDC can make the April Dunn Act pathway possible for your school!
The Louisiana Department of Education (LDOE) offers a new alternative path to graduation for students with disabilities!
Thanks to the April Dunn Act, eligible students can earn a high school diploma by meeting graduation requirements created by their Individualized Education Program (IEP) team.
Louisiana currently has two pathways for students to earn a diploma: the University Pathway and the Jump Start Pathway. The April Dunn Act provides an alternative pathway to graduation by allowing the IEP team to determine graduation requirements based on the student’s performance.
Pathway Requirements
In order to graduate on the April Dunn Act pathway, there are two requirements:
Requirement 1
- Earn all Carnegie Credits required by the TOPS University or Jump Start TOPS Tech graduation pathway and statewide credential
- Demonstrate proficiency in the courses assessed by LEAP assessments, or through an alternate means as determined by their IEP team
Requirement 2
Meet at least one of the following criteria to graduate:
- Gain employment in an inclusive integrated environment
- Demonstrate mastery of specific employability skills
- Gain access to services that are not provided by the school, employment, or education options
Does your school or district need help in transition planning, job training, or other post secondary resources?
The Human Development Center builds the capacity of your district or school to meet Requirement 2 of the April Dunn Act.
We coach district teams and teachers to develop:
- Individualized, comprehensive transition planning
- Job-training through paid internships in integrated environments
- Employer partnerships in your area
- On-site job coaching
- Monitoring of students’ transition
Contact us to strengthen your District’s transition services!
Email Ali Kowitz, M.Ed. to discuss your needs and develop a contract together.
About the April Dunn Act
The April Dunn Act is a law named after a Baton Rouge woman named April Dunn. She was a champion for students with disabilities. The law allows students with disabilities to earn a high school diploma by meeting graduation requirements through individual performance criteria created by their IEP team.
To learn what makes a student eligible for the April Dunn Act pathway, read the LDOE’s Parent Guide to Understanding the Law.
Read about the April Dunn Act bill signing here.