Letter to New York State Approved Agencies and Participating Schools

TO: New York State NEDP Approved Agencies and Participating Schools

FROM: Lisa Luderman

SUBJECT: National External Diploma Program (NEDP)

DATE: August 26, 2016

On May 17, 2016, the New York State Board of Regents approved an amendment to Commissioner’s Regulation (CR) 100.7 that adds the National External Diploma Program (NEDP) as a third pathway to a New York State High School Equivalency (HSE) Diploma and lowers the age at which a candidate is eligible to take the NEDP from age 21 to age 18. Beginning September 1, 2016, Boards of Education will no longer award the local HSE diploma to those completing the NEDP. In New York State, all HSE diplomas will now be awarded by the New York State Education Department (NYSED).

Any student who has successfully completed the NEDP, on or after September 1, 2016 will have their NYS HSE Diploma issued by NYSED. The new procedure follows:

Step 1: The NYS NEDP Approved Agency (Approved Agency) Program Manager verifies that the program completer has successfully completed the program via the NEDP Client Status Report and the Portfolio Review Form.

Step 2: The program completer and the Approved Agency will complete Attachment N: Application for the New York State High School Equivalency Program Based on the National External Diploma Program. The Approved Agency will retain a copy of the Attachment N for the student’s record.

Step 3: The completed Attachment N is signed by the program completer and the Approved Agency’s Program Manager. The student mails, the completed Attachment N, via US Postal Service, to the NYSED HSE Office address identified at the top of Attachment N. There is no cost to receive the original NYSED HSE Diploma.

Step 4: The NYSED HSE Office will review and verify the information on Attachment N. The Approved Agency lead contact information must be accurately completed so that NYSED HSE staff may contact the Approved Agency for verification when needed.

Step 5: Once verified, the NYSED HSE Office will create a student record, produce and mail the NYSED HSE Diploma. Please allow 2-3 weeks processing time from receipt of the request.

If you are an Approved Agency, please share this communication with all of your participating schools so there is a clear understanding that beginning September 1, 2016, in New York State, all HSE diplomas will now be awarded by NYSED.

Additional guidance about NYSED issuing the NYS HSE Diploma and NEDP can be found on the NEDP webpage. Questions about New York State HSE diplomas may be directed to: hse@nysed.gov. NEDP is administered by Comprehensive Adult Student Assessment Systems (CASAS).

We look forward to your continued support as NYSED works to ensure that all students who would benefit from receiving a New York State HSE Diploma have multiple options to pursue this goal.