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Hillsborough district warns state removal of ‘certificate of completion’ could leave hundreds without a credential
Summary
The Florida Legislature’s House Bill 1105 removed the longstanding “certificate of completion” as a graduation category. Hillsborough County district leaders said the change will reclassify students who have met course requirements but not state testing benchmarks as non‑graduates and described steps the district is taking to reduce harm.
House Bill 1105 eliminated the long‑used “certificate of completion” for high school students, meaning seniors who meet credit and attendance requirements but do not meet specified state testing benchmarks will be listed as non‑graduates rather than as recipients of a certificate. Superintendent Dan Ayres and district staff described the law and the district’s near‑term response at a July workshop. "House Bill 1105, first of all, it eliminates the certificate of completion," said Marcos Murillo, a district staff member presenting the change.
Why it matters: The certificate of completion had allowed students who completed coursework but not required standardized test benchmarks to earn a formal exit credential and, in many schools, to participate in graduation ceremonies. Dozens of board members warned that removing that credential could discourage students, increase dropouts and reduce access to postsecondary and career options for already vulnerable students.
District context and planned response: Christy Rayburn, a district staff member working with high schools, said the district has been preparing principals and families and will distribute a state‑required letter to students by Jan. 1, 2026, once the state provides it. "We've committed to providing them with a parent letter," Rayburn said, adding the district has been coordinating communications with school principals and Student Services.
Board reaction and concerns: Board member Dr. Hahn said the change is likely to have disparate effects on students with disabilities and low‑income students and asked staff to track dropout rates and related outcomes. "This did not create a silver bullet where all of a sudden these 150 or so kids are now gonna get regular diplomas and cross the stage," Hahn said, calling for stronger district tracking and expanded pathways to graduation.
District operational details: Staff told the board they have been running cross‑divisional monitoring of students since the policy was first discussed, and that programs such as adult education, targeted reading interventions, workforce program advisers and Saturday testing events will be used to reduce the number of students affected. Rayburn told the board the district estimates roughly 150–170 students in traditional high schools might otherwise have been eligible for certificates of completion this year based on preliminary local data.
Next steps: The district plans policy revisions to remove references to the certificate of completion and will bring those red‑line edits to the board on Sept. 30. District staff said they will provide board members with lists of affected students, outreach plans, and a report tracking dropout and post‑secondary outcomes tied to this law.
What the law does not do: The district emphasized that this change is a state law; the board and superintendent discussed only implementation steps the district can take to mitigate harm. No board action to alter or block the law was available at the meeting.
Ending: Board members, including those who strongly criticized the statute, asked staff to prepare a public‑facing explanation of options for affected students and to track outcomes by subgroup so the board can monitor impacts going forward.
