Article 3.5. Retroactive High School Diplomas of California Education Code >> Division 4. >> Title 2. >> Part 28. >> Chapter 3. >> Article 3.5.

(a) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, a high school district, unified school district, or county office of education, may retroactively grant a high school diploma to a person who has not received a high school diploma if he or she meets either of the following conditions:
  (1) The person was interned by order of the federal government during World War II and was enrolled in a high school operated by the school district or under the jurisdiction of the county office of education immediately preceding his or her internment and did not receive a high school diploma because his or her education was interrupted due to his or her internment during World War II.
  (2) The person is a veteran of World War II, the Korean War, or the Vietnam War, was honorably discharged from his or her military service, was enrolled in a high school operated by the school district or under the jurisdiction of the county office of education immediately preceding his or her military service in those wars, and did not receive a high school diploma because his or her education was interrupted due to his or her military service in those wars.
  (b) A high school district, unified school district, or county office of education may retroactively grant a high school diploma to a deceased person who meets the conditions of paragraph (1) or (2) of subdivision (a), to be received by the next of kin of the deceased person.

(a) (1) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, subject to regulations that the state board shall prescribe, a high school district, unified school district, or county office of education maintaining a four-year high school or senior high school, may, for a person who has not received a high school diploma included in paragraph (2), evaluate classes completed in any high school, community college, or state college; grant credit toward graduation for military service and training received while in the military service of the United States, and if satisfied that that person has completed the equivalent of the requirements for graduation from high school, grant him or her a diploma of graduation.
  (2) Persons who may be granted a diploma pursuant to paragraph (1) are:
  (A) A former member of the Armed Forces who is a resident of this state and who has received an honorable discharge.
  (B) A member of the Armed Forces who is, and on the date he or she entered the Armed Forces was, a resident of this state.
  (b) A veteran who entered the military service of the United States while a pupil in grade 12 of a high school and who at the time of his or her entrance into military service had satisfactorily completed the first half of the work required for grade 12 shall be granted a diploma of graduation from that high school.

For purposes of this article, "veteran" means a person who has served 90 days or more in the military service of the United States during a war with a foreign power or during any national emergency declared by the President of the United States and who has received an honorable discharge from that service.