Article 5. Golden State Seal Merit Diploma of California Education Code >> Division 4. >> Title 2. >> Part 28. >> Chapter 3. >> Article 5.

The Golden State Seal Merit Diploma is hereby established as an honors diploma to recognize high school graduates who have mastered the high school curriculum. The Golden State Seal Merit Diploma shall be awarded jointly by the State Board of Education and the Superintendent of Public Instruction to each qualifying high school student.

A student who meets the following requirements shall qualify for a Golden State Seal Merit Diploma:
  (a) The completion of all requirements for a high school diploma.
  (b) A demonstration of the mastery of the curriculum in at least six subject matter areas, four of which shall be mathematics, English language arts, science, and United States history, with the remaining two subject matter areas selected by the student.

The state board shall determine and adopt, based upon the recommendations of the Superintendent, the following:
  (a) The means by which pupils may demonstrate mastery of the curriculum. For subject matter areas, the means may include, but shall not be limited to, any subject matter examinations deemed appropriately rigorous by the state board. For this purpose, the state board may designate examinations administered by or under the auspices of the department, or examinations produced by private providers or local educational agencies, that are supervised and administered under conditions that are deemed adequate by the state board.
  (b) Pupil performance standards or achievement levels that demonstrate mastery of the curriculum.

Under the policy direction of the State Board of Education and the administrative leadership of the Superintendent of Public Instruction, the State Department of Education shall do the following:
  (a) Ensure that the results of the Golden State Examination are sent to school districts in a timely manner and work with providers of other examinations to provide timely information to school districts on students who have met the performance standards so that school districts can efficiently maintain student records and identify pupils who meet the requirements of the Golden State Seal Merit Diploma.
  (b) Prepare and distribute to school districts an appropriate insignia to be affixed to a student's diploma and transcript indicating that the student has been awarded a Golden State Seal Merit Diploma by the State Board of Education and the Superintendent of Public Instruction.
  (c) Consider whether it would be appropriate and feasible to provide any additional awards to recipients of the Golden State Seal Merit Diploma.

Each school district that confers high school diplomas shall maintain appropriate records in order to identify students who have earned a Golden State Seal Merit Diploma, and shall affix the appropriate insignia to the diploma and transcript of each student that earns a Golden State Seal Merit Diploma.

(a) It is the intent of the Legislature that no fee or other cost be charged to any pupil pursuant to this article. However, notwithstanding any other provision of law, a school district receiving funds pursuant to Chapter 1 (commencing with Section 54000) of Part 29 may expend any portion of those funds to pay for all or part of the costs of one or more examinations pursuant to this article that are charged to economically disadvantaged pupils.
  (b) An economically disadvantaged pupil means a pupil from a family that receives Aid to Families with Dependent Children.