1. (1) The superintendent of public instruction shall develop a process through which a resident of the state who has exhausted, in the determination of the superintendent, the possibility of earning a diploma from a high school accredited by the board of public education can pursue a Montana proficiency-based diploma by demonstrating:

   1. (a) proficiency of the content standards adopted by the board of public education through alternative means; and
   2. (b) perseverance and dedication in accomplishing a rigorous, long-term goal requiring maturity and the application of knowledge to real-world situations.
2. (2) When an individual demonstrates proficiency, perseverance, and dedication as determined by the superintendent of public instruction under subsection (1), the superintendent may issue to the individual a Montana proficiency-based diploma.
3. (3) An individual enrolled in a home school or nonpublic school is not eligible for a Montana proficiency-based diploma under this section.
4. (4) The superintendent of public instruction shall by rule prescribe the eligibility and qualifications for pursuing a Montana proficiency-based diploma under this section.

History: En. Sec. 1, Ch. 223, L. 2021.