HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY, Fla. — This month, thousands of high school seniors in Hillsborough County began their final year in the journey toward graduation.
But, if they haven’t passed their state assessments in reading and math by the end of the school year, a certificate of completion will be waiting for them instead of a diploma.
“These certificates of completion really do nothing,” said Hillsborough County School Board Chair Karen Perez in a one-on-one interview with 10 Investigates.
Across Florida, certificates of completion are given to students who have completed their coursework but failed either the state reading or math assessment. The certificate allows them to continue their education and earn a standard diploma instead of a GED. However, it does not allow them to enroll in college, qualify for most jobs that provide a living wage or even join the military.
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Perez said many students who receive these certificates are unaware of their drawbacks.
“When the parents receive the certificates of completion for their students in the mail, it looks like a diploma, and the students really honestly believe that they received the diploma,” she said.
For the school year ending in 2023, state data shows 350 students in Hillsborough County received certificates of completion instead of a standard diploma. 80 percent of those students were Black or Hispanic.
“It’s almost like an ‘attaboy,’ you know? ‘Hey, you went through school and congratulations.’ But these certificates of completion really do nothing,” Perez said.
10 Investigates first reported in May where more than 6,600 students received certificates of completion for the 2022-2023 school year. The highest concentration was in Polk County with more than 700 students receiving these certificates.
The issue has been a concern for educators for some time. Educators and community leaders met on Wednesday at Greater Bethel Church in downtown Tampa to discuss ways to lower the numbers in Hillsborough County.
Hillsborough County Public Schools told 10 Investigates it has already seen a decrease in the number of certificates of completion among students for the graduating class of 2024.
Christie Raburn, executive director of high school programs for Hillsborough County Public Schools, said focusing on a student’s unique needs has helped reduce the number of certificates of completion in the district.
"We really focus on each individual student,” she said. “We determine what their challenges are, what's preventing them from not being able to reach their graduation benchmarks. And then we create a plan, and we attack it."
Perez says the improvement must continue.
“We need to figure out how to eliminate these certificates of completion and how to help our children, you know, elevate themselves for prosperity in the future,” she said.
Rep. Susan Valdes (D-64) told 10 Investigates in May she would like to see the certificates removed altogether and plans to champion legislation on the issue. “This particular certificate just really does nothing for that child in order to move forward in their post academic career and in their adult life,” she said.
Emerald Morrow is an investigative reporter with 10 Tampa Bay. Like her on Facebook and follow her on X. You can also email her at emorrow@10tampabay.com.