ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. – A new Florida law eliminating Certificates of Completion for some students with disabilities has left thousands of families concerned about their child’s future opportunities, particularly regarding access to specialized vocational training programs.

HB 1105 was signed by Gov. Ron DeSantis in May. It requires all students to receive the same high school diploma, abolishing the long-standing certificate of completion system that many students with disabilities have relied upon.

“Usually when you have a major policy change like this, State Department of Education likes to host public meetings, give opportunities for feedback from both internal and external stakeholders. And that really didn’t happen at all in this process,” says Amy Van Bergen, whose son has Down sy

See Full Page