Veterans receive long-awaited high school diplomas
There was no program in place to meet statutory requirements to award honorary diplomas to veterans who did not receive a high school diploma due to their honorable service in the U.S. military.
The Department of Veterans’ Services created a problem-solving group with the Arizona State Board of Education and the Arizona Department of Education to determine program requirements and decide on solutions. All three agencies agreed on standard work for Arizona's Honorary Diploma Program.
The program launched in September 2020. Seven honorary diplomas have been issued since (one posthumously). Recipients and their families have been incredibly grateful for the program. Clyde "Rocky" Brown, pictured in his "senior photo" at Sahuaro High School, expressed his gratitude to a Department of Veterans’ Services employee: "I think ADVS did an excellent job in getting me the high school diploma that I wasn't able to get, due to my service in the U.S. Navy during the Vietnam War.”
“The program awards honorary diplomas to veterans who couldn't receive high school diplomas because of their honorable U.S. military service.”