FAQ

Diploma Plus is not a graduation requirement as much as it is an achievement for certifying “I had experiences in high school beyond the requirements that give me a leg up in the workplace, in college, and in building a resume or portfolio.” 

No, the goal behind Diploma Plus is for 100 percent of all Lee’s Summit School District graduates will have the Diploma Plus credential.  Whether a student has a plan for college or a plan to go into the workforce, the Diploma Plus will give him or her the value add to boost confidence and self worth in accomplishing a credential worthy of a resume or college application.  The Diploma Plus is the credential that means “I am prepared for school, work, and life.”

Stakeholders for Diploma Plus recognition include: students, parents, pre-K through 12 teachers, and employers. Throughout a student’s educational journey from Pre-K through 12th grade, they will have the opportunity to document and engage with the business/industry professionals in our community. The exploration of careers starts in the elementary years, continues to ignite excitement in middle school, and culminates with any one of 5 ways to experience real world learning in high school and earn the Diploma Plus.

Students who leave high school with the Diploma Plus will be more likely to enroll in postsecondary education/training and successfully navigate the voyage from school to employment without getting lost along the way.

Let’s talk about real world learning. Students want to know that what they are learning in our classrooms will matter in the rest of their lives. They want the problems they solve with us to help them solve the problems they will face on the job. They want to learn to use language because they have something to say. They learn our history to understand their present and imagine their future. The “why” becomes the application of core skills, and students can find a passion that becomes the beginning of a career. Lee’s Summit School District is going to recognize the students who not only met the graduation requirements to earn a diploma, but also recognize them for their real world learning experiences through the Diploma Plus.

Starting with the class of 2022, students who have completed at least 1 of the 5 market value assets will be awarded the Diploma Plus.  The assets are defined as 

1) Early College Asset  

2) Client-connected Project Asset

3) Internship Asset

4) Industry Credential Asset

5) Entrepreneurial Experience Asset

No, completion of assets will be tracked through a portal called Transeo that is linked to a student’s Powerschool login.  Just as students and parents can check on grades, they can also check on the status of earning the Diploma Plus.

LSR7 has been doing this work for years through career and technical education (CTE), Partners in Education, or such programs as Summit Technology Academy or the Innovation Track. Moving forward the goal is to have 100 percent of our graduates leave high school ready for learning, work, and life. To do, means approaching this work through a journey.

Through a new initiative and partnership with the Kauffman Foundation, the district is making significant strides toward providing “real world” learning experiences to its entire student body.

The metro-wide initiative, called Real World Learning (RWL), calls for districts to help students access internships, client projects, industry-recognized credentials, dual-college credit and other entrepreneurial experiences across a range of interests, industries, and employers.

These efforts are all part of a larger RWL goal for high school students across the Kansas City region to graduate with at least one of these assets, in addition to their diploma.

Community connections are an essential part of this important work to prepare today’s students to be leaders in our future workforce. When employers give students opportunities to work in business/industry, students connect to the core principles and skills being taught in our classroom. Employers get early access to talent through interacting with students on projects or internships. RWL experiences help employers build their hiring pipeline, especially in high-demand industries.

LSR7 graduates leave high school ready for learning, work, and life. Real World Learning work is important because it engages students, providing them experiences and opportunities to increase the value of their high school diploma.