How can I tell whether I have a special education diploma and what does it mean?

I learned about special education diplomas today from a Reddit post, something I had never heard of before. I completed my high school education in Colorado, earning more credits than I needed and meeting all graduation criteria. I only briefly attended college before starting an apprenticeship that calls for a high school degree. Is my diploma acceptable for use as a special education certificate?

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In Colorado, if you’ve earned a general education diploma, it means you’ve met all the usual graduation requirements. You would only get a different diploma if your school or district felt that there were enough changes in your educational situation, which shouldn’t be the case if you met or exceeded the requirements. Even if you received special education services, if you completed all graduation requirements, there’s no reason for your diploma to be different from others. Changes to graduation requirements in 2021 should not impact you; they only apply to students graduating in 2021 or later.

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The simplest way to find out if you completed a transitional program through school is to check if you did. If you didn’t, then you likely didn’t do the program.