(a) Notwithstanding any other law, a high school district, unified school district, county office of education, or the governing body of a charter school may retroactively grant a high school diploma to a person who has not received a high school diploma if they meet any of the following conditions:

(1) The person was interned by order of the federal government during World War II and was enrolled in a high school operated by the school district or under the jurisdiction of the county office of education immediately preceding their internment and did not receive a high school diploma because their education was interrupted due to their internment during World War II.

(2) The person is a veteran of World War II, the Korean War, or the Vietnam War; was honorably discharged from their military service; was enrolled in a high school operated by the school district or under the jurisdiction of the county office of education immediately preceding their military service in those wars; and did not receive a high school diploma because their education was interrupted due to their military service in those wars.

(3) The person has departed California against their will, as defined in subdivision (d) of Section 48204.4, and, at the time of their departure, was enrolled in grade 12 of a high school operated by the school district, by or under the jurisdiction of the county office of education, or by the charter school; did not receive a high school diploma because their education was interrupted due to their departure; and was in good academic standing at the time of their departure. In making an evaluation as to whether to award a high school diploma to a pupil who meets the conditions of this paragraph, a school district, county office of education, or charter school shall consider any coursework that may have been completed by the pupil outside of the United States or that may have been completed by the pupil through online or virtual courses.

(4) The person was in their senior year of high school during the 2019-20 school year; in good academic standing and on track to graduate at the end of the 2019-20 school year, as of March 1, 2020; and unable to complete the statewide graduation requirements as a result of the COVID-19 crisis.

(b) A high school district, unified school district, or county office of education may retroactively grant a high school diploma to a deceased person who meets the conditions of paragraph (1) or (2) of subdivision (a), to be received by the next of kin of the deceased person.

(Amended by Stats. 2020, Ch. 66, Sec. 2. (AB 1350) Effective January 1, 2021.)