At the request of a parent or guardian, a school district shall issue a certificate of attendance to a student who receives special education services under the Special Education Act, who has reached seventeen years of age, and who has not completed his or her individualized education plan. A school district shall allow a student who receives a certificate of attendance under this section to participate in the high school graduation ceremony of such high school with students receiving high school diplomas. A student may receive only one certificate of attendance and may participate in only one graduation ceremony based on such certificate. The receipt of a certificate of attendance pursuant to this section shall not affect a school district’s obligation to continue to provide special education services to a student receiving such certificate.

This section does not preclude a student from receiving a high school diploma by meeting the school district’s graduation requirements established pursuant to section 79-729 or in his or her individualized education plan or receiving a diploma of high school equivalency under section 79-730 upon completing the requirements of such section. The school district may allow a student who has previously participated in a graduation ceremony based on a certificate of attendance to participate in an additional graduation ceremony when such student receives a high school diploma.