All California public school students must satisfy the CAHSEE (California High School Exit Exam) requirement, in addition to other state and local requirements, in order to receive a high school diploma.
The CAHSEE requirement can be satisfied by passing the exam with accommodations or modifications. Accommodations may include such things as Braille transcriptions for the visually impaired and extra time beyond the school day to complete the exam. Modifications include for example the use of a calculator on the math portion of the exam. In order to qualify for these accommodations or modifications, there must be documentation (including a section of an IEP or 504 plan) indicating the need for these changes.
A student is eligible for a waiver request if they received the equivalent of a passing score with the accommodation or modification.
There are test variations available to English learners, including extra time at the end of the day and permitted use of a translation glossary.