Prior to this research, limited research existed on the California High School Proficiency Examination (CHSPE) or perceptions community school student and principals have on alternative high school diploma options, such as the CHSPE. Grounded in the literature, the purpose of this study was to conduct a mixed methodology embedded multiple case study utilizing multiple units of analysis – qualitative perceptional data from four community school sites, quantitative descriptive CHSPE participation data, and relationship-based comparisons of student and principal perceptions. This study focused on data from questionnaires, interviews, and observations. Fifty-eight students and 15 principals were surveyed, with 29 students and two principals interviewed. Qualitative methods focused on the examination of CHSPE perceptions in community schools. Quantitative methods focused on the examination of CHSPE student participation statewide and analyzing relationships between student and principal perceptions of the CHSPE. Quantitative participation results were obtained through the California Longitudinal Pupil Achievement Data System (CALPADS). The analysis revealed a majority of student perceptions concluded no knowledge of the CHSPE (72.4%); however, students perceive alternative diploma options as important. A majority of principals (86.7%) perceive that some community school students could benefit from the CHSPE; however principals believe that the CHSPE would be difficult for a majority of community school students to pass. Additionally, the analysis revealed student and principal perceptions for student awareness of CHSPE is statistically significant at the 0.05 level, χ ²(DF = 1, N = 73) = 4.2903, p-value = 0.0383, student notification of the CHSPE is statically significant at the 0.05 level, χ² (DF = 1, N = 65) = 43.0519, p-value < 0:0001, and advertisement of the CHSPE is statically significant at the 0.05 level, χ ² (DF = 1, N = 66) = 26.6237, p-value < 0:0001, which indicates that student and principal perceptions are not the same based on the survey results for student awareness, notification, or advertisement of the CHSPE. Future research should explore the impact of student and principal perceptions on the participation rate of the CHSPE in community schools and the fiscal impact of the lack of CHSPE experiences in community schools.