‘ 5. Certificates of content area proficiency. A school administrative unit may award a certificate of content area proficiency to a student for each content area in the system of learning results established under section 6209 in which the student has demonstrated proficiency. A certificate of content area proficiency may be included in the student's permanent academic transcript, and a student may use a certificate of content area proficiency as an official credential of academic achievement for the purposes of employment and postsecondary education. If a school administrative unit awards certificates of content area proficiency, it shall report its issuance of certificates of content area proficiency to the department, and the department shall collect and aggregate these data as evidence of intermediate progress towards high school graduation goals.’