Homeschooling Online for High School - Can you help me?

Time4Learning gets this question daily. The short answer is that today, Time4Leanring provides a comprehensive preschool, elementary school and middle school curriculum. We are looking at providing a similar offering for high school homeschoolers but have no plans in the short term.

We do offer comprehensive writing courses for high school students on our sister site, Time4Writing. Below is a list of writing courses currently available at the high school level. Each course is a one-on-one online course taught by a certified writing teacher.

High School/College Prep Online Writing Courses

• Basic High School Writing Mechanics
• Exciting High School Essay Writing

And These Classes Coming Soon!

• High School Essays for Standardized Tests
• High School Research Papers

For information about high school writing standards, please visit the links below:

• Ninth and Tenth Grade Writing Standards
• Eleventh and Twelfth Grade Writing Standards

As we research homeschool high school curriculum and how we might best serve our members, we have started to share our ideas for people considering high school. We appreciate your feedback and input on these questions. Click for information on:

• Homeschooling for High School - What's different?
• Planning Your High School Homeschool Program
• Research your State Requirements
• Knowledge is power: Understand what constitutes a high school program
• There are many places to find high school level courses
• High School Record Keeping & Transcripts
• The High School Diploma and Questions about Accreditation

Homeschooling for High School - What's different?

Homeschooling your students into high school will surely may bring changes to your homeschool program . There are several reasons that the approach used in the elementary and middle school years should change for the high school years.

First of all , the use of simple curriculum taught in a one-on-one manner in the home probably will not provide the breadth of stimulation and experience that high school students need.

A second reason for change is that the subject matter is much more in- depth. So most homeschooling parents shift from a role where they are a subject-matter expert to a role where they are more of a guide. Parents often broaden their use of outside resources from just their local support group to online courses, courses at local colleges, and often, at their local high schools for some courses including driver’s education.

A third reason that homeschooling in high school can be different is the need to prepare skills and credentials for career and post secondary education requirements. This mean s that in addition to complying with minimal requirements for homeschooling, parents start considering the requirements to receive high school diplomas, to gain acceptance to colleges, and to be prepared for careers.

This article will help parents think through these issues and how to best manage them. While they present challenges for homeschoolers, don’t let this discourage you! Many families change their program in high school but continue to find a homeschooling program that fits their family’s goals and needs. In many ways, homeschooling in high school years is an extension of threads that have been part of most people’s homeschooling program for years. Probably, you joined with other parents for sports, art, and music projects as early as preschool and elementary. By late elementary, many parents are also sharing teaching of math with other parents. In middle school, structured curriculum and outside expertise are often used to support math and science. By high school, the parent’s blending of their own input with outside resources generally draws on broader resources. Begin your planning process during the junior high years to make the process easier .

Of course, there are parents who are moving in the other direction. There are parents who only start homeschooling in high school.

Planning Your High School Homeschool Program

So, how should you go about planning your high school homeschool program? Our advice is that starting in seventh grade and then primarily in eighth grade to:

• Research your State Requirements for High School Diplomas . We are assuming that most families want a high school diploma.
• Familiarize your self with what is generally covered in high school . While your plan can vary, it’s useful to have something to start from.
• Plan your Student’s future. Depending on your post high school ambitions helps decide what courses, tests, and credentials to focus on.
• Familiarize yourself with college admissions and the array of standardized tests
• Consider your options for taking courses and getting credits:

Research your State Requirements

While most homeschoolers are familiar with their state's requirements for fulfilling their state's mandatory school attendance requirement for homeschooling, parents should also explore their state laws regarding a high school diploma. This will determine the latitude you have in designing your high school program.

For example, Texas has less-restrictive homeschooling guidelines since homeschools are considered private schools. The options for a Texas high school are limitless; while a stricter state may not allow the same program. Look at the web sites for high school graduation requirements in your state. While you may not be required to have similar guidelines, you will find this information helpful.

Another area of concern is whether your student will be re-entering a public school or religious school after homeschooling for a time. Many schools will not accept homeschooling credits unless they were obtained through an accredited source.

Knowledge is power: Understand what constitutes a “ standard” high school program

Most colleges expect high schoolers to have completed a somewhat standard set of high school credits before they graduate. These are based upon preparing a student for the rigorous demands of a college schedule. The general outline for what is expected of college-bound graduating seniors in high school can be found in the chart below:

There are many places to find high school level courses

Over the last ten years, the choices for high school homeschool curriculum have expanded exponentially. As more and more families are choosing to homeschool their children all the way through high school graduation, there are an increasingly broad set of educational resources being offered by educational publishers, distance learning services, public schools, colleges (for high school students), and even the public school systems! Homeschooling families have an array of different types of materials to choose from.

• Published Curriculum Most homeschool publishing companies offer packaged curriculum from kindergarten through the high school years. These usually include student’s books and workbooks, a teacher’s guide, and tests and quizzes. For those who have become accustomed to using packaged curriculum for the elementary and middle school grades, this familiar format can make this a comfortable choice.
• Online Courses/Distance Learning These can vary from real-time classes with live professors to simple online lessons where you send in your work via email to be graded and returned. This type of program allows you to pick and choose which courses you would like to take, and many are offered for a low fee or even for free. Enrolling as a full-time student, with the option of an online diploma, can be more costly.
• Correspondence School This type of learning is similar to distance learning, but usually occurs without the aid of a computer. Correspondence courses often include a consultant who provides your testing, grading, and record keeping via standard mail. Correspondence coursework can be taken by the individual class or can cover an entire curriculum, including a high school diploma, if desired.
• Advanced Placement Courses These are advanced courses designed to prepare your high schooler for continuing education. The classes are comparable with college-level classes, and students who complete them are eligible to take the AP Exams, administered by the College Board. If a student scores high enough on the exams, he or she can count the AP courses as college credit.
• Dual Enrollment Once your son or daughter is a junior in high school, they can also qualify for something called dual-enrollment. Although this is technically only financially available to public school students, homeschooled students can take advantage of coursework offered at their local community college and applying it toward their high school transcript. The classes taken will then also count toward a further associate’s degree, if they choose to continue within the community college program.
• Unschooling Families who have chosen to unschool their children through the elementary and middle school years, may continue to desire this path for their high schoolers as well. Many let their children pick and choose courses from their local community colleges, or online distance education programs. They also utilize local internships and apprenticeships, as well as volunteer opportunities to allow their children to find their direction for the future.

High School Record Keeping & Transcripts

For homeschoolers who plan on attending college, accurate record keeping throughout the high school years is important. This can take the form of a more formal transcript, or a simple portfolio of your child’s accomplishments.

Many colleges and universities require documentation to rank students alongside publicly and privately educated students applying for admission. Homeschoolers can easily put together a portfolio or transcript of the subjects their child has focused on in the high school years. A portfolio simply includes samples of the homeschooler’s work, details of their accomplishments, and possibly letters of recommendation, and standardized test scores. A portfolio is beneficial for unschoolers, or those who have focused on a particular area of study during high school because it allows the student to showcase their particular talents and interests. According to the HSLDA, “ Many colleges now routinely accept homeschooled students, who typically present ‘portfolios’ of their work instead of transcripts”.

A transcript, on the other hand, is geared toward traditional high school coursework. Homeschoolers can list their courses, course descriptions, and even grades received on the document. Most colleges and universities will readily accept a homeschool transcript, if prepared well. There are software programs and websites that can aid in the preparation of homeschool transcripts.

The High School Diploma and Questions about Accreditation

One thing many parents of homeschooling high schoolers are concerned about is whether or not their child’s diploma will be accepted at colleges and universities. The common standard for a recognized educational diploma is whether it accredited. What does accredited mean? An accredited program is a program that meets the minimum standards of what a particular accrediting agency says is required. It is a way of standardizing educational requirements across a varied playing field. To decide whether accreditation is something you need to be concerned with, you need to do some research on the specific colleges and universities your child may apply to. If their requirements include graduation from an accredited high school program, then you may need to adjust your coursework accordingly. However, many colleges have become more accommodating to homeschoolers in recent years, and do not require formal accreditation for enrollment. In fact, accredited diplomas seem to be low on the priority scale of what universities are looking for in new admissions. A survey of admissions policies of 60 colleges and universities done by the National Center for Home Education showed that schools were much more interested in their achievement test scores, essays, interviews, and letters of recommendation than in a formally accredited diploma.

Even if your homeschooler is eyeing a school with more stringent admissions requirements, he or she does not necessarily have to enroll in a formal school to fulfill the criterion. Homeschooling families, whose states allow them to create their own curriculum, can use any combination of published curricula, online resources, field trips, cooperative studies, distance studies, and life skills to complete a course requirement. If your child has completed these requirements according to your specifications, then he or she is eligible to receive a homeschool diploma. These can be simply printed on a home printer, or sent in to a local printing shop for lamination, if desired.

Note – This essay on highschooling for homeschool will reviewed and upgraded shortly. If you have experience and would like to help on this page, please contact us by email at Time4Learning.

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