Employment issue due to homeschool diploma

[Berta]

My daughter graduated homeschool in 2013 and has a home-issued diploma. My state requires us to join an Accountability Association but they do not issue her diploma. She applied at a local hospital and was offered a job, she is supposed to start on Monday. They seem to have an issue with her homeschool diploma. They requested a state verifiable diploma. I talked to HSLDA and they told me to send them the SC laws and a copy of my association letter. I did. Within 10 mins of me sending this info they emailed my daughter and told her they were delaying her work orientation until the end of April. They need a "source verified" diploma. 

 

I'm so ticked.  

 

ETA: My daughter is in her third year of college and they had no problem accepting her homeschool diploma. 

Edited April 13, 2017 by Berta

[justasque]

She is going to have to talk to them to find out what kind of credentials will be acceptable to them.  From my two-second Google search, "Source verified" is a thing for medical employees.  It basically means (again, I'm speaking from a two-second Google search) that the credential has been verified by the source of the credential, e.g. the school that awarded that credential.  

So they may be happy with an official-looking transcript indicating that the student has graduated, and sent directly from your school (meaning, you) rather than being brought in or provided by your daughter.  The more official-looking, the better.  In the old days, homeschoolers invested in seal-making-thingies (like a Notary would have) to impress their (home)school's name on the transcript.

 

If not, perhaps they will take an official college transcript (directly from the college) instead of the high school diploma.

 

If they won't take either of these, you may have to get even more creative.  The challenge is to find out exactly what they need, and to figure out a way to create something that fits the bill.  It may be fruitful to ask about how foreign employees provide their credentials, for example, as there may be an alternate solution to be found there.

[Berta]

I did send them what they needed according to the law. The letter from the homeschool association proves we were in compliance with state law, which allows a parent to issue a homeschool diploma. The SC ed dept website lists the names of homeschool associations which are in compliance with state law. Ours is listed. So I have proved that our family is in compliance and so is our oversight association. That is all that needs to be provided according to the law. Hospital policy does not trump state law.

 

They want a STATE issued or verified diploma. My daughter was not STATE educated, she was HOME educated lol. 

Edited April 14, 2017 by Berta

[justasque]

This document might prove enlightening, as an example of what the hospital is trying to do.  

Note that - 
Surveyors may not require an individual to test for and obtain a General Education Degree (G.E.D.). If records for a high school diploma or G.E.D are not available and a high school diploma or G.E.D. is required, this individual is unqualified.
[bolding mine]

 

However - 
Home Schooling There is no standardized approach to home schooling across the country. Should a surveyor be presented with a home school diploma, in general, they would accept the home school diploma at face value and focus on the employee’s training and competency. At this time, CMS is not aware of any primary source verification company that verifies home school programs.

 

I'm not suggesting that this specific document is directly relevant to your hospital.  Rather, it seems that there are regulations about health care facilities verifying, through primary source documentation, the qualifications of their employees.  This is what the hospital is likely trying to do.  Your challenge will be to get them to do the research to see how homeschooled students are expected to be handled, and/or whether an official transcript of your daughter's college classes will imply that she is qualified and thus stand in for the high school diploma.

[73349]

What do they do about private school grads, then?

[justasque]

I did send them what they needed according to the law. ...

 

According to the homeschooling law, or the hospital employee qualification law?  

Because they aren't going to care about the former; they need to fulfill the latter.

[Julie of KY]

I'd go back to HSLDA - maybe they'd intervene for you as you are still having trouble.

 

[justasque]

What do they do about private school grads, then?

 

In most cases a private school grad will have a state-verified or state-recognized or otherwise "ok with the state" diploma.

 

In PA parents of home educated students can issue a state-recognized diploma to their students; it must be signed by the evaluator.

[Guest]

I'd go back to HSLDA - maybe they'd intervene for you as you are still having trouble.

This is what I'd do too. Time for a second phone call.

[MeaganS]

This is what I'd do too. Time for a second phone call.

I'm not even an hslda person, but this seems like a good use for them.

[Berta]

"hospital employee qualification law" 

Is this a law or policy? 

[Lori D.]

Sounds like the employer believes proof of high school graduation requires a certain type of formal paperwork. No point in arguing at this point, but just provide as official-as-possible documents to the employer.

Try "verifying" the diploma by providing DD's official, final transcript, with the following official elements:

1. heading of transcript:
"Official Final High School Transcript"

2. legal certification at the bottom of the transcript:
"All credits and coursework completed in compliance with South Carolina Board of Education Regulation 43-234 governing high school coursework required for graduation, and South Carolina Code of Laws Section 59-65-47 governing home instruction conducted under the auspices of an association, reviewed annually by the South Carolina State Department of Education."

3. have a Notary Public sign/seal the transcript

4. send the transcript via certified mail, along with an official letter from signed by the Accountability Association stating something to this effect:

"This is to certify that __(name of student)__ has completed all credits and coursework required by the state of South Carolina for graduation from high school on __(date of graduation)_. A portfolio of the student's high school academic work was reviewed semi-annually by the Accountability Association during the years of __2009-2013_, and the Accountability Association is reviewed annually by the South Carolina State Department of Education, thereby approving the completion of high school course of instruction. Signed ______ (Accountability Association representative)"

(I am basing the wording from the information on SC law from here.)
 

If you can, try and get this ball rolling today/tomorrow so that your DD can contact the employer tomorrow by phone to inform them that the official verifying documentation will arrive by certified mail next week, but that she could fax photocopies of the official documents in advance so that there will be no delay in starting training on Monday.

Sometimes, paper pushers just want a stack of official papers to feel like everything is "okay" when people who don't fit the exact mold come along. ? BEST of luck to you and DD! Warmest regards, Lori D.

ETA:
Not a legal expert here, so take my suggestion with a grain of salt. But what I'm suggesting here is a variation on what Justasque is saying -- the point is to provide them with the documentation that will satisfy their official requirements. The college transcript *may* be irrelevant to them, because what they are saying they need is verification of *high school* completion. That is proved through a diploma and the official final high school transcript. If you can get an Accountability Association signature somewhere -- like I was suggesting in a formal letter to accompany your homeschool transcript -- AND show the connection between the State Board of Education and the Accountability Association (through the wording of a letter), AND show the connection between DD's completed high school coursework (the transcript) and the State Board of Education (through listing on the transcript compliance with the State Board of Education homeschool regulations), then you have a form of outside verification of your DD's completion from high school -- and therefore verification of the diploma.

Edited September 25, 2018 by Lori D.

[justasque]

"hospital employee qualification law" 

Is this a law or policy? 

 

No clue - my point was that if you can figure out what rules they are trying to follow, you can figure out what you might be able to provide that will meet their needs.  From what you've posted, it sounds like they are looking for "primary source verification" of her diploma.  That is, verification that comes directly from the primary source - usually the school, but in some cases the state.  

 

In my experience, taking a "we want to comply with your requirements, let's brainstorm how to do it under the circumstances, what is the requirement you need to fill" approach is the most likely to succeed.  This is red tape - find a way that the employer can feel like they have done what's needed to check the box their boss wants checked, or survive a potential audit, and you're good.

 

Is there a homeschool liaison at the state Dept of Ed who could help you?

[justasque]

...

If you can, try and get this ball rolling today/tomorrow so that your DD can contact the employer tomorrow by phone to inform them that the official verifying documentation will arrive by certified mail next week, but that she could fax photocopies of the official documents in advance so that there will be no delay in starting training on Monday.

 

...

 

Yes, everything Lori D said!

 

However, I'd be cautious about having your dd fax copies - they may be less willing to see everything legit if they are faxed ahead of time, as they've probably been trained that documents should NOT come directly from the applicant.  Of course the down side there is that it will delay the training date.

 

I'm sorry that you have to deal with this, OP.  

[Berta]

No clue - my point was that if you can figure out what rules they are trying to follow, you can figure out what you might be able to provide that will meet their needs.  From what you've posted, it sounds like they are looking for "primary source verification" of her diploma.  That is, verification that comes directly from the primary source - usually the school, but in some cases the state.  

 

In my experience, taking a "we want to comply with your requirements, let's brainstorm how to do it under the circumstances, what is the requirement you need to fill" approach is the most likely to succeed.  This is red tape - find a way that the employer can feel like they have done what's needed to check the box their boss wants checked, or survive a potential audit, and you're good.

 

Is there a homeschool liaison at the state Dept of Ed who could help you?

I haven't checked with the Dept of Ed yet. I called HSLDA and they advised me over the phone what I needed to do and then emailed me the state law. When I sent what they told me to do they rejected it so I emailed HSLDA. I hope to hear back from them tomorrow. 

[lanalouwho]

Sounds like the employer believes proof of high school graduation requires a certain type of formal paperwork. No point in arguing at this point, but just provide as official-as-possible documents to the employer.

 

Try "verifying" the diploma by providing DD's official, final transcript, with the following official elements:

 

1. heading of transcript:

"Official Final High School Transcript"

 

2. legal certification at the bottom of the transcript:

"All credits and coursework completed in compliance with South Carolina Board of Education Regulation 43-234 governing high school coursework required for graduation, and South Carolina Code of Laws Section 59-65-47 governing home instruction conducted under the auspices of an association, reviewed annually by the South Carolina State Department of Education."

 

3. have a Notary Public sign/seal the transcript

 

4. send the transcript via certified mail, along with an official letter from signed by the Accountability Association stating something to this effect:

"This is to certify that __(name of student)__ has completed all credits and coursework required by the state of South Carolina for graduation from high school on __(date of graduation)_. A portfolio of the student's high school academic work was reviewed semi-annually by the Accountability Association during the years of __2009-2013_, and the Accountability Association is reviewed annually by the South Carolina State Department of Education, thereby approving the completion of high school course of instruction. Signed ______ (Accountability Association representative)"

 

(I am basing the wording from the information on SC law from here.)

 

If you can, try and get this ball rolling today/tomorrow so that your DD can contact the employer tomorrow by phone to inform them that the official verifying documentation will arrive by certified mail next week, but that she could fax photocopies of the official documents in advance so that there will be no delay in starting training on Monday.

 

 

Sometimes, paper pushers just want a stack of official papers to feel like everything is "okay" when people who don't fit the exact mold come along. ;) BEST of luck to you and DD! Warmest regards, Lori D.

 

 

ETA --

Not a legal expert here, so take my suggestion with a grain of salt. But what I'm suggesting here is a variation on what Justasque is saying -- the point is to provide them with the documentation that will satisfy their official requirements. The college transcript *may* be irrelevant to them, because what they are saying they need is verification of *high school* completion. That is proved through a diploma and the official final high school transcript. If you can get an Accountability Association signature somewhere -- like I was suggesting in a formal letter to accompany your homeschool transcript -- AND show the connection between the State Board of Education and the Accountability Association (through the wording of a letter), AND show the connection between DD's completed high school coursework (the transcript) and the State Board of Education (through listing on the transcript compliance with the State Board of Education homeschool regulations), then you have a form of outside verification of your DD's completion from high school -- and therefore verification of the diploma.

That was all very official sounding. Color me impressed.

 

Sent from my HTCD160LVW using Tapatalk

[Lori D.]

On 4/13/2017 at 5:50 PM, justasque said:

Yes, everything Lori D said!

However, I'd be cautious about having your dd fax copies - they may be less willing to see everything legit if they are faxed ahead of time, as they've probably been trained that documents should NOT come directly from the applicant.  Of course the down side there is that it will delay the training date.

I'm sorry that you have to deal with this, OP.  

:iagree:

Edited September 25, 2018 by Lori D.

[Farrar]

In most cases a private school grad will have a state-verified or state-recognized or otherwise "ok with the state" diploma.

 

In PA parents of home educated students can issue a state-recognized diploma to their students; it must be signed by the evaluator.

 

As someone who taught in private schools, this is not my experience. It may depend on the state.

 

This is part of why it surprises me when homeschooled grads run into these issues. Private schools need to be licensed to operate, but many of them aren't even accredited but grads don't typically experience these issues.

Edited April 14, 2017 by Farrar

[AimeeM]

In most cases a private school grad will have a state-verified or state-recognized or otherwise "ok with the state" diploma.

 

In PA parents of home educated students can issue a state-recognized diploma to their students; it must be signed by the evaluator.

Only maybe here in SC. Our state doesn't have specific requirements for private schools and doesn't regulate them at all, to the best of my knowledge. I could start one in my basement if I wanted. 

[Ellie]

My daughter graduated homeschool in 2013 and has a home-issued diploma. My state requires us to join an Accountability Association but they do not issue her diploma. She applied at a local hospital and was offered a job, she is supposed to start on Monday. They seem to have an issue with her homeschool diploma. They requested a state verifiable diploma. I talked to HSLDA and they told me to send them the SC laws and a copy of my association letter. I did. Within 10 mins of me sending this info they emailed my daughter and told her they were delaying her work orientation until the end of April. They need a "source verified" diploma. 

 

I'm so ticked.  

 

ETA: My daughter is in her third year of college and they had no problem accepting her homeschool diploma. 

 

And so that's when you call HSLDA and tell them what happened. HSLDA tries not to go in with guns blazing, which is why they recommended what they did. Now it's time for guns blazing.

[lllll]

nm 

 

Edited April 22, 2017 by _ -_-

[Lori D.]

Bumping.

 

How did everything work out, Berta? Hopefully with no delay for your DD in starting training! Warmest regards, Lori D.