Hi Medicmom2.0, So my son hasn't entered auto mechanic school, much to my disappointment. I bought a really nice-looking homeschool diploma (a service for homeschoolers) and my son named his high school Riverdale, from the Archie Comics! (He has a really good sense of humor!) We laughed about that for days!!! LOL I homeschooled in FL where we weren't required to name our school. Because of his mental illness (schizo-affective disorder), he was able to get connected with a mental health care group in WA that provides a subsidized housing for 2 years and support services. He got a part-time job at HomeGoods. I'd prefer he'd learn a trade that he can take with him anywhere and even start a small shop (with my help, of course). Mechanics make a killing. My father helped his young protege start a shop and at 40-ish he retired! I covet everyone's prayers for him! My son is SUPER challenging and I'm alone here in WA. No family support even if they were nearby. Thank you for asking!

Thanks Maman!

The Ticket to Work outgoing phone message refers me to my local DVR. The DVR social worker assigned to my son says the Ticket to Work program doesn't make a difference. It will not move him up the waiting list. My son has been homeless before. It too didn't make a difference. Seattle has a ton of homeless now.

How am I supposed to answer that, as it's expecting me to know the future? If he's never done an auto mechanic's class, how can he or I know if he'll do well or not? What's the alternative? Assume he's incapable of everything and not even try?

Yes, he's on Social Security (based on his past work/earnings) and SSI (a meager $25 a month). Both of those equal barely over $500 a month. If he works -- even PT -- that is reduced. If he lives with me, that is reduced too, as I'm too close of a relation therefore I am expected to financially help him (because I'm NOT helping by paying more for utilities and food???). Oh and if I give him money to help him, it's reduced even more. (Hmmm, makes no sense.) He's on Medicaid and Medicare; neither pay for hearing aids or their maintenance. I do. Even group homes have rent. The hospital placed him there. I don't know who's covering the rent, but after a few months, he'll be fully responsible for it. In Seattle, even a room for rent is upwards of $600 a month (for a dirty place!). He wears one hearing aid (the other is too deaf for him to benefit from it) that I bought from Costco because of the price, but it's lousy. Reading lips is a myth. Only 20% or so is discernible. Not reliable for work. He doesn't drive. :-( He knows how and can do it just fine, but he panics each and every time so I don't trust him to do it alone. Once, he spaced out in what I think was perhaps panic and approached a cluster of traffic on the highway at a dead stop going 65-70 mph. He didn't even slow down. I had to yell at him to slow down pointing out the traffic ahead. It was weird and scared the daylight out of me. Vocational rehab = waiting list. Who knows how long that'll be. It's really all on me to help him. :-/ I really NEED God to step in here and help him directly. He NEEDS a miracle. He needs a meaningful job that makes him enough money to live on. He's still a man, and needs work. There is dignity in work, not in forever receiving charity. Thanks everyone for the ideas and encouragement!

Thank you for your encouragement! In my area, community college has more requirements than trade schools. Trade schools only require GED and Accuplacer exam.

Unfortunately, there is a waiting list. He's on it but he can't wait. He was delayed getting on the list when he was 18 for some unknown reason. He received a letter in the mail saying he was "ineligible"! Absurd!! They are incompetent. So now he's 26, almost 27 and just getting on the list. I abhor government entities. Thanks though! Lol

Thank you Jean for thinking of me and taking the time to share that link! I'm going to keep that in my back pocket for sure. :-)

Thank you cbollin and 6wildhorses for the great ideas! He was in public school from pre-school to grade 1. Didn't learn a thing. Then about 2 years in high school in WA. Totally worthless. Everything he does know he learned from homeschooling. I am grateful he passed most of his GED. So much I wish I could re-do though. :-/

Awesome! Thank you again!

Hi Jean, Thank you for your input! He was homeschooled in Florida. We're now in WA. It's been so long I don't recall the requirements, plus he was never at level nor would he have been in p.s. I will take your advice and contact the school about his IQ test. He doesn't know about the test though and I don't want him to find out. Can you imagine how devastating it would be to know this? :-(

Hi, I haven't been on a homeschooling forum in forever! I homeschooled for almost 10 years many years ago. My son, who has several disabilities, is now 26. He's deaf, learning disabled, has a borderline IQ of 76 or 78, and at 21 or so became mentally ill (that's the saddest part). He always had a HARD time learning, but especially math. He has no job or career prospects. My father says my son is good with auto mechanics and I have observed he's good with activities requiring spacial awareness. I'd like to put him in auto mechanic trade school and he'd like to go, but he cannot pass the math portion of the GED. The rest of it he has passed! It hurts my heart so much that he hasn't passed it and it's required for ANY sort of trade school. I'd like to just issue him a high school diploma based on the GED tests he did pass, but I'm afraid they'll ask for a transcript. I don't know what to do. He needs a meaningful job he can do long term. He is floundering and cannot afford to live on his own. The group home he is now in will stop paying his rent soon. I'm single. I cannot afford his rent and my mortgage, but he has great difficulty living with me and has been violent. Just looking for advice on how I could issue him a homeschool high school diploma without them asking too many questions. Thanks!