I think you are okay to move on to geometry while reviewing algebra. I would not move on to Algebra 2 if her Algebra 1 skills are weak. You might look into Derek Owens if you want an online teacher.

How old is your student? AoPS geometry will probably be hard for a very young student even if they have the algebra background. AoPS Geometry has always been the intro geometry book. Yes, the pre-tests are deceptively easy - but they are easy because it doesn't test the maturity/problem solving skills of the student. I have taken multiple students through Geometry in your timeframe, often alongside more math like algebra 2. Yes, I think you could start it in the summer and progress over 1 1/2 years. Two of my kids find AoPS Geometry EASIER than algebra - these are my highly visual spacial, but learning disabled (dyslexia/dysgraphia). I do think AoPS is not for everyone and it mostly depends on the frustration tolerance of hard problems. If the challenge problems are too hard, it's okay to skip them rather than dropping AoPS altogether. You'll still learn lots.

The school code is the homeschool code for your state found here: http://www.collegeboard.com/prod_downloads/testright/resources/homeschool_codes.pdf The online provider code for PA homeschoolers is 028. The PAHS code will get the scores automatically sent to PAHS. I don't know anything about it automatically being on a transcript as I don't remember ever getting an official transcript from them, nor did I turn one into colleges from them. I put the AP scores on my transcript and submitted them. He can choose to automatically report scores to one college. We did this year since he's a senior, but never did in the past.

I also have a Canon MX 922 and am very happy with it. Bonus - I've been able to buy cheap ink and then get credit where I recycle it for the same price I"m paying for ink.

When I think independent, rigorous geometry, I think AoPS also.

My son has this and it has worked well. He likes to make stop motion lego animation. http://www.timberdoodle.com/Animation_Kit_p/d223-003.htm

Brave Writer has worked wonders for all my kids - my severely dysgraphic, super reluctant writer, my natural writer, and my enthusiastic storyteller who didn't know the first thing about report writing. It's ijmpressive to see the teachers take a class and how well they give feedback to both the very good writers as well as the ones that aren't so good. They meet all the students where they are and move them forward.

I keep reading your title and thinking - well, you can use a pen or pencil or computer.... What's worked magic at my home is Brave Writer online courses as mentioned above. Sorry no real suggestions that can't be otherwise found on the boards.

Classes we've done: Derek Owens - good rigor, but self-paced Center for Lit (no writing option) - great at teaching literary analysis without requiring output Teaching company lectures classes on my list: Online G3 Edhesive Online Spanish Academy

EFC doesn't matter at schools that simply meet all your need in loans anyway. The bottom line is that schools want lots of our money and the government calculates that we should be able to spend a big chunk of our savings and income toward college.

I'd do some prep and then take it on the early side (before Chirstmas). This gives you the opportunity to focus your prep and retake it in the spring of JR year and/or SR fall.

Tourettes often goes along with your other list of disorders. As previously stated, Tourette's is fairly easy to diagnose. If the tics are bothersome there are meds as well as behavior therapy that can help (but generally not stop) the tics. They often improve with age and they often get worse with anxiety, sickness, stressors and they tend to fluctuate over time.

Resistance is usually because it is HARD (or boring). I'd listen to your child's cues. My son practiced handwriting for years - he was finally able to write his name with automaticity in HIGH SCHOOL! He remains incapable of writing neatly, though. He's headed to a top college next year with writing accommodations. Every child is different. While I think it is good to keep practicing writing output, it is also fine to accommodate and do things orally.

What do you do when your child's misbehavior is blamed on homeschooling? I just smile. I was first told that my preschooler's behavior (oldest child) was that way because I was GOING to homeschool. No - it was just his personality and it had nothing to do with my intentions to homeschool in the future.

A lot of people say it is easier to get accommodations on ACT vs SAT. I don't know - my son got accommodations on both on the first try - ACT was certainly quicker. I filled out the paperwork, provided a few year old neuropsych eval, as well as a cover letter outlining what I was requesting as well as my "educational plan" outlining accomodations done at home. I just looked up the time line for SAT accommodations - as far as learning disabiities - they say an evaluation withing 5 years. For ongoing medical conditions - I think they want a doctor to say that they still have this condition, but something like cerebral palsy certainly won't change. Most colleges want a "current" evaluation for learning disabilities - ours says within five years of starting college - so you might be able to use the same one for high school and college depending on the timing. As far as stable ongoing medical conditions requiring accommodations, we just had our pediatrician write a letter saying ds has x (mediacal) diagnosis and will need xyz accommodations.

We've done both Expository Essay classes, MLA Research paper and Adv. Composition. Haven't done any literary essay since it hasn't fit in our schedule. I'd first recommend the first Expository Essay class and the MLA research class. EE2 is another essay class and is very good (and different). but this would be one to skip since it is similar. Adv. Composition is more essays, but gives your student a lot of new tools to use and is very good.

I just keep doing AAS at whatever pace we do it at. We don't do it everyday due to our schedule.

I love the feedback. There is critique, but it is always in a positive way. Sometimes it is on particular word choices, but much of the time is it in the form of asking questions to draw out more information. They don't tell you what to write. They always pick some things to point out that you are doing great to encourage, but most of it is critique to improve. It can come both as sentence to sentence critique as well as paragraph critique at the end. I've had three kids of varying ability take BW classes and they've all gotten excellent critique and all have improved and carried the improvements into future writing. The assignments are usually broken down into small enough pieces as to not overwhelm. You typically have at least 2-3 days between when something is assigned and when due so you can fit it around a busy day. I think it is a very reasonable amount of work, but how much time it takes varies dramatically on how much of a resistant writer you have.

Lots of read-alouds, exploring together, playing board games, etc. I'd teach math separately, but almost everything else together.

11th grade for my motivated student: AP English Language - PAHS AP Calculus AB - Derek Owens AP Statistics - PAHS Latin 2 - KET US HIstory - home Python - 1/2 credit computer programming Coop - electives Either more electives or AP Psychology

Some thoughts: A solid understanding of algebra 1 is foundational to everything you do beyond this. If he's looking to go into nursing, then algebra is important. A "weaker" geometry credit would be fine to be able to put it on the transcript. You need algebra 1 before starting geometry, but you can do geometry concurrently with algebra 2. Geometry skills are not as important for nursing or statistics, but will be needed for precalc. A good precalc course will start after algebra 2. As you noted above, MUS doesn't cover nearly as much material so you really won't be as far as you think in math. Will MUS through precalc set you up for a good college algebra course - I don't know.

Wishing the boys good luck in their directions.

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

I would say that a third option is to find online courses that WILL intellectually challenge him. My son has taken several very challenging and interactive classes. I would find it a waste of my money if my son is not allowed to answer questions because the other students aren't bothering to do the work. There are other choices out there.

I did Kidswrite Basic with a 9th (non-writer), 7th and 5th grader. I was the student and the intermediary to work with my kids. They taught me a bunch of of to work with my kids to get writing out of them as well as give feedback. It was a very good class. It's fine to wait until older to start this class as well. There are several other online BW classes that would work with 5th grade - Write for Fun, Just So Stories, etc. Yes you can do Arrow and Partnership Writing. The Arrow is based around a book. Read the book for the month, do weekly grammar/copywork exercises, discuss literary things from the book. Partnership Writing gives monthly writing projects that are broken down into weekly assignments. If I were making the choice I"d pick Partnership Writing with a few Arrows or a fun online class. I'd hold off on Kidswrite Basic (but I tend to teach writing a little older than others).