For those of you that moved your kids into public schools in hs ~ I need help !

[debbiec]

Son will be moving into high school next year and we have decided to let him attend a local academic public high school. He was accepted and now we are dealing with credit transfers from 8th, maximum of 3, but since homeschooling and many private school are not "accredited", I'm running into a lot of trouble with getting Algebra I and Latin II on his transcript for high school.

 

They tell me they need to see on his incoming transcript that Algebra I and Latin II are being counted as high school credit. Do they want a transcript for the entire years before, or only a transcript of elligible high school courses for credit? What is the norm here? And what should that transcript look like ~

 

And yes, I know this is a high school board for homeschooling, but I know that some who have moved their kids on to school or that have graduated, still haunt the boards.

 

*** See added post about Physical Science

[AmyCC]

My dd just tested for math as a freshman and they placed her appropriately. Obviously with Algebra 1 already done, your son would test into Algebra II. Do you need to transfer his Algebra 1 credit? Are you hoping to include that as part of his four math credits needed to graduate? (Or however many math credits they require.)

 

-Amy

[Nan in Mass]

My son didn't need a transcript to go from homeschooling 8th to ps in 9th. He began with geometry and Spanish 2. Algebra 1 and Spanish 1 weren't on his transcirpt. He just took math in 9th-12th, and Spanish in 9th and 10th (ending with Spanish 3), fulfilling the 4 years of math and 2 of foreign language. Do you just need the 8th grade classes to place into the more advanced classes, or do you actually need those classes to appear on his high school transcript. The numbers next to them will tell anyone what he's had in 8th grade.

-Nan

[Nan in Mass]

Oh - and Donna Young has transcript samples. I'd just write up a 7th and 8th grade transcript (whole year) using that as a guide and labeling the Latin and Algebra as honours. Then I'd write course descriptions saying what textbooks or methods or curriculums were used, making the Latin and algebra sound like high school level courses (which the textbook part should do). I'd also include the xeroxed table of contents for the high school level ones, and anything the publisher has said about who the textbook was meant for. That should help the school judge what level of course your son did. -Nan

[JFSinIL]

at our public high school, I went with a list of classes I wanted him to take, and a list of all his classes he had taken, and grades I thought he had earned, in 8th grade. I also took in a list of books he had read, a sample paper he had written, and the outline of everything taught by VideoText. I had no problem putting him in geometry (and Algebra 2 this year - he had not finished all of Videotest in 8th grade so needed a bit more), Honors English, and an AP history class. just make your own transcript as needed.

[Ailaena]

I was considering enrolling dd at a ps this year (7th), and I remember having this argument at one point about how Algebra I absolutely needed to come from their school system to count in high school. After what seemed like forever, I realized it was not that she needed it to enroll in whatever class she was going to take, but she needed it to be "real" so that it would count towards her four years of math, like Nan was saying.

 

After I figured out this was where the communication difficulties were, I told them it would not be a problem, and they could pretend she had no incoming math credits, as long as she was placed appropriately. They then told me that they could not accommodate any math beyond Geometry at their campus, and we parted ways. And this was for their pilot gifted district program thingy.

 

Now with Latin, though, does the high school offer enough Latin to accommodate him through 3, or even 4, more years? Has he already taken the placement exam? Different courses cover things at different times, so it may not be a terrible thing for him to repeat Latin 2?

[mcconnellboys]

I can try to email you my transcript that I used when my son returned to private school this past year, if you like. If you want to use that form, you can cut and paste into it.

 

He was entering 10th grade, but I only attempted to have transferred enough credits to give him his sophomore status and to allow for the next level classes he was taking. They only transfer with a "pass" showing, rather than showing grades. I don't know what your school will do as all are different.

 

I will maintain the transcript that I created to submit along with his other one when we begin applying to colleges so that they can see the actual grades he made for those credits transferred, as well as the other work that was high school level which did not get transferred.

[debbiec]

Well, yes. I thought it would be great to get the Algebra I credit, take 3 more math classes and the 4th year is optional, leaving room for him to decide whether he WANTS to take another math credit, rather than being required to, depending on his desired major. 4 high school credits are now required in our state as of a few weeks ago for upcoming freshman.

 

Also, two foreign language credits are required, though 4 years encouraged. He wants to take Spanish, since he has taken LAtin since 3rd grade (and made a Summa cum laude this week, yoo hoo, for Latin II exam). But, he just hates that he took all those years of LAtin, learned so much and then to not have it reflected on his transcript at all. He is not keen on taking more Latin in high school, though.

 

I understand about it should be four years. I'm rethinking all this now, though.

[debbiec]

Well, they are allowing him to take geometry, though they won't recognize the Algebra I course. But, he also has to pass a state exam for Algebra I to graduate in TN. They want him to take this next spring, at the end of geometry.

 

Making I'm making this too hard. THey are doing assessment testing the first week of school for all incoming freshman to make sure they were placed appropriately for math. (why at the END of the summer, rather than before school is out).

 

OK, I'm making a mountain out of a mole hill I think.

[debbiec]

Well, this academic high school has a classical bend to it, which is why we tried to get him in there, though I will say, as classical as a public school can be, which looking at their english and lit courses, is kind of a joke, but it's one of the top three public high schools in the state, kids go to prestigious colleges, so whatever ~

 

But, they do offer a lot of higher Latin, Latin I-III, then Vergil, Latin Poetry and then something else....can't remember right now. They actually offer more LAtin credits than years a student is a school, unless some of the courses are only one semester?

 

He has NOT taken a placement test yet. They want to give him one in the fall after school starts. The school counselor, as nice as she is, really is unable to advise us well, since they don't teach Latin in middle school, anywhere in the state, so this is very irregular for them.

 

But, I did talk to a mom yesterday that said the same thing you did ~ the concern about different scope for different curriculum. We have used Lingua Latina the last two years, and they use whatever the standard school texts are: Ecce Romani and/or something else. I'm not sure which the school uses, but I know it is not an "immersion" curriculum like Lingua LAtina is. This mom told me her son, who has been in Lingua Latina as well, (with the same tutor we had), took LAtin II EOC exam and made a 36! They were shocked, because he is a very strong LAtin student, actually quite gifted in langauges. The LAtin teacher at the school agreed that the timing (sitting out class for 5 months until fall) wasn't helpful and most inportantly, she said the EOC exams, are usually quite tailored to the textbook/curriculum ~ and as you said, scope and sequence was very different. In some areas he was excelled, but Lingua Latina, being immersion, waited to teach some things that a standard Latin program teaches earlier.

 

That said, son has decided to go ahead and repeat Latin II anyway, to get use to the new format, take the EOC for Latin I for credit (if he doesn't decide to take additional LAtin), participate in the Latin club (they compete all over the South), and take more LAtin later maybe.

 

It's just so frustrating trying to manuever through all this. And now I have to decide what to do about Physical Science which I'll add a new post about that momentarily ~

[debbiec]

Saga number 2 ~

 

I teach Apologia Physical Science and I have 6 students going into public schools next year (one my own) and I recieved a practice copy of the EOC for Physical Science. Some kids want to take the EOC because they have no intend to take Physics or advanced science beyond Biology and Chemistry. The EOC covers different things than our text, mostly the EOC covers an intro to chemistry, which Apologia does not. So, these kids probably will not be able to pass the exam for credit without spending the summer learning new material, and in some cases, getting a little deeper with some of the topics in intro to physics, though mostly using addtional formulas in electricty, like ohms. Apologa didn't touch it.

 

My son ~ will take Physics, though it's uncertain he will take Advanced Physics (the only one he would consider). The school "strongly encourages" 4 years of science, thought the requirement is only 3.

 

SO ~ do I.....?

 

1. I prep the extra material to get him through the EOC for Physical Science for the 4th credit? So he doesn't HAVE to take an advanced science later if he doesn't want to.

 

2. Don't take it, and just let the 3 credits stand without the 4th, (if he decides not to take a 4th credit later on?)

 

I don't colleges give a hoot about seeing Physical Science on your transcript, just the required credits, am I right? I know 4 credits would "look" better, but if Physical Science is the 4th?

 

Will ds take a 4th science credit, he is perfectly capable. He's one of these weird kids that excells in everything he tries, and it comes easy (which can make him lazy at times). But, my observation is ~ though is very strong in math and science, he is stronger in the humanites and art, I think he enjoys it more. So I don't predict him taking that 4th advanced science credit, not that it matters a lot anyway.

 

Advise on Physical Science ~ my first inclination was to just let it go.

[debbiec]

Now that you put it that way, you're right. He has decided to retake Latin II, just to get it on there. You can read my post below about why repeat Latin II.