jens2sons Posted January 14, 2015 Share Posted January 14, 2015 My ds17 has been taking classes through a local charter school which gives the student a stipend to attend community college at no additional cost to us. It even pays for most of his books. The problem is, the school is requiring him to take more classes in order to graduate because they will not recognize the credits he earned at homeschool. I understand why they are requiring this but I feel that it is absolutely ridiculous to make him go through an additional year of school because of this. He was a good student and took the same classes at home that they are requiring him to take with their program. We live in Oregon, so we are in a very good state to homeschool. We really have no requirements for attendance, only that they have to be in school. There are no specific requirements for classes to take. What I'd like to do is just graduate him on my own -on time- outside of their system. Does anyone have any experience with a situation like this? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MomatHWTK Posted January 14, 2015 Share Posted January 14, 2015 That would be what I would have to do in my state. Our PS high schools don't have to accept hs transfer credits. But I can issue a diploma as a non-accredited private school. I suppose your answer would depend on what kind of diploma you want or need. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jens2sons Posted January 14, 2015 Author Share Posted January 14, 2015 That would be what I would have to do in my state. Our PS high schools don't have to accept hs transfer credits. But I can issue a diploma as a non-accredited private school. I suppose your answer would depend on what kind of diploma you want or need. That's what I'm dealing with also. I really dont think it's the diploma that they are concerned with so much but the actual transcripts. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kiana Posted January 14, 2015 Share Posted January 14, 2015 Are they requiring him to repeat classes or can he substitute a more advanced class at the CC at their expense? For example, does he need to take algebra or can he take calculus? Does he need to take intro to chemistry or can he take general chemistry (for majors)? etc. If they are requiring him to repeat classes I'd tell them to shove off and graduate him myself with the CC transcript. If he can swap out somehow then I'd get the extra year. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
katilac Posted January 14, 2015 Share Posted January 14, 2015 You can, yes. Whether you want to will depend on the colleges he is interested in attending. It's generally not a problem these days, especially for a student who has outside verification of grades like your son does. Still, you can check the requirements of the schools he is most interested in - almost every school we've looked referenced homeschooling on their web site. The worst we've seen is requirements for SAT subject tests or slightly higher ACT scores (when those aren't required for schooled students). Some of the training programs around here are more problematic than college - they require a high school diploma, and I know they used to not accept homeschool ones. Edited to add that it would have to be one heck of a university before my kids or I would be willing to spend another year on high school. We would likely just go somewhere else! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kareni Posted January 14, 2015 Share Posted January 14, 2015 . What I'd like to do is just graduate him on my own -on time- outside of their system. Does anyone have any experience with a situation like this? I would take a good look at what your son has accomplished to date. What English did he take each year in high school? What math classes has he taken? What science? What social science (history, Geography, Psychology, etc.)? What other classes has he taken? Consider both the classes taken at home as well as those taken at the community college. Regards, Kareni Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tess in the Burbs Posted January 15, 2015 Share Posted January 15, 2015 I have a friend who graduated both of her kids at 16. Rather than do duel credit they just apply to the local CC as a new student, take the entrance tests, and start life as a college student but living at home. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bettyandbob Posted January 15, 2015 Share Posted January 15, 2015 Is he in a program that awards accredited diplomas. At the inline school where I teach, for homeschool students who start after grade 9 we do a placement by exam for classes they took as homeschoolers. So, if the student took algebra 1, geography, Spanish1, and earth science in grade 9 homeschool, they would take placement exams in these courses. If they achieve passing scores they don't need yo retake the class. If they don't achieve passing scores they just repeat the sections of the course they didn't pass. So, my question is credit by exam possible? If they don't offer credit by exam, can he take required credits at the community college. If that's possible it might make good financial sense to spend another year in the program and acquire more dual enrollment credits. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jens2sons Posted January 15, 2015 Author Share Posted January 15, 2015 I would take a good look at what your son has accomplished to date. What English did he take each year in high school? What math classes has he taken? What science? What social science (history, Geography, Psychology, etc.)? What other classes has he taken? Consider both the classes taken at home as well as those taken at the community college. Regards, Kareni He has taken all the required courses except for science which he is planning on taking Spring term (either Astronomy or Chemistry). I am considering ALL the classes he has taken. Thats why I'm disgruntled with the system because they won't accept non-accredited courses (ie- homeschool courses, co-op, etc.) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jens2sons Posted January 15, 2015 Author Share Posted January 15, 2015 Is he in a program that awards accredited diplomas. At the inline school where I teach, for homeschool students who start after grade 9 we do a placement by exam for classes they took as homeschoolers. So, if the student took algebra 1, geography, Spanish1, and earth science in grade 9 homeschool, they would take placement exams in these courses. If they achieve passing scores they don't need yo retake the class. If they don't achieve passing scores they just repeat the sections of the course they didn't pass. So, my question is credit by exam possible? If they don't offer credit by exam, can he take required credits at the community college. If that's possible it might make good financial sense to spend another year in the program and acquire more dual enrollment credits. I WISH they they tested like that, but they dont. They just do general placement tests for math and reading/ writing. It does make some financial sense when it comes to credits that will transfer and that are beneficial to area of study but the problem is that they are requiring him to take P.E., health, etc. that he's already completed and won't transfer any way. ~~~~~~~~~ Thank you all for your input. It gave me confidence enough to call the school and ask since it doesn't seem like such a far off idea. I spoke with the admissions advisor over the phone and she said that GFU does not need a diploma for homeschoolers! Matter of fact, she was homeschooled and said that she knows exactly what I'm talking about! She said that all he needs is to take his SAT/ACT, provide all transcripts (including homeschool transcripts) and have the necessary basic classes completed (they are listed on their website) and we are set to go! WHAT A RELIEF! They will even accept college transfer courses for what ever he has taken at the community college at or above the 100 levels. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jens2sons Posted January 15, 2015 Author Share Posted January 15, 2015 Here's the link for George Fox University homeschool admissions info if anyone is interested: http://www.georgefox.edu/college-admissions/student/homeschool.html Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kiana Posted January 15, 2015 Share Posted January 15, 2015 Do they take the health and PE at the college or at the HS? If they take it at the college, it might indeed transfer -- almost every university (including GFU) requires a health course and a PE course. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jens2sons Posted January 15, 2015 Author Share Posted January 15, 2015 Kiana - It may IF the courses are above the 100 level. But like I said, he has already completed the courses at home and it just doesnt seem fair to make him stay and continue taking courses just for the sake of earning a diploma at this charter school. I understand that it will transfer but the problem is that he will have to take those plus other courses that have nothing to do with his future degree (he wouldn't take them at GFU one way or another). It's pretty much just filler classes. He is sooo ready to go to college and start working towards his degree, he can almost taste it. He got a job at the city internet service and is already working in the like-field that he wants to get his degree in. Computer sciences. GFU has an excellent program there and quite a few of the guys he works with graduated from GFU. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michelle_NC Posted January 15, 2015 Share Posted January 15, 2015 I've been following this thread. Glad you had a good outcome! :hurray: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ellie Posted January 15, 2015 Share Posted January 15, 2015 Kiana - It may IF the courses are above the 100 level. But like I said, he has already completed the courses at home and it just doesnt seem fair to make him stay and continue taking courses just for the sake of earning a diploma at this charter school. I understand that it will transfer but the problem is that he will have to take those plus other courses that have nothing to do with his future degree (he wouldn't take them at GFU one way or another). It's pretty much just filler classes. He is sooo ready to go to college and start working towards his degree, he can almost taste it. He got a job at the city internet service and is already working in the like-field that he wants to get his degree in. Computer sciences. GFU has an excellent program there and quite a few of the guys he works with graduated from GFU. I say graduate him and be done with it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kiana Posted January 15, 2015 Share Posted January 15, 2015 Kiana - It may IF the courses are above the 100 level. But like I said, he has already completed the courses at home and it just doesnt seem fair to make him stay and continue taking courses just for the sake of earning a diploma at this charter school. I understand that it will transfer but the problem is that he will have to take those plus other courses that have nothing to do with his future degree (he wouldn't take them at GFU one way or another). It's pretty much just filler classes. He is sooo ready to go to college and start working towards his degree, he can almost taste it. He got a job at the city internet service and is already working in the like-field that he wants to get his degree in. Computer sciences. GFU has an excellent program there and quite a few of the guys he works with graduated from GFU. I was thinking more use it to cheaply snaffle up some gen eds, but if all the other courses available are ones that wouldn't even count or transfer, yeah, there's no point in hanging out there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jens2sons Posted January 15, 2015 Author Share Posted January 15, 2015 Do they take the health and PE at the college or at the HS? If they take it at the college, it might indeed transfer -- almost every university (including GFU) requires a health course and a PE course. Some of the PE and health classes transfer but they depend on 'IF' they are level 100 or more. In order to get to some of the level 100 classes, he'd have to take 2-3 terms of lower level classes. This just doesnt seem worth the time to me. Especially if it delays his graduation. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nousername Posted January 16, 2015 Share Posted January 16, 2015 They require these classes because technically speaking he is no longer homeschooling by using the charter school. The charter school enrolls him as a public student, thus giving them the funds to pay for the college classes. So, if you can give him a diploma and transcript based on previous work with you and his college classes, go for it. GFU is homeschool friendly and they have a lovely campus. The two years of free college classes so you can basically earn an associates is a hard thing to pass on, but as much as we would love to use one of these or the gateway program offered direct from PCC we are 98% we won't go that route and just pay for the classes she wants/needs without the extra hoop of pleasing some program. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TechWife Posted January 16, 2015 Share Posted January 16, 2015 Make sure you formally withdraw him from the charter school before you issue his diploma/consider him graduated. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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