S/O starting public school

[MEmama]

In the thread on when to start public school, several people mention getting high school credits in middle school.

 

Here, high school credits are only earned in high school, regardless of the level. So DS is starting as a freshman with Algebra 2; his high school math credits will be earned the 4 years he studies there. Middle school classes don't "count" (homeschool or public/private school) other than to place correctly at the high school.

 

Is it different other places? I'm wondering if I'm reading into the idea of earning high school credits in middle school (for high school graduation) incorrectly, or if it varies by region.

[Arcadia]

It varies by state. I can count math and foreign languages taken in 7th and 8th grade. Below quoted is from University of California's webpage

 

"Approved integrated math courses may be used to fulfill part or all of this requirement, as may math courses taken in the seventh and eighth grades if the high school accepts them as equivalent to its own courses.

...

Courses taken in the seventh and eighth grades may be used to fulfill part or all of this requirement if the high school accepts them as equivalent to its own courses."

http://admission.universityofcalifornia.edu/freshman/requirements/a-g-requirements/index.html

 

ETA:

GPA is based on 10th grade and 11th grade for UC and CSU.

Edited August 22, 2017 by Arcadia

[ErinE]

Texas counts certain foreign language classes and Algebra/Geometry as high school level classes as well as some vocational/technical classes. In our district, these classes taken in middle school count for high school credit, but not towards GPA. Only classes taken at the high school while a high schooler count towards the student's GPA.

[Guest]

In Maryland, they only count in the sense that you will be placed in the next-higher class, so if you've already taken Spanish I and II, you will probably gain placement into Spanish III, but you still have to take two foreign language classes during high school. Also, my understanding is that public schools here are not good about giving credit for high school classes if you started high school at home. So, if you homeschooled 9th grade, you might not get credit for those classes at public school.

[MysteryJen]

Math and foreign language can "count" but mostly toward placement in 9th grade. Only courses taken 9th -12th count for GPA. Honestly, we had no trouble at all getting dd2 placed in the correct classes. We underestimated her abilities (she went in with an IEP) and was moved to primarily honors classes for second semester. School districts vary so much, you need to know how your particular district works.

[Dmmetler]

In our area, it's Algebra 1 and a foreign language in 8th. Our cover school also has counted DD's college classes for weighted high school credit, even when taken in middle school, but I don't know if that's at all official or just what the guidance counselor decided at the spur of the moment to do.

 

On placement, that varies school by school. Even within the same district, some were willing to place DD out basically on the strength of her transcript and ACT scores, and some not only refused to count anything taken at home, but refused to count college credits as equivalent to high school classes unless taken DE while enrolled in the school-even when the class with the exact same college course number was offered as DE in high school on their campus.

Edited August 22, 2017 by dmmetler

[MEmama]

In Maryland, they only count in the sense that you will be placed in the next-higher class, so if you've already taken Spanish I and II, you will probably gain placement into Spanish III, but you still have to take two foreign language classes during high school. Also, my understanding is that public schools here are not good about giving credit for high school classes if you started high school at home. So, if you homeschooled 9th grade, you might not get credit for those classes at public school.

That's how it is here, too. You phrased it much clearer than I did. ;)

[FaithManor]

In the thread on when to start public school, several people mention getting high school credits in middle school.

 

Here, high school credits are only earned in high school, regardless of the level. So DS is starting as a freshman with Algebra 2; his high school math credits will be earned the 4 years he studies there. Middle school classes don't "count" (homeschool or public/private school) other than to place correctly at the high school.

 

Is it different other places? I'm wondering if I'm reading into the idea of earning high school credits in middle school (for high school graduation) incorrectly, or if it varies by region.

Here only the credits earned in the last four years of school are listed on the transcript. But the key is that if you have a student who is going to be capable of DE or AP, Honors classes that require one to be more advanced, then you need to get into the rotation at the right time or you won't have the opportunity. ZERO homeschooling credits for high school are accepted. At the middle school level, students have the option to test into a grade level or into advanced coursework, but once one attempts to enter high school directly out of homeschooling, they remove that option, and even if you can show that your child did physical science and algebra 1 and the first year of spanish in your 8th grade homeschool year, regardless of test scores, the student will be funneled into physical science, algebra 1, and first year spanish yet again. College prep English isn't allowed either. So essentially the student has been "tracked" into the non-college prep/non-professional track and into the "going to graduate with the general diploma and will not be on course to be allowed into any AP's or DE's" track. On top of that, the class groupings of students go by largely academic achievement so your child will be entirely with other students who are not attempting any higher level coursework which can be very discouraging.

 

So it's really important that if one does not want to homeschool for high school that this decision is made by the end of 6th grade with enrollment in 7th grade in order to prove ability if one wants your student to get the more challenging coursework. Homeschoolers are very much punished in that regard here, so it is for the best to get a couple of years in, earn the right to be in the higher classes, and help the administration "forget" that you were a homeschooling family.

Edited August 22, 2017 by FaithManor

[Kassia]

Our ps district allows high school credit for Algebra 1 in 7th or 8th grade and then English 1, Geometry, Spanish 1, and Physical Science in 8th grade.  All but Spanish are honors courses and all are on the high school transcript.

[felicity]

Our district gives high school credit for Geometry taken in middle school or at least they did before they changed the math sequence. I'm pretty sure that's the only one.

[City Mouse]

In New Mexico public school high school credits can be earned in before 9th grade, but in order to count the course has to be identical to the high school curriculum and taught by a teacher who,is certified at the high school level.

[Guest]

High school credits here are earned beginning in 8th. FL 1 is split between 7th and 8th, credit is awarded at end of 8th and the grade for the one year credit is the grade for the 8th grade portion. Alg. Thru Calc before 8th is covered by state law as far as credit for diploma. Basically they don't need to sit a Regents exam as a pre-teen and will sub a SAT score for a regents exam. Only 5 1/2 credits can be transferred in from outside sources, there are state regs on testing out. One is limited by what one's district offers; rural students usually encouraged to grad early or save the 5 1/2 credits for senior year when the school can't offer a full schedule.

[Laura Corin]

Calvin earned credit for high-school level classes by taking GCSEs (which are somewhat similar in level to SAT subject tests) when he was younger.  There's no arguing with a national exam.  He passed three before joining a school for his last four years of schooling.

Edited August 22, 2017 by Laura Corin

[FaithManor]

Calvin earned credit for high-school level classes by taking GCSEs (which are somewhat similar in level to SAT subject tests) when he was younger. There's no arguing with a national exam. He passed three before joining a school for his last four years of schooling.

I wish that were true here. But the state does not mandate the PS accept home school credit for high school under any kind of accountability. So I have known kids whose parents had a crisis and had to enroll them in the PS with 15 credits of DE, and 5 SAT subject test exams indicating the grade equivalent of B or higher whom administrators denied credit and attempted to make the student start all over. Normally parents have to dig deep and find the money for private school or make the child take the GED if not old enough to attend community college full time.

 

Full time CC is what I always recommend in a pinch even if it is online classes. If they have an ACT composite of the national average, the student can sometimes get a CC to bypass the high school diploma/GED requirement. Of course, the parents have to pay out of pocket even though their taxes have already paid for the hugh school down the road so it is VERY frustrating.

 

I think that is why so very many home schoolers do not continue hs for high school because it is a four year, all or nothing commitment in this state. If you do not have a back up plan such as reasonably priced community college around the corner, another person who can step in for you if you are sick or injured, or there is a death in the family, etc. then it can be a bit scary because life has a way of throwing monkey wrenches into the best plans of mice and men.

Edited August 22, 2017 by FaithManor

[Laura Corin]

I wish that were true here. But the state does not mandate the PS accept home school credit for high school under any kind of accountability. So I have known kids whose parents had a crisis and had to enroll them in the PS with 15 credits of DE, and 5 SAT subject eject test exams indicating the grade equivalent of B or higher whom administrators denied credit and attempted to make the student start all over.

The courses that Calvin took in 'middle school' were deliberately chosen to be extras, just in case the school had a problem with, for example, his skipping two years of a core subject at school and then diving back in later. So when he applied to university, he had a full set of exams from his time at school, but he also had extra exams in Classical Civilisation, Biology and Chinese. His age when he took them made him look interesting to the university.

Edited August 22, 2017 by Laura Corin

[heartlikealion]

I recently heard about counting a math here for a high school math (I don't think this was just for homeschoolers). So, if the kid took a certain algebra class (I think pre-algebra is the one they were mainly referring to) in like 8th grade it counted as a math for high school graduation requirements. Too many kids I guess weren't meeting the requirements or prepared for certain upper level maths? That is just what I was reading on one of our facebook pages, so I don't know first hand.

[Shellydon]

Here if you take a class that is a high school level class (e.g., Spanish 1, Biology, Alg. 1) as an 8th grader, you can still count those classes as a high school credit.

[bettyandbob]

I recently heard about counting a math here for a high school math (I don't think this was just for homeschoolers). So, if the kid took a certain algebra class (I think pre-algebra is the one they were mainly referring to) in like 8th grade it counted as a math for high school graduation requirements. Too many kids I guess weren't meeting the requirements or prepared for certain upper level maths? That is just what I was reading on one of our facebook pages, so I don't know first hand.

I haven't heard of anyone counting pre-algebra taken before high school. The math credits that typically count start with algebra 1.

[cera2]

High schools courses taken in middle school count for credit but not toward GPA here.  

[Lawana]

Here, a student in 8th grade can earn high school credit towards graduation that appears on the official transcript. Health/personal fitness, 9th grade English, physical science, math (this is a mess here--when ds was in 8th grade, the only math for high school credit offered at the middle school was AP Statistics! now I understand algebra is offered), and foreign language are the options at the local middle school.

[heartlikealion]

I haven't heard of anyone counting pre-algebra taken before high school. The math credits that typically count start with algebra 1.

 

I'm trying to get the direct link, but someone posted a screen shot of the rule. It said that if taken in 8th grade that Pre-algebra, Transition to Algebra, and Algebra count starting with 8th graders in 2004-2005 for our state. It said something about a 2 yr drafting course as well.

 

[Guest]

It varies by state.  If a student is advanced and did the work that would be done in a regular 9th or 10th grade classroom, he can get credit from the eighth grade.  Not 7th.  But this is one of the reasons I didn't hurry math.  

 

[heartlikealion]

It varies by state.  If a student is advanced and did the work that would be done in a regular 9th or 10th grade classroom, he can get credit from the eighth grade.  Not 7th.  But this is one of the reasons I didn't hurry math.  

 

Same, as far as 8th not 7th for math here. But you don't have to be advanced here to count an 8th grade math as Pre-Alg. counts now. It's more so to help the kids meet their math requirements that aren't ready for certain math (I guess trig. and so forth?). I didn't take my math in the typical order of my peers. My friend said she was skipping pre-alg. because of her grades in the 7th grade math class so I asked about it, too. Then we went straight to Alg. in 8th. I am thinking I must have not taken math one grade level in high school because I couldn't come up with 4 math classes I took in high school (geometry, alg. II, trig.). Maybe I forgot something. I didn't take calculus.