How Much Freedom For Course Selection Do HSers Have?

[Gil]

So, we're really intrigued by the idea of doing our own thing for high school, but just how much freedom is legally allowed? I'm not wondering or worried about what colleges expect, but what legal/state authorities require?

From the Graduation Requirements for my state:

Quote

According to Florida law, students must meet certain academic requirements to earn a standard high school diploma from a public school. This means that students must pass required courses, earn a minimum number of credits, earn a minimum grade point average and pass the required statewide assessments. Students who meet these requirements but do not pass the required assessments will receive a certificate of completion, which is not equivalent to a standard high school diploma. Passing scores for the statewide assessments are determined by the State Board of Education. 

I looked online and found the guidelines required in order to graduate from a public high-school in our state, but am I correct in thinking that since we're NOT A public high school we don't have to abide by these?

Edited February 14, 2019 by Gil

[Melissa B]

Yes, Florida has no required classes for homeschooled students

[Farrar]

I also don't have to follow my not-a-state's graduation requirements. I think a couple of states specifically require state history or US history, even from homeschoolers? And I have to keep teaching all the subjects listed in my state's homeschool requirements. But, say, arts? If I wanted to skip arts credits but tell the homeschool office on the off chance that I got reviewed (that's a thing here) that the way we covered arts was attending a few concerts and plays and discussing them but I didn't think it was worthy of a credit, then that's fine.

[teachermom2834]

Most people in my state homeschool under an umbrella school that sets minimum requirements and I think those are good to follow if college is in the plans. The requirements are pretty minimal and no one checks up on how you cover them. So my answer is that we complete the requirements but still do our own thing. 

There is alot of time in high school. My kids, even with varied levels of motivation, exceeded the requirements. We front load them in 9th and 10th grade and then late in high school they have plenty of options. In our situation it just isn't hard to hit those minimum requirements so I wouldn't skip them, That said, I don't do every subject required for excellence. Our state requires biology. My 10th grader has zero interest and prefers math and physical sciences. He took a biology class at our homeschool co-op that was more like a middle school life science class (by our standards- it used a high school text and was probably equivalent to our local public school) but I'm okay with that. He has and is taking more rigorous courses in the subjects he is interested in. So we checked the biology box but he is still applying himself more to those subjects he is most interested in. Our state requires personal finance but I'm happy to do that informally. Especially for my student that worked alot in high school. It was pretty natural to do taxes together and discuss saving for college. I would explain insurance to him as it came up. He got in a fender bender so he learned some lessons that way. So yes, he had personal finance on his transcript to meet a requirement but we didn't block off any time in the schedule or work through a curriculum.

I wouldn't skip the requirements particularly because my kids will have state schools that are used to seeing these requirements as their safety schools. But we still do our own thing in how we cover the subject matter and where we dedicate the most time and resources.  

Edited February 14, 2019 by teachermom2834

[Momto6inIN]

Our state doesn't require anything except attendance. I roughly follow our public school diploma requirements (and then add to it with more rigorous requirements of my own) because I want my students' transcripts to be roughly comparable alongside other students from our state when it comes to an admissions officer who spends about 10 minutes with each application.

BUT ... the way we fulfill those transcript hours doesn't always look anything like the public school students' hours. For instance, a course may be listed as "Speech Communication" on their transcript, which sounds pretty standard, but we fulfilled it by joining a speech and debate club.

[8filltheheart]

We take freedom within the subject categories. For example, history can be any historical subject. The only 2 history courses I require bc I want my kids to take them are American and gov't. I have no specific lit course requirements. Electives have been everything from CS to theology and philosophy.  I require a life and a physical science and then they get to choose what other sciences they want to take, etc.

[Lori D.]

It looks like FL homeschool laws do not require certain credits for high school graduation. So yes, that allows you, the parent/administrator of your homeschool to determine the requirements that your children must complete to earn the home-awarded diploma.

I do recommend not getting too far afield from the state public school's list of general required credits, as occasionally, unexpected life circumstances can force a return to a private or public high school. But as previous posters have said, that gives you great freedom as to *how* you specifically accomplish those credits.

Also, as you plan for high school, you really DO want to bear in mind what credits colleges require from high school students to be eligible for applying for admission. And, you have complete freedom as to *how* to accomplish those credits.

To be honest, most of the courses required for public school high school graduation or college admission are things that you probably want your students to cover anyways -- English, higher Maths, Science, History, Foreign Language, etc. And the list of credits required by high schools for graduation and the list of credits required by colleges for admission largely overlap. And again, you have freedom to decide what to focus on within those subject areas, with what scope/sequence you want to cover, and with your choice of resources. 

In case it helps, below is a blended list of credits for FL public school graduation and the typical college admission requirements. Note: if shooting for top tier / selective / competitive colleges, students should plan on completing 4-5 credits in each of the core academic subjects, esp. Science and the higher Maths, and plan to work at a higher level of rigor (Honors level courses, AP courses/tests, dual enrollment, etc.).

4 credits = English
4 credits = Math
   (FL = Alg. 1 + Geom for standard diploma, or through Alg. 2 + 4th higher math for higher diploma)
   (colleges = Alg. 1, Geom., Alg. 2 + many want a 4th math above Alg. 2)
3-4 credits = Science, with labs
   (FL = 3 credits, with 1 credit Biology)
   (most colleges flexible; a few = Biology and Chemistry; STEM dept. = 4+ credits)
3-4 credits = Soc. Studies*
   (FL = 3 credits, 1 credit each: World Hist., Amer. Hist. = 0.5 credit each: Gov't & Econ)
   (most colleges want 1 credit Amer. Hist.)
2-4 credits = For. Lang., same language
   (FL = ----)
   (most colleges want 2 credits, some 3, some 4; all colleges accept Latin, and many accept ASL)
1 credit = Fine Arts**
1 credit = PE
   (FL = 1 credit)
   (college admissions do not require PE -- it would be an elective)
4-8+ credits = Electives ***
   (FL = requires 8 credits -- For. Lang. could count here)
   (colleges do not require specific # or types of electives)
22-28+ credits total
   (FL = requires 25 total)
   (the more competitive the college, the more competitive the student's # of credits and course rigor need to be)

* = Social Studies
Colleges tend to be very flexible about accepting credits from many Social Studies (Social Science) areas, including: History, Government, Economics, Political Science, Philosophy, Religious Studies, Anthropology, Archaeology, Sociology, Women or Gender Studies, etc.

** = Fine Arts
In addition to typical Arts courses, FL counts Speech & Public Speaking as a performing art to cover this credit. There is a wide variety of choices for this credit:
- visual arts (drawing, painting, photography, filmmaking)
- studio arts (printmaking, pottery, sculpture, jewelry making, glassblowing, metal working, wood working)
- performance arts (theater, music, dance)
- appreciation (of film, art, music, theater, etc.)
- digital arts (animation, graphics software, web design)
- other arts (music composing, dance choreography, theater costume/prop design, textiles art)
- course in design or color theory or fundamentals

*** = Electives
Computer, Engineering, Robotics, Logic, Health, PE, Bible/Religious Studies, Vocational-Tech, courses in personal interest subjects, additional Fine Arts credits beyond the required, "academic electives" -- additional credits in the 5 academic core subjects (English, Math, Science, Social Studies, Foreign Language) beyond the required, etc.

Edited February 14, 2019 by Lori D.