New here and no idea how to get my high schooler graduated. Please help if you can.

[Buz]

Hi there! I'm a long time lurker. I have a 17 year old for whom I am out of ideas. We homeschooled her until high school. There were a variety of reasons for that but a few of the biggest were her sensory issues and getting very overwhelmed, as well as a significant anxiety and depression when her sensory issues were triggered. 

She did great in 9th grade. She had a 504 place and was able to take more time with tests, and move when she needed to, etc. The public school here was good for her. She loved being with her friends and aside from a few anxious/depressed episodes she was great. !0th grade she was already struggling before COVID. It was too intense, too overwhelming. When school went online in March she just was done.

This year I tried getting her going with all virtual school for her junior year. It still felt too much and too overwhelming. In addition, horses have always been her true love. When covid started she began going to her barn 4 or 5 times a week. She is now second in command there, teaches, trains horses, and does barn things to pay for board for the horse she finally bought and her care. She stopped school after about 6 weeks. She was just falling apart.

She still goes 4 times a week to the barn and spend most of the day there. This will be her life and vocation in some form. There are 2 year Ag/Tech degrees in horse management that she is interested in. She doesn't mind "graduating" late. I don't know what to do with her. I don't know how to help her graduate in any form. She has never fit the mold AT ALL (unlike my other daughter who is thriving as a sophomore) and nothing I can think of seems to fit the mold.

She has this full life with no school in it but I know that we will all regret it if we can't get her graduated. Can anyone help me? Thanks.

Buz

[sweet2ndchance]

My ex-husband went through an eight week adult high school program rather than do a 5th year of high school. He got a state recognized adult high school diploma; which in that state was a step above a GED and a step below a regular HS diploma. Anyways, it was enough for him to join the military and he got a CCAF degree while he was in. Between his military experience and his CCAF, he hasn't had a single issue with not having a normal high school diploma. Even if he had a GED I don't think it would have been a problem.

If she wants to get this 2 year AG/Tech degree you might find out what it will take to get her into that. Will they accept a GED? Will they let her test into classes without a HS diploma? Once she has something higher than a high school diploma, very few people are going to ask for her HS diploma, kwim?

[Momto6inIN]

I would sit down and look at what credits she has accumulated from the past 2 years and what she still needs in order to get into this 2 year Ag program and have her help you come up with a plan to get that done. If you need to do equine science or the history of horsemanship or a research paper about horses in order to get her to buy in, then do it. It will almost certainly take more of your time and hand holding than virtual school did, but I would do whatever you have to to get her to graduate. She may be fine in the short term without it, but she will almost certainly regret not having it in the long term.

[maize]

So she has credits for 9th grade and also for 10th, is that correct? 

If she needs an accredited transcript I would look into NARHS. They don't require as many credits as some schools do to graduate, nor as many hours per credit. Her horse work can count towards credit. She may need less than you think.

 

[maize]

https://www.narhs.com/

[Lori D.]

Copy-pasting my response from your x-post on the high school board here, too:
_____________________________

1. First figure out what credits (full and partial) that she has already earned. Don't forget to "bring up" high school level courses that may have been in 8th grade (like, Algebra 1 or Biology or a Foreign Language).

2. Then figure out what credits are still needed for graduation. If you opt to go with homeschooling to finish out high school, you as the parent-administrator would dictate the set of credits required for graduation. A very basic set of graduation credits would include:

4 credits = English
3 credits = Math (Algebra 1, Geometry, and either Algebra 2 or other math, such as Consumer Math, Business Math, Bookkeeping, etc.)
3 credits = Science, at least 2 credits have labs
3 credits = Social Studies (1 credit = Amer. Hist; 1 credit = World Hist. and/or Geog.; 05 credit each = Econ & Gov't)
1 credit = Fine Arts or CTE (Career-Technical Education)
6 credits = Electives (ex: Foreign Language; PE; Health; Computer; personal interests; vocational-technical; etc.)
20 credits = minimum as total credits

Ideas for how to accomplish credits you still need for a homeschool diploma, and gear the credits around her already clear career choice and future:

English
Typically this is half Literature and half Writing. You can accomplish this in all kinds of ways:
- literature = read/discuss books of high interest to you and your DD
- public speaking = 0.5 credit could be in practicing putting together and giving presentations, teaching, debating, etc.
- writing = this could practice writing she'll need in the future, such as:
* blog article writing (if needing to make regular posts on a website to keep her business in the public eye)
* business and real life writing (reports, presentations, resumes, cover letters, letters of thanks / complaint / request / recommendation / etc.)
* possibly grant-writing

Math
Does she has any math credits (Alg. 1 and above) to "bring up" from 8th grade? I'd be sure she completes Algebra 1 and Geometry. And if a College Algebra course will be required for the Ag/Tech degrees in horse management, then be sure to also complete Algebra 2 in prep for that College Algebra course. If College Algebra will not be required, then be sure to complete Alg. 1 and Geom., and then do at least a 3rd math credit, and make it something that will help her in the future such as Consumer Math, or check out the Business Math offerings at the self-paced ALEKS such as:
- Business Math
- Business Statistics
- Bookkeeping 
- Accounting
- Finance

Science
Does she have any science credits (biology and above) to "bring up" from 8th grade? I'm guessing she already has 1 science credit from 9th grade, and possibly all or most of a 2nd credit from 10th grade? Can she get started on the Ag/Tech degrees in horse management as dual enrollment? Some of those courses could surely knock out any remaining Science courses she needs. Or, if that's not possible, what about a credit in Equine Science? See this past thread for ideas on how to make that happen: Equine Science question" -- and of course, some of her experiences at the stables would count in advance toward an Equine Science credit.

Social Studies
Does she have a high school level social studies credit to "bring up" from 8th grade? Again, guessing she already has 1-2 credits from 9th-10th grades. You do want to cover your bases and have 1 credit = American History, 1 credit = World History and/or Geography, and 0.5 credit each of Gov't and Economics. What of that has she already completed, and what still needs to be done? How would it be easiest to accomplish it:
- a documentary series or video series + some book resources -- example: Crash Course videos: US History; Economics; Government
- a "get 'er done" computer-based course of short videos/texts/tests -- example: Switched on Schoolhouse: Amer. History; Econ + Gov't
- other fast/easy option -- see these 2 past threads for ideas:
* "Secular and quick/easy: US Government? Same for Economics?
* "Government and Economics - not rigorous"

Fine Arts or CTE
Did she already complete a credit in 9th/10th grade for this? If not, does she practice/play an instrument? Or take art lessons? Part of a dance group? Check off hours and count as a credit in Fine Arts. Or if none of those have happened, is she at all interested in Photography? That's a pretty easy one to create a credit for. Or if you guys like to watch/discuss films -- what about a Film Appreciation course? I'd be happy to help you out with that one, as I have taught that at our homeschool co-op. 😉  

Electives
What might she have from 9th/10th grades already? Or what has she done in real life that could be counted as hours toward a credit -- example: physical activities = PE credit; specific learning/practice at the stables = specific horse-related Elective credit. If she is able to do dual enrollment now for an Ag/Tech degree in horse management, some of the courses that are not going to be needed to count towards Science or other subject area can count as Vocational-Tech Electives. What about anything you want to make sure she knows before graduating such as:
- personal finance
- driver's ed
- health/nutrition

___________________________

GED option
Finally, I know this is not a popular idea, and I am reluctant to mention it, BUT... it can be a legitimate option, especially if a student is struggling with mental health: let go of the goal of earning a high school diploma, and consider studying for/taking the GED when 18yo. (She would need either a high school diploma or a GED to register for the community college to do an Ag/Tech degree in horse management.)

And instead of spending this time on traditional high school classes, use this time to develop real life skills that will best prepare her for a successful life-long adulthood and citizen:

- solid writing skills, and practice with business writing/real life writing, as well as oral presentations with a slideshow element
- solid foundational math skills and understanding of consumer math and personal finance
- solid computer skills
- communication skills (clear thinking/communicating; active listening/questioning skills; explaining/teaching; conflict resolution; etc.)
- health topics such as nutrition; exercise; mental health; s*xual health and relationships; balanced life; etc.
- how government works, and especially civic duties & rights
- an overview of world history and US history, and current events, to be able to understand context for what is going on in the world today 
___________________________

BEST wishes for improved mental health, and wishing you BOTH success as together you plan for what is the best option for moving forward, and to leave doors open for the future! Warmest regards, Lori D.

Edited January 17, 2021 by Lori D.

[Ellie]

On 1/16/2021 at 2:46 PM, Buz said:

Hi there! I'm a long time lurker. I have a 17 year old for whom I am out of ideas. We homeschooled her until high school. There were a variety of reasons for that but a few of the biggest were her sensory issues and getting very overwhelmed, as well as a significant anxiety and depression when her sensory issues were triggered. 

She did great in 9th grade. She had a 504 place and was able to take more time with tests, and move when she needed to, etc. The public school here was good for her. She loved being with her friends and aside from a few anxious/depressed episodes she was great. !0th grade she was already struggling before COVID. It was too intense, too overwhelming. When school went online in March she just was done.

This year I tried getting her going with all virtual school for her junior year. It still felt too much and too overwhelming. In addition, horses have always been her true love. When covid started she began going to her barn 4 or 5 times a week. She is now second in command there, teaches, trains horses, and does barn things to pay for board for the horse she finally bought and her care. She stopped school after about 6 weeks. She was just falling apart.

She still goes 4 times a week to the barn and spend most of the day there. This will be her life and vocation in some form. There are 2 year Ag/Tech degrees in horse management that she is interested in. She doesn't mind "graduating" late. I don't know what to do with her. I don't know how to help her graduate in any form. She has never fit the mold AT ALL (unlike my other daughter who is thriving as a sophomore) and nothing I can think of seems to fit the mold.

She has this full life with no school in it but I know that we will all regret it if we can't get her graduated. Can anyone help me? Thanks.

Buz

Is she literate? That is, can she read and write well enough to do what she needs to do in her chosen life path?

Does she have the math skills she needs to be a functioning adult?

If yes, then I say graduate her and let her move on. If she needs more education down the rode, she can always take classes at the community college or self-study.

[Renai]

Is dual enrollment in that program an option? If so, those classes can count towards her high school. Once my daughter filled out her high school transcript with her dual enrollment baking certificate classes, I graduated her. She was also quite done around 11th-12th grade, but was very motivated to complete the community college program in something she considered making a vocation of.