With state high school graduation requirements, standardized tests, and college entrance at stake, the thought of homeschooling through high school can be intimidating. Fortunately, with knowledge and proper planning, it can be done and done well.
Evidence of the success of homeschool high school students can be found in the National ACT High School Profile Report for the Graduating Class of 2005. This report states that the average ACT score was 20.9 while the average ACT score of a homeschooled student was 22.5. Unfortunately the Summary of Responses to Various Demographic Items which included these statistics on homeschooling is not available in more recent ACT Profile reports. However, due to the lack of recent research in this area, the Home School Legal Defense Association (HSLDA) commissioned Dr. Brian Ray, an internationally recognized scholar and president of the non-profit National Home Education Research Institute (NHERI), to collect data for the 2007–08 academic year. This study, entitled Progress Report 2009: Homeschool Academic Achievement and Demographics, indicates that when tested homeschool students nationwide scored in the 88th percentile in core curriculum (reading, language and math) compared to the national average 50th percentile ranking for public school students.
The new Michigan High School Graduation Requirements (which can be seen online at the link below) are of great concern to many local homeschooling parents. However, though most homeschool parents are unaware of it, Michigan state regulations do not require homeschool families to comply with these new regulations. Page 44 of the Michigan Merit Curriculum High School Graduation Requirements document says:
Q: Do the new graduation requirements apply to home schools, private schools, and parochial
schools?
A: No, the legislature did not specifically require this as a condition to earn a high school diploma in a non-public Michigan school. However, currently the requirement for one semester credit in Civics/Government does apply to all public and non-public schools in Michigan.
While homeschooling families are not required to follow the new state graduation requirements, it is recommended that they follow a college prep course of curriculum. An estimated 50 percent of homeschooled students attend college, about the same rate as their public-school counterparts. However, in recent years colleges in the United States have seen increasing enrollment of non-traditional students. Non-traditional college students are those who choose not to enter college immediately after high school. Because of this trend and the way employment is changing, it is important that parents prepare every student to attend college. Homeschooled students who do not plan to attend college right away may decide to take college classes or attend full time several years after high school graduation, and they must be prepared to do so.
There are many resources available to homeschool parents to help with setting high school graduation requirements and choosing curriculum. Because of the great need for support in this area, HSLDA has recently begun a Homeschooling Thru High School email newsletter. In addition, they have two former homeschool moms on staff as high school coordinators to answer questions and offer encouragement. More information on high school resources including suggested graduation requirements are available at the HSLDA website at http://www.hslda.org/highschool/default.asp.
Locally, the Home School Building Bookstore and Resource Center carry a large variety of books on homeschooling through high school. Both the bookstore and library are staffed with current and veteran homeschool moms who are happy to answer questions and offer advice in many areas of homeschooling.
Comments