{"id":4650,"date":"2024-09-03T22:51:00","date_gmt":"2024-09-03T22:51:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/homeschool-curriculum.staging.miaprep.com\/?page_id=4650"},"modified":"2024-09-03T22:52:02","modified_gmt":"2024-09-03T22:52:02","slug":"homeschool-diploma","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/miaprep.com\/homeschool-curriculum\/homeschool-diploma\/","title":{"rendered":"How to Get a Homeschool Diploma"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

With families wanting a more personalized and flexible approach to education, homeschooling is becoming more popular than ever! However, a large barrier can be graduation \u2014 what happens when a homeschooler graduates high school?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Diplomas have always been a tool to unlock higher education and job opportunities. Homeschoolers can and do earn diplomas, although the process looks a little different. In this article, we\u2019ll cover everything you need to know about homeschool diplomas, from graduation paths to diploma fairness laws and more!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What is a Homeschool Diploma?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

A high school homeschool diploma is awarded upon graduation, often created and administered by a parent. Many state education agencies do not award diplomas to homeschool students as they would to public high school students.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Like homeschool diplomas, traditional high school diplomas are awarded upon completion of specific graduation requirements for each student. However, these diplomas may be provided by the state or are state-sanctioned in some way. Public high school diplomas are always accepted by colleges and employers as proof of a high school education, while homeschool high school diplomas may not be as readily accepted.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In many states, the graduation requirements for homeschoolers are decided by each family instead of being regulated by the state\u2019s education department. In states without diploma fairness laws, some colleges and employers may not accept homeschool diplomas. To avoid this, many homeschoolers take the GED<\/a> or HiSET exam<\/a> to earn an official high school equivalency diploma.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Why is a Homeschool Diploma Important?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

For a student, a high school diploma represents years of hard work and dedication in school and is the key to future opportunities and careers. Diplomas are also important for colleges and universities (many won\u2019t let you apply without one) and employers because they serve as proof of education.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Most U.S. states recognize homeschool diplomas as equivalent to traditional high school diplomas, allowing homeschool graduates to apply for college or jobs without discrimination. A diploma or its equivalent can be the key to your student\u2019s future, so it\u2019s important to know what your options are and how to get one.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

How to Get a Homeschool Diploma<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

1. Create a graduation path, or four-year plan.<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

When you create your graduation path, you\u2019ll be setting yearly course completion goals and the amount of credits needed to graduate. Also known as a \u201cfour-year plan,\u201d this path helps ensure your student finishes their education on time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Many parents model their graduation path after their state\u2019s public high school graduation standards, with a few personalized touches. If your student is being homeschooled after the 9th grade, it can be helpful to adjust your graduation path based on already completed courses. You can find your state\u2019s high school graduation standards on your education department website or view our MiaPrep Online High School graduation requirements as an example: <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Course Category<\/em><\/strong><\/td>RequiredCredits<\/em><\/strong><\/td>Notes<\/em><\/strong><\/td><\/tr>
English<\/td>4<\/td>Students must complete English 1 and 2.<\/td><\/tr>
Math<\/td>3<\/td>Students must complete Algebra 1, Geometry, and Algebra 2. Four credits are recommended for many colleges.<\/td><\/tr>
Science<\/td>3<\/td>Students must complete at least 3 of these 4 credits: Integrated Physics and Chemistry (replaces Physical Science), Biology, Chemistry, and Physics.<\/td><\/tr>
Social Studies<\/td>4<\/td>Students must complete World History, U.S. History, and either Civics or Economics<\/td><\/tr>
World Language<\/td>2<\/td>Both credits must be for the same language.<\/td><\/tr>
P.E.\/Health<\/td>1<\/td>Required credits must be 0.5 PE credit and 0.5 Health credit.<\/td><\/tr>
Visual and Performing Arts<\/td>1<\/td>Students must complete at least two of the following: Theatre Arts 1, Theatre Arts 2, and Elements of Art 1.<\/td><\/tr>
Electives<\/td>6<\/td>Students may take additional or advanced courses in any of the above categories to satisfy elective requirements. Students must complete Financial Literacy.Note that many elective courses are 0.5 credits.<\/strong><\/td><\/tr>
Total credits<\/td>24<\/td><\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

2. Meet your state\u2019s homeschooling requirements and standards.\u00a0<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

If it\u2019s your first time homeschooling, you may be surprised to learn that homeschooling is not federally regulated. The homeschooling laws and regulations you need to follow are determined by your individual state. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Your state may require certain subjects, annual testing, or submission of test scores to your local superintendent. To make sure you\u2019re in compliance with your state\u2019s laws, check out our easy-to-follow State Laws<\/a> page.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

3. Keep thorough records of academic progress.<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Thorough record keeping is critical for high school students! After all, how can you award a diploma without a record of what they\u2019ve learned? Keeping thorough records of your child\u2019s high school academic career can ensure they\u2019ve met all requirements by graduation. Some items to keep track of include: <\/p>\n\n\n\n