What does a special needs homeschooler do when their teen turns 18? or 21? What does a teen need to know to get a diploma? Who gives my teen a diploma? My teen is chronologically of age but not in ability, are there options for us? What do I do now that we have reached the end of our journey?
Each state is different and thus they all have slightly different versions of what a teen must know to be considered acceptable for graduation. Look at your homeschooling law first. Is there anything in the law specifically about graduation? Is there just an age range you must register you child until? You must first meet or exceed your state’s law. Most states do not have a mandate specifying what is acceptable for graduation for homeschoolers.
Why? Simply you have chosen to not use the public school system and they are now turning their back on you. This is the last rabbit in the hat of the school system to try to force your teen under their control. If you value a school issued diploma then you will put your child into high school. You don’t have to! There are options.
A diploma is simply a professional looking paper that stated your teen has successfully completely a high school level course of study. You, the homeschooling parent, are perfectly acceptable to issue that diploma! There is nothing special about a public school diploma. High schools like to crow about accreditation. What is sad is a huge amount of schools across the US are not accredited. They are simply issuing a diploma of completion.
Homeschoolers tend to issue parent signed diplomas. You can have an umbrella school, cyberschool, or distance learning school issue a diploma. Personally if hubby and I are hanging in there for 12 years of homeschooling I am going all the way and issuing a diploma!
Diploma options:
Honors/College Preparatory
Standard
Occupational
The levels of diplomas are pretty simple. The honors or college preparatory diplomas will require a higher GPA, the basics classes to match college entrance requirements (such as 2 yrs foreign langauge, higher level math, AP classes, or even some college classes). The standard can be for any child that has passed the high school level. An occupational diploma is for a teen that is ready for the workforce but did not excel at academics. There is one last option for teens that are not intellectually able to pass a high school level program.
You can issue a letter of completion. This means that your child was not academically able to graduate. This is not failure! A teens abilities and how far they can go are not a reflection of you. You can rest assured that your diligent training, homeschooling, and loving of your child is exactly what they need!
Why would you issue a letter of completion? You would need to for legal purposes such as when you petition the court to become legal guardian they are going to want to know that you are caring for your teen. If you teen receives Social Security disability payments that is a paper they like to have. Finally it is something to be proud of. You have kept going and you and your teen should be just as happy about this as anyone else receiving a diploma.
Graduation and diplomas are considered the pinnacle of the learning experience. Just the thought of diplomas, college entrance requirements, and where to go when you teen becomes and adult can leave you in a cold sweat. Take a deep breath. You have faced every obstacle and made it. You can successfully navigate the finally years of official homeschooling!
Resources for high school homeschooling:
My number one resource is Lee Binz, The Homescholar
HSLDA on High School Diploma
Thanks for the information. I have enjoyed your posts.