need accredited diploma for my daughter's future school

[Lisa Hainline]

need help and thought someone might now be able to direct me to some answers…on your site or elsewhere.


I unschooled my 16 year old who is extremely talented in photography, and with a passion to get into fashion photography, has already had over a dozen senior portrait commissions and her other stuff is incredible. She has suffered over the years with more than several diseases and I know she would have missed much school had she been in the public school…but with a divorce and remarriage, I put her into a public school for her junior year this year.



She is right brained and dyslexic and so struggled with math which I allowed her to use in the businesses she set up and then again, with some tutoring through some learning centers but still can in no way make the Michigan requirement of 2 years of algebra to graduate. The school she’s attending won’t recognize her home school hours and credits and want her to test out for 9th and 10th grade.


WHY all of this is important is that she has her heart set on going to a photography school in Santa Barbara, who already loves her work and said they can place her in NY in fashion after 3 years, and will help her start to get her grants lined up starting next year…BUT…………they say she needs a GED or equivalent, or a high school diploma from a credited institution recognized by the State Department of Education!



She’s in classes now which will help with come credits but she won’t graduate from the school she’s in now.


WHERE can I find out how people handle this or what to do? I’ve researched testing facilities, GED info, schools online but they require the same thing…and in CA, they do not recognize homeschoolers.



Help!

Thanks a TON,

Lisa Hainline (Stapor)

[Sandra Dodd]

You're in California, which is good! I recommend the GED, or maybe to be artsier, this:

But many schools will *say* they require certain things, and then get all excited about exceptions, so consider that too. A portfolio and cover letter explaining that she's just too darned special to follow their rules might be way better than a piece of certification.

http://www2.cruzio.com/~beachhi/home.html
Beach High School is a very unschooling-friendly outfit. He can make her an awesome set of credentials.

[Lisa Hainline]

we're not in CA yet, still in MI and trying to raise enough to be with my husband there...so i love the idea about still trying with a portfolio...is that what you mean about being artsier? I'll check into the other one, thanks. it stinks to have to play 'by the rules' but as an artist myself, i know sometimes we have to.

i saw some questions from the GED and i'm not sure most highschool students could pass it! or most adults for that matter! it's the same test in all states, right?

[Lisa Hainline]

waiting to hear from him, who does not name himself in his website but i do not see any accredulated reference...and if that's the case, he's not more 'believable" than I would be to do my own...right?



Lisa Hainline said:

we're not in CA yet, still in MI and trying to raise enough to be with my husband there...so i love the idea about still trying with a portfolio...is that what you mean about being artsier? I'll check into the other one, thanks. it stinks to have to play 'by the rules' but as an artist myself, i know sometimes we have to.

i saw some questions from the GED and i'm not sure most highschool students could pass it! or most adults for that matter! it's the same test in all states, right?

[Benjamin Gilbert]

If your husband is living in California, you can probably have your daughter take the CHSPE (California High School Proficiency Exam) which is a GED equivalent that, in California at least, is better than having a GED in that CA state law requires any employer or educational institution to regard it as exactly the same as a diploma, so they can't legally prefer actual diplomas for a position over people who have passed the CHSPE.

I took it when I was 16, and I don't recall it being terribly difficult.

[Lisa Hainline]

so this might be called 'the equivelent" of the GED? is it easier? I mean, stuff i saw on the GED is definately over her head and even ability to learn. thanks for the tip! I SO appreciate it as i'm spending DAYS on the computer at a time looking for some accredited schools who may be willing to count her credits and put together a senior year and diploma...near impossible.


Benjamin Gilbert said:

If your husband is living in California, you can probably have your daughter take the CHSPE (California High School Proficiency Exam) which is a GED equivalent that, in California at least, is better than having a GED in that CA state law requires any employer or educational institution to regard it as exactly the same as a diploma, so they can't legally prefer actual diplomas for a position over people who have passed the CHSPE.

I took it when I was 16, and I don't recall it being terribly difficult.

[Charissa Vaunderbroad]

I don't know if it would transfer to your state but in Washington there is a group called the Family Learning Organization. They can help and <3 unschoolers.

http://www.familylearning.org/

They have so much help and advice when it comes to assessment and your options. In Washington you have to have an assessment done by a teacher currently teaching in the state, this is a group of teachers supportive of natural learning.
We do the checklist assessment because there is no time limit on it ( or the freestyle assessment) when I first found them we did multiple checklist assessments in the same year, the teachers looked them over and sent me back a form that said he completed the grade requirements and I never had to make him sit down and take any tests.

They also have standardized tests

http://www.familylearning.org/tests_cat.php

and preparation booklets and stuff, I would get the preparation materials first( if she decided to go this route) because once you order the tests it needs to be back at F.L.O. within two weeks (unless it is a freestyle or checklist assessment)

If it works for your state I would recommend the freestyle assessment because it is all about her accomplishments and has no time limit. Not only would empower her but she would get a letter back saying she completed her current grade level which might be grade 12. Even if it's not the legal requirement it may be the thing that makes her portfolio not only artistic but schoolish.
I think it's 30 dollars.
Many teachers don't understand homeschool laws and think that it's all about hours. I recommend emailing these people to find help with this. ~Charissa

[Lisa Hainline]

thanks for the info and i'll check them out but i can't see any accredidation on their site and that's what i need. i saw another company that 'required' that tests be back within 2 weeks or not at all. weird.
I HIT A HUGE VICTORY though, i must have overwhelmed her public school teacher because the woman just went and put my daughter's homeschool credits on her transcript! SO, if we transfer out, they go with her and if we stay her, she would still have to test to win them through the MI Merit system...but it's a huge victory. Squeeky wheel thing?

i also found other places that are more accredited like Royal Academy, Western Christian academy, Disaderata, Sycamore, American Academy, & Bridgeway...so i'm excited that there ARE options, that if i enrol her for one semester, they will count up much for a small fee and some of these really love unschoolers and real life learning...in case you know someone else who might need the help.

thanks to all!

Charissa Vaunderbroad said:

I don't know if it would transfer to your state but in Washington there is a group called the Family Learning Organization. They can help and <3 unschoolers.

http://www.familylearning.org/

They have so much help and advice when it comes to assessment and your options. In Washington you have to have an assessment done by a teacher currently teaching in the state, this is a group of teachers supportive of natural learning.
We do the checklist assessment because there is no time limit on it ( or the freestyle assessment) when I first found them we did multiple checklist assessments in the same year, the teachers looked them over and sent me back a form that said he completed the grade requirements and I never had to make him sit down and take any tests.

They also have standardized tests

http://www.familylearning.org/tests_cat.php

and preparation booklets and stuff, I would get the preparation materials first( if she decided to go this route) because once you order the tests it needs to be back at F.L.O. within two weeks (unless it is a freestyle or checklist assessment)

If it works for your state I would recommend the freestyle assessment because it is all about her accomplishments and has no time limit. Not only would empower her but she would get a letter back saying she completed her current grade level which might be grade 12. Even if it's not the legal requirement it may be the thing that makes her portfolio not only artistic but schoolish.
I think it's 30 dollars.
Many teachers don't understand homeschool laws and think that it's all about hours. I recommend emailing these people to find help with this. ~Charissa

[Charissa Vaunderbroad]

Kudos on getting her the hours!
Like I said f.l.o. just meets the Washington state requirements, They will help if you need it though.

[Lisa Hainline]

Thanks everyone! i'm also going to see if she can study to take the california proficiency exam should she not get the diploma for some reason. I hear CA has an "exit exam"...gosh, they just gotta control us ALL!

bless you all!
lisa