For part of 2025, I have decided to do blog posts centering around frequently asked homeschool questions. I have been asked these questions or seen them in various online spaces. In today’s blog post, I am highlighting the topic of graduation.
When have you ever been asked to show your high school diploma? Do you carry it around in your back pocket with your driver’s license? Probably not. I am not trying to provoke anyone in that statement, but it is what it is. If you are the parent, then that qualifies you to homeschool your children. Under your state’s laws, you are also qualified to issue a homeschooling diploma on your student’s behalf.
While an agency or the government doesn’t hold many of us homeschoolers accountable as Public Schools do, If I issue a diploma to my child without them earning it, that’s on me and a disservice to my child. Now, while we don’t have to flash our diplomas around, homeschooled students, just like public school students, need a transcript to attend college, enter the military, or attend a trade school. I will, just like a public school guidance counselor, issue a transcript for my child. Just like a diploma, I am not going to issue transcripts or doctor them in a way that is a disadvantage for my children. They will have to earn their high school credits just like public school students, but they will also have to do the work involved.
I set out to create a blueprint for what high school should look like for our kiddos. I have lined up for them to earn credits for high school like that of the public school. I created this PDF that outlines how many credits they will need to graduate. I offered a suggested path for high school courses and then also created a planning worksheet to help us keep track of things. I am offering that for free to you as well,
How my kiddos earn their credits is up to them. I went through and jotted down curriculums I had researched and other ideas that would allow them to meet their credit requirements. So, to hold our homeschooled kids accountable and earn a diploma and transcripts, we, as homeschool parents, set our graduation requirements, often beyond what the state requires. The unique thing available to homeschool students is that they can take courses that will directly relate to their future. Suppose they are going into the medical field. In that case, they can have a heavier influence and course load of sciences and math to challenge them and prepare them for college. Similarly, suppose the student wishes to enter the trades. In that case, they can begin taking classes and get certifications that will help them in their trade. For example, our oldest wants to become a heavy machine operator (like several of her family members currently are). I am going to have her begin studying for her CDL along with her driver’s license, and we will be looking to get her OSHA certifications, which will be necessary for her as well.
I hope this post has answered any questions you may have about graduating as a homeschooled student. If not, feel free to comment under this blog post or contact me via our Facebook Page or Instagram. If you want more in-depth conversations, check out our Facebook Parent Group.
Remember that this post is part of a series of FAQ’s regarding homeschooling. This is the proposed schedule of past and future topics:
Am I even qualified to Teach My Child?
Who Holds You Accountable?
But What About Graduation?
What Should My Child Be Learning?
How Do I Choose Curriculum and What About the Cost?
How Long Does It Actually Take?
But What About Socialization?
What is the Hardest Part?
What Types of Schooling Are There?
What Do I Need to Homeschool?
How Can I Be Around My Kid All Day?
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