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Frequently Asked Questions
1. What are the laws regarding homeschooling in
high school in Nebraska?
The laws for homeschooling in high school in Nebraska are
much like the laws governing educating children at home
during the elementary school years. For specific information,
refer to the Nebraska Department of Education web site for
Exempt Schools (homeschools) at http://ess.nde.state.ne.us/OrgServices/ExemptSchools/Default.htm
You may also want to review the Nebraska Department of
Education’s FAQ document at http://ess.nde.state.ne.us/OrgServices/ExemptSchools/ExemptFAQ.htm
2. Does it take more time to teach high school
than elementary school?
In order to adhere to Nebraska’s laws, it takes a
little more time to teach high school than elementary school.
High school students are required to be “enrolled”
each year for a minimum of 1,080 hours, while the minimum
time for elementary students is 1,032 hours per year. However,
you may certainly teach your child for more than the minimum
amount of hours each year. When you complete your forms
for the state each year, you will account for the number
of hours you plan to teach. How you structure your day,
your week, your month, or the year, is up to you and will
impact the time it takes you to plan and implement your
curriculum. We have a variety of articles on our site that
you may want to review regarding this subject.
3. Where can I purchase curriculum for high school?
Curriculum for high school can be purchased from most of
the same publishers who produce curriculum for elementary
grades. Information about these resources is available on
this web site. You may also purchase materials from bookstores,
fellow homeschoolers, or other local resources.
4. What other options are available besides buying
standardized curriculum?
Some parents choose to create their own curriculum, while
others may choose to enroll their children in distance education/correspondence
courses in a certified school or an institution that specializes
in catering to homeschoolers. Other options include having
children enroll part-time in a public, private, or parochial
school, as well as take courses at local colleges. Parents
should check with the appropriate high school and/or college
for the availability and guidelines for these options. Whichever
option you decide to pursue, you will still be required
to account for your curriculum to the Nebraska Department
of Education each year by filling out the appropriate forms.
5. What subjects do I have to teach my child in
high school?
As far as the law in Nebraska is concerned, the subjects
you are required to teach in high school are the same as
in the elementary grades: basic skills in language arts,
mathematics, science, social studies and health.
If your child plans to attend a college or university,
it is very important that you not only consider the subjects
that are required by state law, but you should also consider
the subjects and the number of credits in each that a student
must complete in order to be admitted to the college or
university in question.
6. What subjects and credits do colleges and universities
require incoming students to have completed during high
school?
The subject and credit requirements that colleges and universities
have for incoming students who have completed high school
vary greatly. Therefore, it is very important to check with
the appropriate college or university early so you can plan
accordingly—preferably before you start teaching your
high school student at home.
Many schools require 3-4 years for each of the following
subjects: English (with a heavy emphasis on reading and
writing), social studies (often one course must be in U.S.
history), mathematics (with an emphasis on algebra), and
natural science (earth science, biology, and chemistry).
Students may be required to have at least one lab for one
of the science courses. When a student completes all of
the required high school courses, he/she has usually amassed
about 16-20 total credits.
Many schools also require that students complete at least
two years of a foreign language during high school. Parents
may be required to “prove” how students fulfilled
a language lab time—time to practice speaking and
listening to the foreign language. If students are unable
to have access to foreign language courses or labs, colleges
and universities may choose to admit the student on a contingency
basis, which means the student will have to take these courses
in college instead.
7. Will my child get admitted to college if he/she
takes these classes?
Just because your child completes the required classes
to be considered for admission to a college or university
doesn’t mean that being admitted is guaranteed. Often
students must also take certain tests, such as the ACT or
SAT, as well as fulfill other admission criteria to be considered
for admission. Admission to some schools can be very competitive
and not everyone gets into his/her first school of choice.
It’s best to check with the school to be sure that
you clearly understand what is required for being considered
for admission. It is also a great idea to apply to multiple
schools just in case your first choice doesn’t pan
out.
8. Does my child have to take the ACT and SAT
tests?
The requirement of the ACT and/or SAT test comes primarily
from the college or university your child hopes to attend
after high school. Some schools require one or the other,
some require both, and some schools require neither. If
the school requires one or both of the tests, the school
will usually also require a minimum score on the test. A
high or even perfect score on the test is not necessarily
a guarantee for being admitted to the school, however. Also
note that some schools may also require other admission
or placement tests.
9. How do I prepare my child for the ACT or SAT
and when should he/she take the tests?
Typically these tests are taken during the late sophomore
year or during the junior year of high school. When registering
for the tests, students will select the names (code numbers)
for the schools to which the results should be sent.
There are multiple resources available to help prepare
students to take these standardized tests including the
use of computer-tutorials, web sites, personal tutors, and
books. Often these resources include sample tests to help
give students the opportunity to practice answering questions
similar to those that will appear on the actual test. Students
who have completed two-three years of high school and have
taken the appropriate level courses in English, mathematics,
and science should have acquired, or at least have been
exposed to, the subject matter that will appear on these
tests.
10. What if my child doesn’t score well on
these tests?
Students may take most standardized tests more than once;
although, there may be stipulations about how much time
must transpire between tests.
Under certain conditions, some schools allow students to
take the tests multiple times in order to allow the students
to try to achieve the highest score possible. In these circumstances,
schools will usually choose to record only the highest scores
from each part of the test. For example, if your child does
well on all of the portions of the test the first time except
for one, he/she can retake the entire test. If he/she earns
a higher score on the portion of the test for which he/she
had previously earned a low score, the higher score is accepted
by the school.
11. What if I can’t or don’t feel
like I can adequately teach my child certain subjects?
Not everyone possesses the knowledge or experience necessary
to teach all of the required high school subjects. Even
having the teacher’s edition may not help a parent
teach subjects such as advanced mathematics if the parent
simply doesn’t understand the subject well enough
to explain it to the student.
There are a variety of options available that may be useful
and appropriate for teaching subjects with which the parent
isn’t comfortable. You may want to consider tutors,
classes offered by other homeschoolers who are subject-matter
experts, video courses, distance education or correspondence
courses, college courses, or part-time enrollment in a more
traditional school.
12. What about socialization?
Socialization is an ongoing topic of debate about homeschooling,
but can be a particular concern for the high school years
when teenagers usually thrive on social interactions with
others their own age. In remote areas of Nebraska, socialization
may be difficult for homeschoolers when the rest of the
high school population attends the local school.
In the urban areas of Omaha and Lincoln (and surrounding
communities), homeschoolers are blessed to have a variety
of opportunities for socialization. These activities range
from sports to clubs to both informal and formal gatherings.
In fact, there are often so many activities available that
homeschoolers may have a difficult time choosing between
them. If an activity isn’t available, you may want
to consider organizing it yourself!
13. What about sports and other extracurricular
activities?
Homeschoolers can take part in both competitive and non-competitive
sports through a variety of homeschool sports organizations.
Of course, there are also other organizations not associated
with homeschooling in which students can participate. Under
certain circumstances, homeschooling students may take part
in sports and other activities through the public schools;
parents should check on the current laws and regulations
with the state of Nebraska and their local school about
this option.
While sports and extracurricular activities are fun and
play an important part in developing a well-rounded individual,
parents should be keenly aware of how well (or not) these
activities will help children gain admission into college.
Colleges and universities certainly do want high school
students who have interests beyond academics, but first
and foremost, they want students who have the learning skills
and subject-matter knowledge necessary to succeed in higher
education.
14. Do homeschooling students do well in college?
There has been limited research about homeschoolers and
their academic performance in higher education. However,
the evidence available to date seems to indicate that homeschoolers
fare no worse in college than their more traditionally-educated
counterparts. Some research indicates that homeschoolers
are sought after by some colleges and universities because
they are expected to perform very well in college due to
the homeschooling student’s ability to think logically,
stay focused, and work hard. Dr. Brian Ray (and others)
have conducted research about adults who were homeschooled
and the results indicate that homeschoolers grow up to be
intelligent and productive citizens.
15. Do all homeschoolers go to college?
All homeschoolers do not go to college. Some homeschoolers
decide to enroll in the military, to start their own businesses,
to start careers, or simply to take some time off after
finishing high school. Preliminary research conducted by
Dr. Byers about homeschoolers in the Omaha/Lincoln areas
who completed high school seems to indicate that many homeschoolers
go on to college right after high school. His research also
seems to indicate that those homeschoolers who chose not
to start college right away either enrolled in college later
or were planning to do so.
16. Should my child take the GED exam (general
education diploma)?
The GED is a state-certified exam that individuals may
take if they do not graduate with a high school diploma
for whatever reason. Unfortunately, the GED is equated with
dropping out of high school, although there may be other
reasons why individuals choose to earn their GED. As a result,
homeschool students who have completed high school and who
choose to take the GED may be unfairly labeled by society
and some schools of higher education.
While many colleges and universities have become more aware
of the values of homeschooling and recognize the validity
of a homeschool diploma and transcript, many more schools
either do not understand or will not accept such credentials
from homeschool high school graduates. The Homeschool Legal
Defense Association (HSLDA) continues to act as an advocate
for homeschoolers and they may be a resource that parents
and students may want to employ when applying to a college
that insists that a homeschooler take the GED.
Some schools will admit homeschooled students without the
GED provided that they earn a certain minimum score on standardized
tests like the ACT and/or SAT and that the student can provide
appropriate records proving what courses were completed
and what grades were earned during high school. Some families
want their child to take the GED in order to have an “official”
diploma. So, it is entirely up to each family to make the
decision that is best for them.
17. What records should I keep during high school?
You should record information related to your child’s
academic performance during high school in the event that
he/she needs it to be admitted to college, to enlist in
the military, or for some other purpose. If you know what
your child is going to do after high school, such as enroll
in a particular college, it would be wise to check with
that school to determine what type of information is required
and in what format.
Generally colleges are looking for you to provide a high
school transcript (grade and attendance record). On this
record, at the very least, you’ll want to provide
your child’s name, social security number, the name,
address, and phone number of your school, the exact years
the student attended high school, which courses (by name)
your child completed and in what grade, what grade and how
many credits were earned for each course, your child’s
cumulative GPA (grade point average), and the date of graduation
(when the high school diploma was conferred). If your child
completed high school courses at another high school or
college, you’ll want to have a copy of these official
transcripts and you should note these courses on your transcripts
as well.
Some colleges may require you to provide a description
of each high school course completed. Typically, college
admission personnel need this information to help them understand
the scope and sequence (breadth and depth) of the student’s
learning experiences for each subject to ensure that the
curriculum was comparable to the curriculum of state-recognized
public, private, and parochial schools. Therefore, it may
also be wise to keep track of which materials were used
(title, author, publisher, and date of publication) and
descriptions of the assignments completed for each class.
Having a portfolio (samples) of your child’s work
from one or more classes may be nice to have on hand when
applying to a college, even if the school doesn’t
require it.
Typically it is easier to keep up with your record keeping
each year rather than trying to remember and record what
happened in years past—especially when you may be
experiencing the stress of filling out college applications.
It is also advisable to have both electronic and paper backup
copies of everything!
18. If my child takes college courses during high
school, does he/she earn college credits or high school
credits?
In most situations, when your child takes college courses
during high school, he/she earns both college and high school
credits. Of courses, the college courses must be actual
for-credit courses, meaning that they weren’t continuing
education courses, such as underwater basket weaving or
some hobby-related topic.
Quite often, homeschooling students complete high school
with a college Associate’s Degree (a 2-year degree)
and/or having completed many of the general requirements
students must take as part of completing a 4-year degree,
thus shortening the time they must spend earning a Bachelor’s
Degree. If your child takes courses at one college during
high school and he/she will attend another after high school,
check with both schools about which courses/credits can
be transferred between them.
19. Do I issue my child a high school diploma?
You may certainly issue your child a high school diploma.
Usually diploma forms can be purchased from a store, or
you can even create one on your own computer. However, it
isn’t required that you issue your child a diploma.
Keep in mind that a diploma is simply a piece of paper
used for display purposes to indicate the achievement of
graduating from a school. College and universities don’t
usually want a copy of the high school diploma (although
some may); what they want is the official transcript record
that proves your child completed all of the requirements
for high school.
20. What about a high school graduation ceremony?
Some local homeschooling groups stage a group high school
graduation ceremony, so you’ll want to contact them
for more information. Again, while not required, the graduation
ceremony has some benefits for the student, such as providing
the opportunity to be “officially” recognized,
to bring closure to a period of his/her life (in essence,
childhood), and to revel in celebrating the accomplishment
of a major milestone of life. Senior pictures, class rings,
and a graduation party are all optional, but may add to
the fun!
21. What if I have other questions?
There are many excellent resources available that can help
answer other questions you may have—or at least they
may point you in the right direction. We have included several
articles on our site by Dr. David Byers that specifically
address homeschool high school issues, such as:
The Skills Students Need in College
Self-Directed Learning
Critical Thinking
Effective Ways to Teach and Learn
Learning Journals
The Advantages and Disadvantages of Textbooks
Considerations for Buying Curricula
And more
Dr. Byers, a homeschooling father of six, holds a Ph.D.
in Education with a specialization in teaching and learning.
He wrote his dissertation about homeschooling in high school
and even published a book entitled, Homeschooling in High
School for Higher Education. Dr. Byers writes articles and
a question/answer column for homeschooling parents for the
HEN newsletters. If you have a question you would like Dr.
Byers to address in the HEN newsletter, you may write to
him at dbyers@tconl.com.
You may also want to review the other resources available
on our site including book reviews, descriptions of activities,
and more. Additionally, you may want to peruse your local
library or book store or even go online to find more information.
The information provided on this site does
not necessarily represent the views or opinions of any of
the members of the Home Educators Network. HEN does not
endorse the viewpoints nor recommend the products represented
by any of the links from this site. These links are offered
as points which are of interest and use to many homeschoolers.
None of the information distributed by HEN, either verbal
or written, is intended as legal advice and should not take
the place of legal counsel from a qualified, informed attorney. |
