Creating a Plan for High School (High School Planning, Part 1)

As my public school class completed 8th grade, we were introduced to the world of 

Planning High School Course of Studies.

We were instructed that in high school we needed (at that time, in my state) four English courses, two Science courses, two Math courses, three social studies courses, 1/2 year of physical education, and... I don't know... at this point I would be guessing to say I really remember what was required to graduate in 1975...

So, fast forward 25 years, and my first student was entering high school as a home school student. I had to learn quickly how to do this on my own, figure out what was "required", and what course of study to have each of my students complete. I thought you would appreciate learning from my experience.

The first advice I have to offer follows:

• Know your state's home school laws and state requirements for graduation, and whether or not you have to follow them;
• Know college admissions requirements. Whether or not your student intends to go to college, consider the fact that a student who does not go to college after 12th grade may later change his or her mind. You want to graduate them with a transcript they can use to get into college.
• Learn how to write course descriptions and how to create a transcript. Update these documents as you go along -- don't put it off til 11th grade or something!

What I have learned in my situation is:

1. What my state's graduation requirements are, and
2. That I am not required to follow these requirements. My state public school system does not respect my son's home school graduation as valid, they don't consider any diploma I issue as valid, and what is more important in my situation is
3. What the college wants to see on my son's transcript.

In my unique situation, my son will be graduating the same year my husband will be retiring. It is our expectation that we will probably be relocating to a different state before my son begins his college years. I have given serious consideration to having my son enroll in the local community college for dual enrollment for some of his high school courses. I might still do this, but we will be doing it with full knowledge that the college in the state we relocate might not give him college credit for those courses, so we might not do that at all.

If I haven't lost you yet, here comes the good stuff. What I start with at the beginning of the planning is a blank template I created that becomes the transcript when you finish. I keep it as a Word document so that I can change it as I need to. My current high school plan (which seems ever changing) is as follows:
English: 4 credits;
Math: 3 credits required, 1 additional credit, which counts as an elective math credit;
Science: 3 credits required, 1 additional elective science will be taken;
Social Studies: 3 credits required (World History, US History, Government), 1 additional will probably be taken;
Foreign Language: 2 credits required; 2-3 will be taken;
1/2 credit "Health" required by state... Will probably cover material that I will give him the credit on his transcript;
1/2 credit Physical Education required by state will be taken;
various Bible credits will be given (our home school Umbrella oversight requires Bible be one of his courses, so might as well give him credit for it);
and he will be given credit for interest-led courses, like this year he learned about Videography.

21 credits required to graduate. So, I'm having trouble figuring out how to share the plan here. Don't see a way to share the Word document, so if you want it leave me a message with your email. Here's what the blank form looks like, and a link to my plan for my boy:

High School Credit Report

Student Name:                                                                     Date of Birth: Social Security #: Address:

We hereby affirm the completion of the following courses by our child. Date: ______________________ Father: _________________________   Mother: _____________________________

Subjects and Required Credits

Ninth Grade Year:

Tenth Grade Year:

Eleventh Grade Year:

Twelfth Grade Year:

Description                 Grade Credit

Description               Grade Credit

Description             Grade Credit

Description            Grade Credit

Bible / Christian Service

3

English

4

*

Math

3

Science

3

Social Studies

3

Physical Ed./ Health

1

Elective

4

Elective

Elective

Elective

Total Credits by Grade

Requirements on this form are based on the graduation requirements for the state of Maryland.  These requirements should be filled in according to your state.

HERE IS THE LINK TO THE FOUR YEAR PLAN!

High School Credit Report

Student Name:                                                       Date of Birth: Social Security #: Address:

We hereby affirm the completion of the following courses by our child. Date: ______________________ Father: _________________________   Mother: _____________________________

Subjects and Required Credits		Ninth Grade Year:  2014-2015			Tenth Grade Year:  2015-2016			Eleventh Grade Year: 2016-2017			Twelfth Grade Year: 2017-2018
		Description                 Grade Credit			Description               Grade Credit			Description             Grade Credit			Description            Grade Credit
Bible / Christian Service	4	Bible Survey		1	Bible Literature		1	New Testament Bible History		1	Ancient Bible History		1
English	4	English I		1	English II		1	English III		1	English IV		1
Math	4	Algebra I		1	Algebra II		1	Geometry		1	Pre-Calculus		1
Science	3	Biology with Lab		1	Marine Biology		1	Chemistry		1	Physics		1
Social Science	3	World History		1	American History		1	U.S. Government		1	Ancient History		1
Physical Ed./ Health	1	Physical Education		.5	Health		.5
Foreign Language	4	Spanish I		.5	Spanish II		1	Spanish III		1
Fine Arts
Elective		Videography		1
Elective
Total Credits by Grade				7			6.5			5

We attach course descriptions as we go along. As we post grades, it becomes the transcript.

Let me know what you think!