Hello! My son is almost 18 he is just finished with his junior year (fall birthday). He is very intelligent and bored at school. He is planning on joining Airforce and has already been accepted. He is 3 regular credits and 6 electives short of graduating. Problem is he has all but decided to quite school. He had his class lineup 1) woodshop 2) ceramics 3) Basketball (as elective) 4) metal works 5) career choices This is what the school had him doing. My son was so frustrated that he couldn't get on with his life and go to Airforce because he had to pass ceramics and woodshop. I see his point. He can take any test and pass. He did online GED and got 100% on math 98% on science and 90% in English. SO any ideas? encouraging thoughts? Ways to "test out"? He has to have DIPLOMA for military or we would GED But Homeschool is our best chance. Thank you
Are you thinking you could "homeschool" him for his senior year and issue a homeschool diploma? How does the AF feel about homeschool diplomas now? I thought there had been an issue with them in the past. If they accepted parent-issued diplomas, I'd pull him out next year and have him take enough CLEP tests to make up the missing credits according to your state's homeschool laws. It'd get him a head start on college credits and count toward meeting high school requirments.
Best bet is to talk to the Airforce. Explain the situation and ask if they'll accept a home school diploma. Then, research what is required in your state to issue a home school diploma. I don't think you're going to get him into the Airforce any faster with home school, if that is your hope. It's worth looking into, but you might be throwing more road blocks up than you are clearing. I do have a noteworthy concern. You said your son "has all but decided to quite school." because he's bored and is frustrated by what he considers futility in his class schedule. That's a HUGE problem if he's going into the military. He's going to be bored out of his mind in the AirForce...often. And sometimes he'll be so challenged, he'll be overwhelmed. And sometimes he'll have the time of his life. And sometimes the stupidity of the rules he'll have to follow will all but drive him crazy. But coping with boredom and really stupid rules....is a BIG part of military life. Personally, I'd let him practice coping with school...to be sure he can tolerate what he's getting himself into. Quitting the military because you're bored and think it's stupid isn't particularly easy after you've committed.
I think Crazy is right in that he does need to stick with stuff when he's bored. But if I were him, I'd be having fits, too. Yeah, talk with the air force people. And I'm thinking I read something recently from HSLDA about a ruling requiring the armed forces to accept homeschool diplomas.
By law, they have to accept the home school diploma. And his fall line up at the public school looks like a bit of a joke. So sad he would have to sit through an entire year to do that. But that does not add up to 9 credits. Is he short on credits in the public school? I would have him take the senior year at the community college and issue him a home school diploma at the end of the year.
I agree with Maybe, to send him to college on dual enrollment. He can get lots more valuable coursework. And although the military has to accept a homeschool diploma, they're much more eager to accept college credit. He should CLEP some credits, then earn some credits, and he may be able to be close to an AA degree by the time he graduates high school.
I think it would be helpful to ask your son's school if they have an independent study program that he could be a part of and see what the requirements and flexibility may be for getting other classes. Another option would be to do an independent study program with a local private school. Smaller schools usually have way more flexibility on their ISPs, which would allow your son to take classes elsewhere (online, internships, etc). The upside of homeschooling via an ISP is that you won't necessarily have to monitor grades, or worry about granting diplomas and transcripts. The administrative side of the academics will be handled through the ISP. Unless you're thinking of homeschooling other children, if you have younger ones coming behind your senior, then choosing to do some kind of homeschooling on your own for just one year may be a huge transition for you and a lot of work. That's why I recommend looking into independent study programs first.
