Record Keeping for Diploma Fairness – Homeschooling High School in Ohio

Updated!


My oldest son, Calvin, went to EMT and paramedic training at a local hospital. On the application, there was a section that wanted to know the name of his “accredited” high school. He had graduated from a local digital charter school. It had only been open for a few years. I was a little concerned about whether or not that would count.  It apparently did because he was accepted to the school and earned his paramedic credentials. He is now married and gainfully employed in Charlotte, NC.

That made me wonder about the diploma I issued for my second son, who graduated from our homeschool in 2011. Would he face any problems if he applied to college or sought employment opportunities? So far, he has not had any issues getting a job with his homeschool-issued diploma, and he has not been asked to obtain a GED. Luckily, he has also been fully employed for over the past decade. However, could that be a problem for him in the future?

Diploma Fairness for Homeschooling High School in Ohio

I was right to wonder. In 2014, a homeschool graduate had completed some college courses. He also had relevant work experience. However, his job offer was rescinded because his high school diploma was from his homeschool. Back in 2013, there reports of institutes of higher learning kicking homeschooled students out unless they came back with a GED.

Luckily, in June of 2015, Ohio passed the Diploma Fairness Statute. (Ohio Revised Code 3313.6110)

A person who has completed the final year of instruction at home as authorized under section 3321.04 of the Revised Code and has successfully fulfilled the high school curriculum applicable to that person may be granted a high school diploma by the person’s parent, guardian or other person having charge or care of a child as defined in Division 11 of section 3321.01 of the Revised Code.

That law was amended in 2016 Senate Bill 3 Parent- issued diplomas. 

This bill includes a revision to the diploma fairness law. It removes the option of having the local superintendent sign a parent-issued diploma. Parent-issued diplomas may simply be accompanied by the excuse letter for the final year of home instruction. It also adds an option for homeschooling parents. They may assign the state seal of biliteracy to the student’s diploma. This can be done in the same manner as school districts and chartered nonpublic schools.

What does this mean to the average homeschool graduate?

Quite simply it means hang on to the official letter of excused issued by the district superintended for the student’s FINAL YEAR of homeschooling.  That excusal letter is always important, but it is vitally important the senior year since by law it validates the diploma.

Record Keeping for Diploma Fairness:
So to be sure that my child will be able to enter into any educational opportunities s/he wants to after high school and to assure my child is legally employable I will do the following: 

• Make a copy of it for my student’s portfolio
• Keep the original with important papers in a lock box.  
• Scan it into the computer for digital back up. 

This means that for the purposes of employment, or any other situation that requires proof of this requirement, a diploma granted with either of these top options is considered proof of completion of a high school education.

What if your student is over 18 years of age but not a graduate?

 The student doesn’t need an excuse letter by law because he/she is over the age of compulsory education. However, you also want the final letter to accompany the diploma. Should you notify or not?

The Homeschool Legal Defense Association says this:

HSLDA believes that a parent-issued diploma and transcript should be sufficient to demonstrate that a child has completed a secondary education. However, even if your child is beyond compulsory school attendance age, there may be situations where you would want to continue to follow the requirements of a home education option recognized under Ohio law until your child graduates from high school (filing a home education notice, keeping attendance and other records, etc.). These records may be requested in some situations, such as obtaining a driver’s license if your child is a minor, enlisting in the m i l i t a r y , applying to colleges, or demonstrating eligibility for Social Security b e n e f i t s . If you are a member of HSLDA and would like additional details, please contact us.


I also heard from Attorney Jill from HSLDA  July 20, 2017, on this issue.  She told me that with homeschooling high school in Ohio after the age of 18,  you do not have to send in a notification. HSLDA says that the final letter would mean the final letter under the compulsory age requirement.  However, some families will choose to send in a notification after age 18 so that they have that letter for the final year of high school, and that’s fine! If the parents are comfortable with that, they can go ahead.

In the long run…

For my graduated homeschool students, this has not been an issue, even for the kids who have left Ohio. My son the chef, who just took a butchering course for pork, has never been asked for his diploma. He has been asked to demonstrate his knife skills. This is more important when you are trying to work in a gourmet restaurant. My son the paramedic has been in his field now for 15 years and has earned several commendations for the lives he has saved. I somehow don’t think whether he was homeschooled or not will matter any more.

One of my kids did take the GED, and because he was well prepared at home, he passed the first time.

My three younger kids are all attending or have graduated from college and their high school diplomas have not been an issue. So maybe the tide has finally turned, at least in Ohio.