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Q. Is it possible in the US to get a (junior)high school degree without attending one, ie. entirely by home study? If so, how would one go about it?

A. It is legally possible to home school in most (I imagine all) of the states, but typically the student won't receive a diploma from the state as a result. An increasing number of universities are recruiting home schooled students because of their reputation for good independent work habits, and as home school success stories grow in number, the lack of a diploma for a home schooled student may come to mean little. There is a campaign among Pennsylvania home schoolers to get the state to formally recognize home schooled students' accomplishments, but of course it is meeting with governmental resistance. There is always the G.E.D., graduate equivalency exam (I forget what G.E.D. means), which allows the exam taker to earn the equivalent of a high school diploma through examination. I am responsible for serving as the primary resource person in the state Department of Education here in Virginia for home education. Yes it is legal in most states to home school children rather than have them attend school and in some cases, as it is here, they may be enrolled in a correspondence program for their educational program. We have identified some 13 or 14 such schools and provide a listing to parents and local school authorities. However, I have identified a few instances where a diploma earned by correspondence is not acceptable or recognized: 1) it is not accepted as meeting the minimum employment requirements for law enforcement officers in this state; and 2) at least one community college will not accept one as meeting its minimum entrance requirements. In both instances, a GED (General Education Development) certificate is acceptable. Parents who wish to teach their children, or individuals who wish to complete their education, in this manner should research all relevant statutes and regulations before enrolling in a correspondence school. Some states do not even regulate or monitor the activities of correspondence schools. I have an information packet explaining Virginia's requirements for anyone interested. You can call me at (804) 225-2747 or e-mail me at cfin...@vdoe386.vak12ed.edu and leave your complete mailing address.

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