Giving High School Credit Where Credit is Due

Wednesday, 17 June 2009

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Can online courses go on a transcript? How do you give credit for courses taken online? When homeschoolers get together and talk, sometimes a phrase will stick with you, making you wonder and fret. Lisa was told that online classes won't be recognized for high school credit, and wondered what that meant.

Hi Lee – quick question. During a weekend away with some fellow Homeschool students, one of them commented, “online classes don’t count for high school credit.” Both of my boys take Potters School classes for Apologia Science and a Music Theory class. Is there any truth to that statement (i.e. that online classes won’t be recognized for high school credit) in your experience and expertise? I am just wondering where that thought might of come from.Thanks.

Lisa in Washington

Hi Lisa,

Since there is such a wide variety of online classes, there is no way to say they ALL don't count for high school credit. There are online high school classes, online college classes and online "just" classes.

In Washington State, the homeschool parent gets to decide what a high school credit is. Beyond even Washington, it is the parent that decides what to count and not count on the transcript.

My advice is to count these credits exactly the same way you count any other educational experience, like music lessons or PE. Either give credit for a completed textbook, or count hours to make sure they have worked 120-180 hours for each credit you award. When you do high school level work it should count for high school credit, and when you do college level work it should count for dual enrollment giving high school credit and college credit at the same time.

Perhaps the conflict was about the word "accredited?" There are some experiences that accredited high schools may not accept for their accredited transcript. That doesn't mean that you can't include them in your "official" homeschool transcript - it just means that they have chosen not to offer those classes at their school.

This is all covered thoroughly in my e-book on transcripts.

I hope I'll get to see you at the WHO convention this year! I'll be speaking on "Grades and Credits" so it will be a great fit for your questions. I'll also be in Portland and at the WATCH convention.