Awarding High School Credits

Confused about how to award high school credits to earn a high school diploma? Don't worry, you are not alone! Since my son will be in high school next year I wanted to figure out how to calculate his credits without going insane or worrying if I could even do it. So this is what I found.

First, a little perspective... It is important to remember that you aren’t taking classes just to get out of high school. Knowledge is power and is its own reward. It is also important to keep in mind any post high school plans you may have. Students planning on going into the military or attending a trade school, certificate program, community college or a four-year public or private university should research the credits needed for entrance and to be well prepared for success once there.

There are generally two different methods used to determine high school credits; curricula completion and Carnegie Credit Units or a combination of the two.

•Curricula Completed: If you are using a set curricula, a general rule of thumb is that you can award a credit in that subject upon completion of at least 75% of the curricula.

•Carnegie Credit Units: One credit of high school equals 120 - 180 hours of class work, labs, research, independent reading, review, and field trips.

•Combination: Most homeschoolers award credits using a combination of curricula completed and Carnegie Credit Units. Carnegie Credit Units awards credits on time spent and not material covered. Most homeschoolers award credit by the quality of the work completed, not just the time spent. Some students work at a fast pace, while others take more time. Many homeschool students are bogged down using the traditional school methods for awarding credit. Their goal is knowledge of the subject taught, not just to spend a certain amount of time on the subject.