Now more than ever there is a lot of interest in homeschool and how it could work for your family. To answer some common questions we get asked all of the time, we put together this list of Frequently Asked Questions.
Is it legal to homeschool in my state?
Do universities accept homeschool students?
Do homeschoolers receive a transcript?
Do homeschoolers receive a diploma?
What is provided with the Beyond Education homeschooling service?
What classes are required for a high school homeschool student?
What does a normal homeschool day look like?
Should I use an “accredited” homeschool program?
Does my homeschool curriculum need to be “accredited” to apply to college?
What curriculum options does my child have as a homeschooler?
Is online public school the same as homeschool?
How do homeschoolers take college admissions tests (ACT, SAT)?
How can homeschoolers receive support with test prep and college advising?
Can homeschool students qualify for automatic admission into select universities?
Can homeschool students qualify for automatic admission into select universities?
Can homeschoolers take AP Exams and receive credit for them?
Can homeschoolers enroll in Dual Credit courses and receive credit for them?
Will Beyond Education Instructors still help with any AP, Dual Credit, or outside supplementary course the student chooses to take?
Is it legal to homeschool in my state?
Texas is a pro-homeschool state. There are many homeschool co-ops and support groups in the San Antonio area to help provide support and community to homeschool families.
The Texas Homeschool Coalition website states that homeschool instruction “must be bona fide”, “the curriculum must be in a visual format” and “the curriculum must include the five basic subjects of reading, spelling, grammar, mathematics and good citizenship.”
As stated on the Texas Homeschool Coalition website, parents are ultimately responsible for ensuring their child is adhering to homeschool laws. We invite you to check out the Texas Homeschool Coalition website for specifics and/or attend a local homeschool co-op information session.
Do universities accept homeschool students?
Yes! Universities highly encourage homeschool students to apply, and Beyond Education has had great success with homeschool students being accepted to Tier 1 schools such as University of Texas at Austin and Purdue University. Homeschool students submit the same materials as a traditional school student – transcript, test scores, and application. See below for information on the homeschool transcript.
Do homeschoolers receive a transcript?
Transcripts are created by the parent(s). Beyond Education can assist in creating and/or editing the document upon request. Universities and colleges require transcripts, so it is always recommended to contact universities being applied to so as to ensure all necessary information is included (Beyond Education’s college advisor can also help with this). Please refer to Texas Homeschool Coalition page for more details and assistance on creating a transcript.
Do homeschoolers receive a diploma?
High school diplomas are for ceremonial purposes only. The transcript is what will be used when applying to universities. Parents can create diplomas for the student if they choose.
What is provided with the Beyond Education homeschooling service?
Beyond Education serves a third party, chosen by the parents, that provides an experienced educator to help the student work through the content. Our instructor(s) come to your home to teach desired subjects, assess mastery of the material, and document student progress. Beyond Education will recommend a grade at the end of each course taught, however parents have the ultimate say in assigning the letter grade placed on the student’s transcript.
What classes are required for a high school homeschool student?
The Texas Education Agency (TEA) recommended high school program consists of 26 credits. The core recommended course sample is:
• 4 credits of English/Language Arts
• 4 credits of Mathematics, including Algebra I, II and Geometry
• 4 credits of Science, including Biology, Chemistry and Physics
• 4 credits of Social Studies, including World History, World Geography, U.S. History, ½ credit Government ½ credit Economics
• 1 credit of Physical Education
• ½ credit of Speech
• 1 credit of Fine Arts
• 2 credits of Foreign Language Studies
• 5 ½ credits of Electives (can be informal — eg., sign off by a coach)
What does a normal homeschool day look like?
Beyond Education recommends that students use normal school day hours for their coursework. On average, it takes approximately 3-5 hours to complete a school day. Beyond Education also recommends that students maintain a 5-day school week if they would like to complete their curriculum within 9 months. However, this is flexible to work with the family’s schedule. Successful students need to have a sense of consistency, especially if they were to ever transition back into a more structured school setting. Beyond Education has created a calendar based on 31 weeks of instruction and suggested holidays to help you plan out an academic year. Please visit the Texas Homeschool Coalition website for certain guidelines on school hours depending on certain family needs.
Should I use an “accredited” homeschool program?
Several established homeschool programs offer accredited curriculums, which means that the student calls in or is monitored when taking assessments or tests, and staff members grade all written assignments. Accreditation is there to ensure that students receive accurate grades, where some parents may have concerns about giving too high or too low grades when grading their own child’s work. Beyond Education does not recommend choosing an accredited homeschool curriculum in most cases as the Beyond Education instructor serves as the third party to assign appropriate grades.
Does my homeschool curriculum need to be “accredited” to apply to college?
No, colleges and universities do not require accredited homeschool programs. We recommend that parents keep documentation of courses such as tests, essays, and projects if a college or university should ask for proof.
What curriculum options does my child have as a homeschooler?
Homeschooling allows for families to have flexibility in the curriculum being taught. We can recommend options, including a faith-based curriculum and mixed formatting (print and online). Beyond Education’s instructors should refer to TEKS (Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills) or other state education guidelines to gauge grade-level expectations.
Is online public school the same as homeschool?
No, online public school is different from homeschool. Students who use online public schools are still required to take all state exams, such as the STARR test. Although the format of content looks similar, online public schools are required to abide by the state education department’s regulations. If your student struggles with standardized testing, Beyond Education does not recommend online public schools as this adds extra pressure. Beyond Education is happy to help with tutoring for students enrolled in online public schools.
High School Homeschool FAQs
How do homeschoolers take college admissions tests (ACT, SAT)?
Homeschool students are able to take some college admissions tests at their locally zoned school district. They are also able to qualify for select scholarships. We invite you to check out College Admissions Tips for High Schoolers from the Texas Homeschool Coalition website.
How can homeschoolers receive support with test prep and college advising?
Beyond Education offers both Test Prep and College Advising. Please refer to our website for more information about these services.
Can homeschool students qualify for automatic admission into select universities?
It depends on the university, so we recommend that families contact the universities of interest to find out how they assign rank to homeschool students and if they qualify for any academic based scholarships.
Can homeschoolers take AP Exams and receive credit for them?
Yes! Homeschool students can still take AP exams through College Board. Homeschool students interested in doing so must register with CollegeBoard in early fall. If your child is interested in taking these exams, they would need to sign up to make arrangements with the College Board by September 4th. Please refer to the College Board website for more information.
Can homeschoolers enroll in Dual Credit courses and receive credit for them?
Yes! Texas homeschool students can register with their local community colleges to take online or in-person classes that count as dual credit. If a student is interested in taking a dual credit course, we recommend the student or parent contact their local community college for more information on how to register for classes. The advantage of dual credit courses is that a student can receive both high school credit AND college credit for the completed course. Every university has different policies on dual credit acceptance, so we recommend contacting the university admissions department for more information. We also invite parents to check out the Alamo College Homeschool Checklist for more information.
Will Beyond Education Instructors still help with any AP, Dual Credit, or outside supplementary course the student chooses to take?
Yes! Beyond Education instructors are happy to assist students with supplementary classes they choose to take. We ask that you arrange with your instructor ahead of time so that we can best understand how to support your student.