Questions about home education in the high school years need to be carefully considered. Frequently asked questions (and answers!) are included in the CAPE Resource Manual.
We have reproduced a portion of one page here for your consideration.
High School - Can it be done at home? Yes!
High school is the culmination of the home school commitment.
Academically, there are more ways than ever to satisfy potential college requirements. And there are more higher education options to consider than ever before, including college at home, apprenticeships, and home-based businesses.
It is a precious time when disciples become co-laborers, and children become adults, usually without the traumatic stereotypical teen rebellion.
Home school high schools are flourishing!
Do we need an accredited program?
An accredited program is NOT necessary for college entrance. However, since the transfer of high school credits is left up to the discretion of each public high school, it may be difficult (but not impossible) to return to a public school program without standard credits. If there is no commitment to home school all the way through high school, an accredited course of study is recommended.
College - Will home schooled graduates be accepted?
Home schooled students are not only accepted by colleges across the country, they are actively recruited! Considered well-educated and strong independent learners by admissions counselors, home schoolers are receiving scholarships created especially for them. In New Mexico, state law guarantees that home school diplomas are accepted at all state colleges and universities.
There is now a National Honor Society for home schooled high school students, Eta Sigma Alpha. Contact the NM Coordinator.
High School Driver Education - What is the latest on how a home school student gets a driver's permit and certified for their license test?
In times past, home schooled students enrolled in a driver education correspondence school would simply have to state in the application that the student was being home schooled. Unfortunately, as of mid-November, the Traffic Safety Bureau, through the Traffic Safety Center at the Institute of Public Law, added a new regulation. The rule governing driver education schools in New Mexico contains a section on student eligibility, which states: A correspondence course shall not enroll a person as a student unless the person will be fifteen (15) years of age on or before the date the correspondence course will be completed and: (1) the person is home schooled in all other junior high school or high school subjects. The school must obtain a letter from the person's parents or legal guardian stating that the person is home schooled in all subjects; or (2) the person has obtained prior written approval from the Bureau. In addition to the above, the Traffic Safety Bureau has added the following requirement: Correspondence schools shall not enroll New Mexico students without prior written approval from the Traffic Safety Center at the Institute of Public Law. Correspondence Driver Education Schools must state that until the correspondence school obtains written approval from the Traffic Safety Center at the Institute of Public Law, the school cannot enroll New Mexico students. All students must now apply to the Traffic Safety Center by going to their web site - click on "Application to Enroll in Driver Education Correspondence School" in the left column, print out the form, fill out the home school section, provide a copy of your Notification of Establishment of a Home School and a letter stating that you home school this student in all subjects OR contact Meg Hawkins by email at meg@unm.edu OR by telephone at 505-277-8771. Apparently, some out of state driver education correspondence schools were enrolling students upon the request of parents without meeting the New Mexico rule requirements. CAPE-NM has worked diligently to pursue and retain home schooling freedoms and privileges. In 1998, CAPE-NM, along with Ramon Martinez, the instructor of Cordura Correspondence Course, worked with the Traffic Safety Bureau to provide an alternative way for home schooled students to take driver education as a part of their home schooling. Cordura Correspondence Course has protested this addition to the regulations, believing that it is unfairly targeting home schooled students, but was told that if we did not comply we would no longer be able to provide the driver education course.
For home school driver education information, please contact: Ramon and Betty Martinez at (505)864-7851 OR email us.
Christian Home School Convention
and Curriculum Fair
There are workshops designed especially for beginners, two especially designed for high school, and lots of veteran home school families available to answer your questions.
Learn more about the convention here!
