Ask the HomeScholar!

This month we are beginning a series called "Ask The HomeScholar." If you are interested in asking Lee a question, just send an email to homescholar@gmail.com with the subject line "Ask the HomeScholar." You may see your question and the answer in a future edition of The HomeScholar Record. This question comes from a mom who is just beginning high school.

Hi Lee,

I honestly feel very new to this high school thing and probably many of my questions are obvious and I should know. I am just beginning this road to doing high school. My son will be in 6th grade next year but the following year even though he will only be in 7th grade - much of what he will be doing will be high school work. Questions that I have and am still working through are:

1) Can he have certain subjects that count for high school credit without the whole year being considered high school?

Yes! If he is doing just one high school subject, count that one subject on his high school transcript. I labeled those classes as "Early High School Credits."

2) Honestly, I remember how college worked as I loved it and most of my college classes were 3 credit classes. Now I am realizing that high school is by credit hour. How does this work?

Usually 120-180 hours is one high school credit, and 75 to 90 hours is 1/2 credit, if you are determining credit by the hours of work.

3) If I do a class like math - we are using Saxon and in 7th grade he will be doing Saxon Algebra 1. Is this considered 1 credit hour. (Again what I remember is college - this would be 3 credits in college.)

If you are using a high school level book, then it counts as a high school credit even without counting hours, and Saxon Algebra is a 1 credit class. Curriculum catalogs and Cathy Duffy's Curriculum Manual will tell you determine if other classes are 1 credit or 1/2 credit.

Blessings,

Lee,
The HomeScholar