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Homeschool Transfer Credit

Homeschool students who transfer into public school during the high school years sometimes face difficulties with transferring credits. Credits toward a public school diploma begin accumulating in ninth grade. When homeschool students transfer to a public school after eighth grade, districts must determine the validity of credits issued by a homeschool parent. At this time, Loudon County automatically places homeschool transfer students in the 9th grade, regardless of grade level, without reviewing courses for transfer credit.

Credits will automatically transfer from another accredited public school. They will also transfer from a private school or a correspondence course accredited through the Virginia Council for Private Education. Of course, individual homeschools are not part of VCPE.

A new Standards of Accreditation policy requires a review of courses from non-public school transfer students:

 § 22.1-253.13:4. Student achievement and graduation requirements. “A. Each local school board shall award diplomas to all secondary school students, including students who transfer from nonpublic schools or from home instruction, who earn the units of credit prescribed by the Board of Education, pass the prescribed tests, and meet such other requirements as may be prescribed by the local school board and approved by the Board of Education. Provisions shall be made for students who transfer between secondary schools and from nonpublic schools or from home instruction as outlined in the standards for accreditation. Further, reasonable accommodation to meet the requirements for diplomas shall be provided for otherwise qualified students with disabilities as needed.”

Standard 8 VAC 20-131-60 Transfer Students: “Nothing in these standards shall prohibit a public school from accepting standard units of credit toward graduation awarded to students who transfer from all other schools when the courses from which the student receives credit generally match the description of or can be substituted for courses for which the receiving school gives standard credit, and the school from which the child transfers certifies that the courses for which credit is given meet the requirements of 8 VAC 20-131-110 A.”

The DOE was unaware that some districts refused to evaluate the course work of homeschool students. They indicated they would encourage districts to comply with the Standards of Accreditation. The DOE supported a review of homeschool course content from transferring homeschoolers. If similar content was included in a homeschool course, the DOE indicated the district should consider awarding course credit toward graduation.