NYS Homeschool High School Completion
Information from the NYS Department of Education website:
Information for Students Wishing to Attend College
In September 2004, the New York State Board of Regents adopted an amendment to section 100.10 of Commissioner's regulations relating to the home instruction of students of compulsory school age who wish to attend college on a full-time basis.
The amendment:
requires students of compulsory school age who have yet to complete a four-year high school program and who seek to enroll in full-time college study to submit to the college verification from the school district of residence that the student will be meeting the compulsory education requirements through full-time college study. This verification must be in the form of an approved Individualized Home Instruction Plan (IHIP) that includes the full-time college study.
permits school district residents, including home instructed students, to take five specific Regents examinations or approved alternative examinations for the purpose of meeting the preliminary education requirement for earning a college degree, applicable to students beyond compulsory school age.
repeals the requirement that a student present satisfactory evidence of a preliminary education of at least a four-year high school course or its equivalent before beginning college degree study. This requirement was in conflict with the Commissioner's Regulation that permitted a student to earn a high school equivalency diploma through completing 24 semester hours as a recognized candidate for a college degree.
Preliminary Education Requirements for Students Beyond Compulsory School Age
Section 3.47(a)(2)(ii) provides six alternatives for students beyond the age of compulsory attendance seeking to demonstrate acceptable preliminary education before they may be awarded a college degree:
Holding a high school diploma; or
Having completed the substantial equivalent of a four-year high school course, as certified by the Superintendent of Schools or comparable chief school administrator [superintendent’s letter];
Holding a High School Equivalency Diploma [GED];
Completing 24 semester hours [24 credit option] or the equivalent as a recognized candidate for a college-level degree or certificate at a degree-granting institution, as defined in the regulation (6 semester hours or the equivalent in English Language Arts including writing, speaking and reading (literature), 3 semester hours or the equivalent in Mathematics, 3 semester hours or the equivalent in Natural Sciences, 3 semester hours or the equivalent in Social Sciences, 3 semester hours or the equivalent in Humanities, and 6 semester hours or the equivalent in any other courses within the registered degree or certificate program);
Having previously earned and been granted a degree from a degree-granting institution, as defined in the regulation;
Having passed and completed all requirements for the following five Regents examinations or approved alternative assessments for these examinations: the Regents Comprehensive Examination in English, the Regents examination in mathematics, the Regents examination in United States history and government, a Regents examination in science, and the Regents examination in global history and geography.
Additional information about some of these alternatives is provided below.
High school diploma
Graduates of non-public high schools - Only public high schools and registered non-public schools are permitted by New York State Education Law to issue high school diplomas. Therefore, students who have completed their secondary education at a non-public school that has elected not to register with the State Education Department must choose one of the options for complying with section 3.47, e.g., earning a high school equivalency diploma or completing 24 semester hour credits in the specified disciplines.
Graduates of a high school located in another state or a high school program of correspondence study - When a student has graduated from high school in another state, to be acceptable for purposes of section 3.47, the high school or its program of study must be recognized, authorized, or approved by the state educational entity having jurisdiction. When a student has completed a high school program through correspondence study, the correspondence school must be recognized, authorized, or approved by the state educational entity where the correspondence school is located. Additional validation of the high school program in the form of regional accreditation adds to the acceptability of such credentials. (The regional accrediting agencies include: the Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools; the New England Association of Colleges and Schools; the North Central Association of Schools and Colleges; the Northwest Association of Schools, Colleges and Universities; the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools; and the Western Association of Schools and Colleges.)
Letter of substantial equivalency from the superintendent of schools
A student may meet the preliminary education requirement in section 3.47 through completing a home instruction program, pursuant to the requirements of section 100.10 of the Regulations of the Commissioner of Education, provided that the superintendent of schools certifies in writing that such program is substantially equivalent to a four-year high school program. If the superintendent determines substantial equivalence, a letter to that effect from the superintendent to the home instructed student is the appropriate documentation that the college should maintain in the student's file to demonstrate compliance with the preliminary education requirement for earning a college degree. For students of compulsory school age, the superintendent, upon request of the student, is required to perform the evaluation for the substantial equivalency determination. In the case of students beyond compulsory school age who ask for the evaluation for the substantial equivalency determination, the State Education Department strongly encourages the superintendent to perform this evaluation.
High School Equivalency Diploma by Completion of 24 Semester Credits
It is strongly recommended that, for each student electing this alternative, colleges develop and maintain a checklist of the required 24-credit course distribution to ensure that all such courses have been completed. This exercise will help guard against potential disallowances during an audit of the Tuition Assistance Program (TAP) by the New York State Office of the State Comptroller.
Institutions that operate on a quarter credit system must convert to semester credits by multiplying the quarter credits by two-thirds (a quarter credit is equal to two-thirds of a semester credit). Thus, for example, a student would need to earn 4.5 quarter credits to satisfy a 3-semester credit requirement.
The use of College Level Examination Programs (CLEP) to satisfy any of the required 24 credit hours will be determined by the institution of higher education and clearly stated in its academic policies. For the high school equivalency diploma, the State Education Department also must approve the distribution of CLEP credits in the required subject areas.
High School Equivalency (HSE)
In New York State, there are four pathways to a High School Equivalency diploma. Below is information on each pathway. If you are seeking a duplicate copy of a High School Equivalency diploma or transcript resulting from the HSE Exam Pathway, College Credit Pathway, NEDP, or the Regents/HSE Exam Pathway, please visit Duplicate Diplomas and Transcripts page. To check the status of an HSE diploma, please visit HSE Status Verification page.