Homeschoolers?

[Verdauga]

*Smiles and nods.*
I suppose they would.
*Smiles and nods.*

I think the worst part about Abeka is how many books you have to get for every year.

[shisteer of nothing much]

The worst part about ACE would be all the structure except we don't do that part so it's fine.

[Cornflower MM]

How do you get your credentials recognized? For example if you where homeschooled all your life how do you get a high school diploma or how do you apply to community college/college/university? Is it viewed as an equivalent to having gone through high school or not?? 

So I reserve the right to be wrong, but this is how I have figured it works (in FL anyway)

How do you get your credentials recognized?

Your parents have to take a special test to prove that they are capable of teaching you all you need to know. At the end of each grade term, you have to take state standardized tests to prove you are actually learning and not lazing around all day.

how do you get a high school diploma

When you graduate you take one final state test to prove you are qualified, then they send you one. (not positive about this one, but we have always gotten official ones)

how do you apply to community college/college/university?

Same as anyone else I think. All you need is a qualifying GPA, SAT/ACT test scores and a few other things. Usually being a homeschooler carries some extra weight, most exceed the state average in almost all academic areas.

Is it viewed as an equivalent to having gone through high school or not?? 

Not sure I get your question, but homeschooling in highschool has the same weight (if not more) as regular school.

I'm late to the party but I'm gonna hop in here really quickly. Florida seems to take homeschooling extremely seriously. My parents have never had to take any sorting of testing to teach me, and I don't have to take a state test at the end of every schooling year. You can do it every three, but I haven't done it since 3rd grade because you don't even have to send it away to get graded or anything - My mother graded it and kept it.

You can take the GED test to get your GED, or, here in Georgia, you can literally just ask the government for a diploma. They will send you one. Most colleges require a GED certificate if you're homeschooled, however. (I think they're starting to loosen on that but I'm not 100% sure)

For my dual enrollment, all they needed was my transcript (more on that in a moment) and GPA which was included with my transcript. I have yet to take the SAT or the ACT, I'm a senior, and everything was fine. Although it's true that homeschoolers normally score above state averages, that isn't because we carry more weight - to be honest I'm confused at your wording here. The state doesn't allow us a few wrong answers because we're homeschoolers, lol.

I wouldn't say that a homeschool diploma carries more weight than a public school one here either, but it should carry equal weight. (Key word: Should. A lot of people don't think they so but they do)

Awright that makes sense. So they use standardized tests at the end of each term to track your progress and to create an official transcript of sorts...

To address the transcript remark: Here in Georgia, where you're not required to take any testing at the end of the school year, your parents keep your transcript for you. Mine went through the college where I'm dual enrolling just fine.

Every state is a little different with their laws and their requirements but it's really not very complicated and homeschooler credentials are fully legal and they should be accepted. If not, then taking and passing the GED should solve your problem.
(@Grond, @Tungro )

[Tungro]

to be honest I'm confused at your wording here. The state doesn't allow us a few wrong answers because we're homeschoolers, lol.

To make it clearer, I meant that I have noticed that because of the slightly higher grade and performance of homeschoolers employers/universities will give them higher consideration. For example when my brother applied to the Naval Academy, him being a homeschooler gave him a boost because of correctly assumed higher grade and performance

Florida seems to take homeschooling extremely seriously.

Here is a illustrated map by the HSLDA,

[Verdauga]

Some of the laws also are because of the counties. If I'm correct, One of my friends lives in a different county than I do, and they did not have as much government involvement as my parents had when they were beginning to homeschool us. My home county isn't very friendly to homeschoolers.

[shisteer of nothing much]

I'm pretty sure, in New Zealand, you need an exemption certificate when you turn six. (at the latest) After that, you'll be checked up on if any complaints come in about uneducated children or anything like that but you're otherwise independent, so long as you still abide by the stuff you agreed to in the exemption certificate. (You need to agree to teach you children 'as regularly and as well as' a registered school)
(please note, I have only been homeschooled so there's quite a significant possibility that there are other things involved)

[Verdauga]

Same. I don't know about the exemption form though.

[shisteer of nothing much]

You give it to the Ministry of Education and they have to approve it. People generally do it when the child is five but sometimes it takes longer or they don't get round to it until later.

[Cornflower MM]

You only have to do it once? We (using the "we" as my mom and I) have to file an "intent to homeschool" every year. Nothing fancy, just a paper that we fax in or drop off every August.

[shisteer of nothing much]

We have to do 'declarations' every six months to tell the ministry of ed that you're still homeschooling. The annoying thing is that if you go to school, you have to redo the exemtion certificate. (This hasn't been a problem for our family because we homeschool all the way through but some of our friends have had trouble with it)

[Russa Nodrey]

The worst part about ACE would be all the structure except we don't do that part so it's fine.

I feel this.

[shisteer of nothing much]

Do you do the structure bit?

[Russa Nodrey]

Nope, never have. I just did the PACEs (none of the science experiments or anything like that) and that was it. I don't actually use ACE now, though.

[shisteer of nothing much]

Oh, okay. I'm glad for your sake. I feel a great deal of sympathy for children who have to do ACE 'properly'. Poor, traumatised young ones.

[Verdauga]

I feel sorry for the people that go to PCA. Actually having to listen to the teacher? Ask for permission to go get water, or use the bathroom?  Ugh. *Shivers*