It is important to know that in Virginia there are no requirements for homeschool graduation. The parents are responsible to set graduation requirements for their children.
Parents issue the homeschool diploma and compile a transcript when the student has completed their curriculum or course of study.
In this article we will discuss the graduation requirements given by the Virginia Department of Education (for reference, again they do not apply to home educated students) and give guidance for planning your high school course of study.
Homeschool Diploma vs. Homeschool Transcript
The first important thing to understand is the difference between a diploma and a transcript. Upon completion of high school your child should have a diploma and a transcript.
A transcript is a list of classes that have been taken, the grade earned and the cumulative GPA. A transcript may also include community service hours.
A student who is applying for college, trade school or another post high school program is usually asked for a transcript. This will tell the organization what classes the student took and how well they performed.
A transcript is much more important than a diploma in most cases.
A diploma simply shows that the student completed the parent classes while a transcript tells what those classes were and how well they performed.
What Should You Include in a High School Transcript
Each family will have different priorities when planning a high school education.
I recommend that families consider their student’s future plans when choosing classes for high school.
A Personalized High School Program
Trade schools, colleges, certificate programs and even employers have preferred classes and experiences for acceptance.
Consider visiting university websites to see what the admissions department looks for on a transcript.
This example from Harvard recommends that the transcript reflect a rigorous high school program that speaks to a student’s strengths. It recognizes that some students will have a long list of challenging courses and some will focus in one area of strength.
They recommend that the application include information about extracurricular and personal growth and experiences to give a whole picture of the student.
The bottom line is that the transcript should reflect the student.
This is great news for homeschool students who receive a highly personalized education.
So, even if your child is unsure what their future plans include, a rigorous, highly personalized high school program will serve them well.
Plan your Course of Study with future plans in mind. This article will help you understand how to create a course of study and give you a free printable worksheet to help with planning.
The Virginia Graduation Requirements
When planning your high school years, it can be helpful to know what the typical Virginia Public School transcript includes.
First, know that while there are some requirements not all students do the same courses.
Virginia High Schools offer 2 types of diplomas: advanced and standard. This designation is not recognized by most colleges. They look at the transcript and the individual courses.
Requirements for a Virginia Standard Diploma
(Based on a student who started 9th grade in 2018-19)
| English | 4 Credits |
| Math | 3 Credits |
| Lab Science | 3 Credits |
| History/Social Studies | 3 Credits |
| P.E. | 2 Credits |
| Foreign Language | 2 Credits |
| Electives | 4 Credits |
| Personal Finance | 1 Credit |
Verified Credits: The VDOE site lists a number of verified credits. Verified credits are credits that are accompanied by an SOL test. Students in Virginia are required to pass 5 SOL courses over the 4 years of high school:
1 Math (Algebra 1, Geometry or Algebra 2)
2 English (English Writing and English Multiple Choice)
1 Lab Science
1 History/ Social Studies (World History 1 or 2)
Students are also required to have CPR training.
Requirements for a Virginia Standard Diploma
(Based on a student who started 9th grade in 2018-19)
| Math | 4 Credits |
| English | 4 Credits |
| Lab Science | 4 Credits |
| History / Social Studies | 4 Credits |
| Foreign Language | 3 Credits |
| P.E. | 2 Credits |
| Fine Arts or Technical Education | 1 Credit |
| Personal Finance | 1 Credit |
| Electives | 3 Credits |
The verified credit requirements are the same as those for a standard diploma.
Sample Schedules for Virginia High School Students
Every student is different, but here is an example of what a student may take in high school in a Virginia public high school.
| 9th | 10th | 11th | 12th |
| Algebra 1 | Geometry | Algebra 2 | Algebra Functions |
| English 9 | English 10 | English 11 | English 12 |
| World History 1 | World History 2 | VA and US History | VA and US Government |
| Earth Science | Biology | Chemistry | Physics |
| PE/Health | PE/Health | Personal Finance | Art 2 |
| World Language 1 | World Language 2 | World Language 3 | |
| Drama 1 | Drama 2 | Art 1 |
Do Homeschoolers Have to Pass SOLs to Graduate?
Homeschooled students do not take SOLs. End of course assessments are given at the discretion of parents, teachers or tutors.
Homeschooled students are not permitted to take SOLs.
SOL is short for Standards of Learning. These tests are based on the Virginia prescribed course of study, homeschool families are not required to teach the same material contained in the Virginia Standards of Learning.
That means the results of this test would not be a good indicator of student success.
Students enrolled in online public school, however, are required to take and pass all required SOL tests.
How Can I Make a Homeschool Transcript?
A transcript is simply a list of classes taken and the student’s grade in the course.
It is a good idea to add a GPA to a transcript as many institutions are looking for it on a transcript.
I have made a few transcripts for homeschool families, but I am no expert. I looked at a few high school transcripts and followed the format.
This article at HSLDA has a free template available when you create a free account. It is good and thorough.
What to Include on a Homeschool Transcript?
When putting together your transcript be sure to use course titles that make sense with the course.
Include work completed in grades 8-12. If your student does high school level work in grade 8, it can be included in the transcript.
Include any work done in public or private school. You may be able to request a transcript for any years completed outside the home and include them on your final transcript from homeschool.
If you are having trouble creating course names or the process of creating a transcript you can use a transcript service, or talk to a homeschool evaluator who may offer the service.
There are a lot of considerations when compiling a transcript, reach out to parents in your homeschool community if you need more guidance.
At time of writing HEAV is offering a homeschooling highschool mentorship program that would be very helpful for any participants.
Transcript Writing Services
Transcripts can be written by homeschool services, evaluators and tutors. I offer transcript writing services and you can ask about availability by emailing dallmeyerlearning@gmail.com.
Where Can I Get a Homeschool Diploma?
Parents issue homeschool diplomas. If you would like to have a professional diploma printed you can use a company like Graduation Ink. They come in a nice hard cover and are a great way to mark the accomplishment.
HEAV also has a diploma and transcript service that you may want to look into.
You can also create and print your diploma at home. Keep an electronic copy on hand for your child as they enter the workforce or higher education.
Need Help?
If you need help creating your course of study, transcript or determining graduation, please reach out to dallmeyerlearning@gmail.com.
I love helping families and working through questions. We can figure this ou.
