Posted on 01/06/2005 7:58:45 PM PST by Kevin OMalley
I've been getting asked more and more about my position that high school is a waste of time and my recommendation for parents to give their children a choice to skip high school. This is in response to the liberal agendas now prevalent in high schools as well as the simple fact that such a strategy would give kids a 4 year head start on their peers. Below are some useful links for investigating this option. I will repost my own experience under that.
http://parents.berkeley.edu/advice/school/equivexam.html
UCB Parents Advice about School Taking the High School Equivalency Exam Advice and recommendations from the UCB Parents mailing list. This page is brought to you by UC Berkeley Parents Network Back to: Advice about School & Preschool --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
How does GED differ from CHSPE? What's an R-4 Affadavit? 16-year-old wants to drop out & take the GED
http://www.cde.ca.gov/ta/tg/sp/documents/faq.pdf
California High School Proficiency Exam (CHSPE) Frequently Asked Questions — FAQs
http://www.hsc.org/chaos/teens/tests.php
Tests (CHSPE and GED) By Wes Beach Tests provide a limited means of measuring test-taking ability and maybe other things. Don't let them be any kind of measure of who your kids are. They can, however, serve important practical purposes such as high school completion or college admissions and credit.
There are two tests by means of which to earn a high-school-diploma-equivalent certificate: the California High School Proficiency Examination (CHSPE) and the General Educational Development (GED). The CHSPE has a narrower focus and tests skills and knowledge in reading, math, writing, and language. The GED includes these areas and also tests in science and social studies. Opinions vary about which test is more difficult, and different perceptions probably arise from kids with different strengths. The GED is more widely known and may be more readily accepted, although it is a myth that the CHSPE Certificate is unacceptable outside California.
In California (different states have different rules), anyone 18 or older can take the GED, and there are exceptions for somewhat younger people under some circumstances. It is administered by adult education schools in public school districts and is offered frequently. Contact your local adult school for information on the GED or call the GED Office at the California Department of Education at (800) 331-6316.
The CHSPE may be taken by anyone who, on the day of the exam, is 16 or older, or has finished the tenth grade, or is enrolled in the second semester of the tenth grade. This exam is offered two or three times a year at test sites throughout the state. CHSPE information bulletins can be found at high schools and libraries or at http://www.chspe.net/. For questions not answered in the bulletin, call (866) 342-4773. There is a great deal of misinformation about the CHSPE floating around, especially within the public schools. Check the official bulletin to confirm anything you hear. A student who passes the CHSPE still has the right to attend public high school if desired.
If a CHSPE or GED certificate is to be used for admission to college, entering the military, specific job requirements, etc., be sure to check at the source (the colleges, the military, the employer, etc.) regarding their policies.
Preparation books for these exams can be found in bookstores and libraries.
The College Board/Educational Testing Service offers a number of exams that can support college admission and/or can lead to college credit:
The PSAT, a shortened version of SAT I, is usually taken by high school juniors. If a student is in high school at the time he takes this test, he is automatically entered into the National Merit Scholarship competition. The PSAT is administered by high schools on their campuses; non-enrolled students may be allowed to take the test. Contact local high schools. SAT I (possibly along with SAT II) may be required for admission to four-year colleges and universities. There are two parts to SAT I: verbal—analogies, sentence completions, and critical reading questions—and math at the high school college preparatory level. The SAT's (I & II) are given at test sites throughout the state; sites are listed in the application booklet (see below). SAT II is a set of separate tests on high school subjects—world history, chemistry, French, etc. Advanced Placement: Colleges often grant credit for sufficiently high scores on AP exams. These exams are final exams in college-level classes taught in high school and are given at high schools at the end of the courses; students who have not taken the courses may be allowed to take the exams. Colleges also grant credit for good scores on CLEP exams. These exams are generally easier than AP exams, are given at test centers throughout the state, and cover the content of more than thirty college-level courses. ACT (formerly American College Testing) offers the ACT, a somewhat broader college admission test that colleges may use instead of or in addition to the SAT. The ACT consists of four sections: English, math, reading, and science. Even when SAT/ACT scores aren't required, they provide one way (there are others) to demonstrate academic ability and acquired knowledge in the absence of a traditional transcript. It may be possible to gain admission to the schools your kids choose through testing alone, and impressive test scores always add strength to a college application. Just as in the case with the SAT/ACT, good scores on AP and/or CLEP exams can support a college application. Check carefully with colleges of interest for their policies regarding credit. Classes that prepare students for these tests may be offered by high schools, adult schools, community colleges, and private companies.
Guides and preparation materials can be found in libraries and bookstores. Explanatory and application materials from the College Board and ACT can be found at high schools, colleges, and libraries, and also can be obtained directly from the College Board at (510) 873-8000 or at http://www.collegeboard.org; SAT tests will be changing within the next few years. To keep informed of those changes, check the website http://www.collegeboard.com/about/newsat/newsat.html. Information about the ACT can be obtained at (916) 631-9200 or at http://www.act.org. Information on the GED is available at http://www.acenet.edu/calec/ged.
http://www.collegeconfidential.com/dean/archives/000064.htm
College Confidential: Does CHSPE = GED?
Question: When colleges say that they accept GEDs, what does that mean for the CHSPE? Do they accept that credential as a high school diploma? If not, what should I do?
At the California High School Proficiency Examination (CHSPE) Web site (www.cde.ca.gov/statetests/chspe) you can find an Information Bulletin and Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) about the CHSPE. California law states that the Certificate of Proficiency provided to students who pass the CHSPE is equivalent to a high school diploma. In other words, institutions that are subject to California law and that require a high school diploma must also accept the CHSPE. (However, the Certificate of Proficiency is not equivalent to completing all course work required for regular graduation from high school.)
Therefore, if you've received the CHSPE Certificate of Proficiency, your certificate would be equivalent to a high school diploma. The Certificate of Proficiency is not equivalent to completing all course work required for regular graduation from high school in California. However--and this is a good caveat for most general college-entrance-related questions--you should always check with the admissions offices (or admissions sections of the Web sites) of those colleges to which you are considering applying. This is especially important if you're interested in colleges and universities outside of California that may not accept the CHSPE or may not even be familiar with it.
I don't understand why you are posting this. Are you a high school student, a homeschool student or a parent? Or have you just done a bunch of research?
In a perfect world, this would be ideal. When I was in high school, I searched in vain for a way to skip it by taking some sort of test. I was truly educated at home, even when I was enrolled in school.
However, most colleges still attach a lot of weight to having the high school diploma, even though ultimately it means nothing.
I went to Community College while I was still in High School (I graduated in my junior year since I had tons of credits.) I love education, as well or I wouldn't have spent so much time, effort and money at it.
Private schools are no better than public schools. I have sent my children to both and I'll take a good public school over a private school anytime. My children have had more opportunity with their GATE (Gifted and Talented Education) programs than they ever had at their stifling Catholic schools.
The two youngest are A students and Superintendent's Honors List for the last 4 years. Middle one is up for Junior ROTC, as well.
Oops. "Catcher in the Rye" was starting to get aged even when I was in high school. Didn't the author marry some famous good-looking model?
I'm a parent who happened to take the CHSPE about 25 years ago, so this position is borne out of experience.
They forgot that he was once an underwear model... ;-)
bookmark
"I'm a parent who happened to take the CHSPE about 25 years ago, so this position is borne out of experience."
Wait a minute - you're a parent and you're thinking about keeping your kid out of a public high school. What are you - nuts? Think about what your kid will miss: Sex, drugs, alcohol, fights, knifings, and liberal indoctrination.
Some parent you are.
Keep reading this thread. There appear to be multiple ways of taking advantage. Our kids are going to have a choice. You did, too, but no one was listening to your frustration at the time, and you couldn't find the way out.
Unfortunately, in leftist domains there is a strong desire not to challenge the children or let them take on too much. This is especially so with minority children. My story:
I originally attended a bad inner city high school. Credits in the district were awarded based on hours spent in the classroom, and NOT demonstrated knowledge. So my desire to advance without wasting my time on familiar subjects was unfulfilled. There were no choices, no options. My English teacher told me I could probably teach the class myself, yet, I had to sit there, bored out of my mind, watching other students misbehave and learning nothing. It was like glorified daycare.
In the ninth grade they forced me to take Algebra I. Not only did I know the subject very well, I had already taken this class in the eighth grade. But that didn't count. I made my case to the counsellor to allow me to at least take Algebra II. But the "well-meaning" lackey lady worried that I wouldn't be able to handle it, as I was a poor black child. I fought it to little avail. I took my appeal to the head of the math department and we struck a secret deal two months before the end of the school year. I'd have to teach myself Algebra II at home, and if I passed final exams, he'd pull strings. I didn't know about formal homeschooling at the time so I just took a textbook home, taught myself as best I could, passed final exams and received credit. Even though I had spent the year in an Algebra I class and passed those exams as well, they didn't give me credit for that.
Left-wing bureaucracies care more about feelings than achievement.
Incredible story.
Congratulations on pulling yourself up. It's an honor to have you on this site.
...I just wish I had that kind of ambition.
"Think about what your kid will miss: Sex, drugs, alcohol, fights, knifings, and liberal indoctrination."
***They'll get plenty of that in Elementary school and junior high.
Oh. OK. Got it. I am going to go back a re-read now. Thanks.
These certifications sound great.
It brings tears to my eyes. I am happy other people have the chance now. I am sad because I never did get my diploma, I dropped out because I strongly believed I was wasting my time. For my father's sake, I wish there was something I could do. A GED is the only option here, and I don't want to do that.
Touche'
Nice comeback.
Thanks. I couldn't stick with it for 4 years though. I took my SATs that same year, in the ninth grade. But it is my regret now that I couldn't handle 4 years of it, and left school to enter the working world.
I won't slander the nation.
Just the School District of Philadelphia.
"Thanks. I couldn't stick with it for 4 years though."
I saw that in your later post - I'm sorry to hear it. If could get the GED, and then get a college degree, your GED will essentially disappear from your record (i.e., employers care a lot more about your college record than your high school record, providing you have a college record).
Go for it!! If at all possible.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.