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High School Core Curriculum
- What You Might Need to Know. Or Not.
In
most states, there is a definition of what you are supposed to learn in
high school in order to graduate. Some homeschoolers fret about the idea
that their student doesn't have a "diploma". Who needs one?
These days some of the top Universities are recruiting homeschoolers simply
because they are some of the more interesting applicants. [Read on here
and here].
A
diploma is simply a piece of paper that says you did what the public (or
private school) thought you needed to do to graduate. The beauty of homeschooling
is that your student can do what he thinks he needs to do to "graduate"
into adult life away from home. However, I would recommend that if your
student wants to attend a University, you start early in his "high
school"career determining the "subjects" he may need to
master in order to apply to the University of choice. Our page on "Upper
School" is by no means complete but is a constantly updated source
of information regarding homeschooling a teen who is preparing for College:
[Upper School info].
With
that idea in place, however, in my reading recently there are states that
are narrowing further who they will take at State Universities based on
the idea that students have completed the core curriculum requirements.
Ohio is one of those states. So if your teen is considering one of our
great schools consider the following as you build your high school program
at home:
High
School Core Curriculum in Ohio SB 311
passed 126th General Assembly Regular Session 2005-2006
The
Ohio core curriculum is the standard expectation for all students
entering ninth grade for the first time at a public or chartered
nonpublic high school on or after July 1, 2008. A student may satisfy
this expectation through a variety of methods, including, but not
limited to, integrated, applied, career-technical, and traditional
coursework.
Details
to think about as a homeschooler.
- Generally
requires completion of the Ohio Core curriculum for admission
as a resident undergraduate student to most state universities,
beginning in the 2012-2013 academic year, for students who entered
ninth grade after July 1, 2008.
-
Requires the Department of Education and the Board of Regents
to propose a standardized method and form for recording
high school credit on high school transcripts. (to be
implemented Not later than April 30, 2009)
-
Requires the Department of Education to make its Individual Academic
Career Plan available on its web site for schools to use in guiding
students and families in selecting high school courses.
-
Requires the State Board of Education to adopt a statewide
plan for students to earn units of high school credit based on
demonstration of subject area competency, instead of or in combination
with completing hours of classroom instruction, and requires
school districts, community schools, and chartered nonpublic schools
to award high school credit in accordance with it.
- Requires
school districts, community schools, and chartered nonpublic high
schools to integrate economics and financial literacy
instruction into a required social studies course or
another class.
-
Requires students who are subject to the Ohio Core curriculum
to complete two semesters of fine arts in any of grades
7 to 12 to graduate from high school.
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Core
Curriculum in Detail:
Sec. 3313.603. (A) As used in this section:
(1) "One unit" means a minimum of one hundred twenty hours
of course instruction, except that for a laboratory course, "one
unit" means a minimum of one hundred fifty hours of course
instruction.
(2) "One-half unit" means a minimum of sixty hours of
course instruction, except that for physical education courses,
"one-half unit" means a minimum of one hundred twenty
hours of course instruction.
(B) Beginning September 15, 2001, except as required in division
(C) of this section and division (C) of section 3313.614 of the
Revised Code, the requirements for graduation from every high school
shall include twenty units earned in grades nine through twelve
and shall be distributed as follows:
(1) English language arts, four units;
(2) Health, one-half unit;
(3) Mathematics, three units;
(4) Physical education, one-half unit;
(5) Science, two units until September 15, 2003, and three units
thereafter, which at all times shall include both of the following:
(a) Biological sciences, one unit;
(b) Physical sciences, one unit.
(6) Social studies, three units, which shall include both of the
following:
(a) American history, one-half unit;
(b) American government, one-half unit.
(7) Elective units, seven units until September 15, 2003, and six
units thereafter.
Each student's electives shall include at least one unit, or two
half units, chosen from among the areas of business/technology,
fine arts, and/or foreign language.
(C) Beginning with students who enter ninth grade for the first
time on or after July 1, 2008, except as provided in divisions (D)
to (F) of this section, the requirements for graduation from every
public and chartered nonpublic high school shall include twenty
units that are designed to prepare students for the workforce and
college. The units shall be distributed as follows:
(1) English language arts, four units;
(2) Health, one-half unit;
(3) Mathematics, four units, which shall include one unit of algebra
II or the equivalent of algebra II;
(4) Physical education, one-half unit;
(5) Science, three units with inquiry-based laboratory experience
that engages students in asking valid scientific questions and gathering
and analyzing information, which shall include the following:
(a) Physical sciences, one unit;
(b) Biology, one unit;
(c) Advanced study in one or more of the following sciences, one
unit:
(i) Chemistry, physics, or other physical science;
(ii) Advanced biology or other life science;
(iii) Astronomy, physical geology, or other earth or space science.
(6) Social studies, three units, which shall include both of the
following:
(a) American history, one-half unit;
(b) American government, one-half unit.
Each school shall integrate the study of economics and financial
literacy, as expressed in the social studies academic content standards
adopted by the state board of education under section 3301.079 of
the Revised Code, into one or more existing social studies credits
required under division (C)(6) of this section, or into the content
of another class, so that every high school student receives instruction
in those concepts. |
You can find what your state high school core curriculum is at their website
or at your state board of education web site. Look specifically for "High
School Core Curriculum".
Want
Something More Interesting Than High School?
Many Universities are offering OpenCourseWare
these days. OpenCourseWare is a free and open educational resource (OER)
for educators, students, and self-learners around the world. They are
college level courses, often with MP3 lectures, readings text lists and
sometimes quizzes, if that suits your fancy. Here are a few:
You
Thought the Bully in the Play Yard was Gone. Today it's Worse. Cyberbullies.
From
cyberbully.org:
Cyberbullying
is sending or posting harmful or cruel text or images using the Internet
or other digital communication devices. The stories are heart breaking.
Teens who are:
Cyberbullying
is emerging as one of the more challenging issues facing educators and
parents as young people embrace the Internet and other mobile communication
technologies.
Cyberthreats are a related concern. A cyberthreat is online material that
threatens or raises concerns about violence against others, suicide, or
other self-harm. There are two kinds: Direct threats are actual threats
to hurt someone or commit suicide. Distressing material provides clues
that the person is emotionally upset and may be considering hurting someone,
hurting him or herself or committing suicide.
Cyberbully.org is provided by the Center for Safe and Responsible Internet
Use. CSRUI provides resources for educators and others to promote the
safe and responsible use of the Internet. [read
on]
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