High school
Options for Recognition of Education at Home
This information is posted as of April 2008, at a time when important changes
are taking place in the Québec education system. We do not know
to what extent the Reform in education will have an effect on the adult
or distance education programmes. It is important to remember that we
are preparing our young people to succeed I whatever postsecondary
option they choose, and not according to the Québec education
programme presently in effect in the high schools.
Preliminary Information Regarding
Postsecondary Institutions
College (Cégep):
To gain access to college, students should focus in on the mastery of concepts for those courses that are prerequisites to the programme chosen.
University:
A student may also make a request for admission and go directly to
university. Some universities, such as Ottawa University and McGill
University, are more flexible with homeschooling candidates. Ottawa
University even has a policy for homeschoolers posted on their website.
A student may also register for distance courses with Athabaska
University in Alberta. Trinity Western University in British Columbia
offers a special online programme geared to homeschoolers, with a
guarantee that credits can be transferred.
Options
Apprenticeship
Definition
- Student works with a mentor in an area of interest to eventually obtain an employment.
- Examples: auto mechanics, woodworking, computer programming, etc.
Advantages
- Individualized learning.
- Motivating since student is doing something he/she enjoys.
- Goal seems attainable (a job!).
- Allows for a variety of experiences in different fields.
Disadvantages/Challenges
- Certain fields require a proof of competency in order to be hired. This is the case in Québec for many trades.
- Salary is often based on accredited studies. For those who
don’t have a high school diploma, an equivalency exam is
available (TENS). This test, geared to adults already in the work
force, can certify that a certain equivalency has been attained, giving
access to an equivalent salary. However, this test is not valid for
entrance into postsecondary institutions.
Recent experience in Québec
- A young adult had never been registered with a school board when
he finished homeschool high school. Having heard that he was very
computer-literate, a local company called on his services for some
technical problems they were experiencing. He succeeded in solving
their problems! He was then offered a training period. Since then, he
was offered a transfer to the United States, where he completed a
bachelor’s degree at the company’s expense. He has since
returned to Québec since fall 2007 with his wife and two young
sons, and is employed by the same company as Data Manager.
Contact
- An uncle, an aunt, a neighbour…
Vocational Studies Diploma (VSD)
Procedure
- A student inquires at the appropriate school board for a
technical field in particular. He/she will then be required to show
proof of acquired skills in some of the core subjects.
Advantages
- Motivating since student is doing something he/she enjoys.
- Goal seems attainable (a job!).
- No waste of time for some students who are not interested in
courses leading to college education since they have no intention of
going anyway.
- A student may opt for a professional school rather than go to regular high school.
Disadvantages / Challenges
- Clientele may differ from one group to the next and from one
field to another, since these courses are at the high school level.
- If a student decides that college may interest him/her after all,
he/she may take the courses necessary to obtain the supplementary
prerequisites, but it will have taken more time to get there.
Recent experience in Québec
- A student who will have been homeschooled to the end of high
school has just recently made a request for admission for a VSD in a
hotel management school. He must show proof of equivalency or pass
exams for the prerequisites. ACPEQ is monitoring this closely.
Contact
- Local school board, vocational schools (both public and private).
Secondary School Diploma (SSD) via a school board -
First of three options:
Procedure
- Contact local school board for necessary exams leading to necessary credits for SSD.
- Under the former Québec Education Programme, some
homeschoolers went to the school board at the end of Secondary 4
whereas others requested exams only at the end of Secondary 5, to avoid
being monitored too closely by the school board for the last year of
high school.
- With the Reform, some credits may be granted much earlier than Secondary 4.
Advantages
- Diploma guaranteed if student passes the exams, and application
to postsecondary institutions will consider them on the same basis as
others.
Disadvantages / Challenges
- A student must follow the government curriculum for each grade level.
- In the context of the Reform, credits granted cover such subject
areas as visual arts, ethics and religious culture, etc., and can begin
much earlier than Secondary 4 (according to the implementation of the
Reform).
Contact
- Local high school or school board.
Secondary School Diploma (SSD) via a school board -
Second of three options:
Procedure
Student contacts school board and placement tests are administered to determine grade level for each subject.
Advantages
- Student avoids school board monitoring.
- Student works at his/her own pace in an individualized learning
approach, while having access to tutoring during class time.
- Essential courses only, therefore no waste of time.
- Inexpensive.
Disadvantages / Challenges
- Student must be 16 years old as of July 1st of the school year
he/she would like to register, therefore some homeschoolers will
« lose » a year.
- Student must go to class.
- Clientele can vary (sometimes quite a number of dropouts).
- Content of certain courses is questionable (oriented towards the
reality of today’s young people, which is not the reality of most
homeschoolers).
Contact
Secondary School Diploma (SSD) via a school board -
Third of three options:
Procedure
Student inquires at an appropriate school board (not all
administrative regions in Québec have a Distance Education
center). Well worth doing some shopping to compare costs since a
student is not required to register with the school board that is
closest to his residence.
Advantages
- Student avoids school board monitoring.
- Student works at his/her own pace in an individualized learning approach, while having access to tutoring by phone or email.
- Essential courses only, therefore no waste of time.
Disadvantages / Challenges
- Student must be 16 years old as of July 1st of the school year
he/she would like to register, therefore some students will «
lose » a year.
- Content of certain courses is questionnable (oriented towards
dropouts and the reality of today’s young people, which is not
the reality of most homeschoolers).
- Expensive.
Contact(s)
- Distance Education Centers. Eastern Townships Distance Education
is familiar with homeschoolers. They offer services in both languages.
Commission scolaire de la Riveraine also has an excellent approach with
homeschoolers, in French.
Official homeschool transcript
(Examples: ACE, Tree of Life, Bob Jones, Christian Light Education, etc.)
Procedure
- Student registers with a homeschool distance monitoring service…
- Or a pre-established education programme by such a service…
- Or follows a parent-directed programme that is validated by this service.
Advantages
- Choice of educational materials and personalized programme.
- These services often suggest educational materials that are in line with Christian values and perspectives.
Disadvantages / Challenges
- In English only.
- Can be costly
Experience in Québec
- Out-of-province transcripts (from other provinces or from the
States) have been accepted by certain colleges/cégeps, both
private and public.
- ACE Québec now recommends that families register with a partner organization in the States for this transcript.
- However, ACE of Canada transcripts (therefore coming from outside Québec) have been accepted in the past.
Contact(s)
- Accelerated Christian Education (ACE), Bob Jones, Christian Light
Education, Tree of Life School and Book Service (based in New
Brunswick). There are many more out there.
Home transcript with high school portfolio and overview
for the last years of high school
Procedure
- Parents and student prepare a transcript with supporting
documents showing course of study and results obtained for the last two
or three years of high school. This includes the results of evaluations
administered privately by certified teachers. These evaluations cover
the prerequisites for admission into the college programme aimed for by
the student.
Advantages
- Choice of educational materials and course of study, therefore
certain flexibility in sequence of courses. For example, a student can
decide to cover History of Québec and Canada in Secondary 5
rather than 4; he/she can take a world history course spread out over
two years; he/she can also decide to take a break for a few months or
more to pursue other interests (short- or medium-term missions or
humanitarian aid, special leadership training, spend more time on an
academic subject for which he/she has a passion, etc.).
- Private tutoring available by evaluating teachers, if necessary.
Disadvantages / Challenges
- Road less travelled by and no guarantee that an initial request
for admission to a college will be successful the first time around.
Rest assured that ACPEQ and HSLDA are there to support you!
- Finding certified teachers for evaluation purposes (ACPEQ is actively working on this).
Experience au Québec
- We know of two students who have been successful in being
admitted to college on the basis of such a portfolio. These admissions
were with a private college (equivalent of cégep).
- Determining factors as stated by admissions officer:
1. Evaluations by certified teachers included in the portfolio,
attesting to the fact that the student had passed exams for
prerequisites and corresponding to the total number of credits usually
required in high school.
2. The College Education Regulations – General and Vocational Colleges Act (updated February 2008) article 2.2, stipulates the following:
2.2. Despite sections 2
and 2.1, a college may admit a person to a program of studies leading
to a Diploma of College Studies if the person has received instruction
the college considers equivalent.
Contact(s)
- For coaching: ACPEQ website and volunteers.
- For evaluating teachers: homeschool-friendly high school specialists; ACPEQ (help us round those up!).
- For homeschool-friendly colleges/cégeps: ACPEQ
- For legal assistance, if required: HSLDA.
