Dual Enrollment

I am just now getting started with HS our kids for preschool and have been thinking about HS for the future, as well. However, DH has some reservations.

I read about someone doing dual enrollment in another post. This is one of the things I mentioned to DH when approaching him with the idea of HS. I know it isn't an issue for us yet, but he was looking at the future. I have a few questions. First, how common is dual enrollment? How hard is it to set up? How much do schools allow children who are dual enrolled to participate in school activities/programs? (DH wants DS to be able to play football. I think he's already planning his NFL career. ) What have your experiences been like? Is there any other info you could give me to share with DH?

 

Our district offers dual enrollment if you're child is enrolled. My DS is a senior this year, enrolled at the district's charter school for homeschooling students. You can homeschool without being enrolled in this school obviously, but if you go through the charter school, they manage the records and you get a $2500 per year budget for curriculum and supplies. If DS wanted to take a class or be in the band or be in a sport or whatever, he could choose which high school in the district he wanted to do these things in and we'd fill out a dual enrollment form. However, we have to pay for that class. This year, the district charged $450 for each semester or 1/2 credit (i think). So that's a pretty big chunk of his annual budget. The cool thing is that he could choose to be in the orchestra at, say, West High since they have the best music program but play basketball at South High because they never lose. This is the way I understand our dual enrollment option, but my DS has never used it. He prefers independent study.

HTH!!

 

I had not heard of dual enrollment before either. I do know that the high schools in the parish next to ours permits some of their classes to be taken at home. It is also becoming more common for high school age kids to take some of their classes through the local community colleges. These are both homeschooled and public/private schooled children taking the college level classes in place of their high school credits.

Each state is different. Some states will permit children that are homeschooled to participate in the sports at the school. Some homeschool groups actually offer sports teams. Again our neighboring parish's HS group has a baseball, basketball, 6 man football and soccer team.

Your child can't play football in school anyway until 7th grade. He could always attend public/private school at that time IF he is even interested in playing football. My second son currently plays football through the town rec center. When he is too old for rec football and if he still wants to continue with the sport, we will put him in a private school so he can continue to play. My oldest is going into 7th grade next year and can no longer play basketball at the rec center, so he is going to private school next year.

 

QUOTE(Aurie @ Nov 24 2008, 02:15 PM) [snapback]1084864[/snapback]
Your child can't play football in school anyway until 7th grade. He could always attend public/private school at that time IF he is even interested in playing football.

I know this isn't an issue, yet. I am just trying to get as much info for DH as possible about the immediate and about the future. I am also very interested in them being able to be in the band. I was in the marching band for 5 years in Jr high/high school, 2 years in college, and was an instructor for a high school marching band for 5 years. It was very important to me and I would love for my kids to have that opportunity if it is something they are interested in. I just want them to be able to do the extra stuff they want, but provide the best education for them, as well. I'm not sure this means HS, but it is something I am looking into.

This was just one aspect I am researching and thought I'd ask here.

 

I hope you didn't think I was scolding or something. I didn't mean to come across harsh, if I sounded that way. Educating our kids doesn't have to be one or the other. If you decide to HS that isn't the only option you are stuck with forever.

If you are seriously considering HSing, try it for kindergarten. That is the easiest year to start since kindy isn't required in most states. If it isn't working for you or you do not like it then you always have the school to fall back on. Since most extracurricular activities are in the community until older ages, those shouldn't be the reason to hold you back if you really want to give HSing a try.

There are some states that offer online charter schools. The curriculum is often very advanced over what the public schools offer. Your child is still considered to be part of the public school system thus you have to follow the given curriculum and the school year schedule plus be accountable to a teacher. I am not sure if children going this route can be part of their local school's activities or not. That is something you could contact the charter school about.

 

QUOTE(Aurie @ Nov 26 2008, 10:27 AM) [snapback]1087514[/snapback]
I hope you didn't think I was scolding or something. I didn't mean to come across harsh, if I sounded that way. Educating our kids doesn't have to be one or the other. If you decide to HS that isn't the only option you are stuck with forever.

I have just started a rough-version of HS for preschool since we were never going to send them to preschool to begin with. The real reason I was asking is because of DH. He has never known HS kids or families until recently and his one experience wasn't the greatest. I am just gathering as much information as possible. I am interested, but right now DH is against the idea. I was hoping to alleviate some of his fears by getting some information he would be interested in. That way, he may be open to trying it for K. I know that, if it doesn't work out, I can always send them to school, but as of now, DH isn't even willing to try. I know that football is important to him and DS loves it, too. I was hoping to remove at least that objection from his mind. If I can gather information on one objection at a time, maybe he'll consider it by the time they are ready for K.