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Online high schools provide a curriculum similar to a traditional high school, enabling adult students to get a high school diploma online.
Accredited online high schools provide a curriculum similar to a traditional high school, enabling adult students to get a high school diploma online. In this lesson, you’ll study how to find an accredited program.
A high school diploma is an award given to learners who complete the required coursework and credits for a high school program, which typically includes grades 9 through 12. Learners who haven’t graduated from a traditional brick-and-mortar high school may be able to get a high school diploma online.
One source of information on accredited online high school programs is the Distance Education and Accrediting Commission (DEAC), a nonprofit organization that functions as an accrediting commission for distance learning programs. Its website, www.deac.org, provides a list of high school diploma online programs accredited by its commission.
The other option is the Web-based National External Diploma program, whose accreditation is provided in Connecticut, the District of Columbia, Indiana, Maryland, New York, Rhode Island, Virginia, and Washington. This is an assessment-based program that evaluates the math, reading, and writing skills adults and teens acquire through life experience.
Curriculum Requirements
High school diploma online programs typically follow curriculum necessities for the state in which they operate. To see detailed curriculum and graduation requirements for a specific program, prospective learners should consult the state education board in that program’s home state and ensure that the high school has the appropriate state approvals.
Many programs offer an education structured similarly to traditional high school education programs. Learners take classes in math, science, social studies, history, and foreign languages, among other areas. Numerous programs also offer advanced placement or dual credit courses. Exempt from most online high school programs are physical education and other classes that require learners to be in the classroom individually, for instance, speech or debate classes. Some programs require learners to submit signed forms documenting physical education, while others waive the requirement.
Getting high school diplomas online requires students to use online discussion forums, video and voice conferences, instant messaging, and email to communicate with teachers and turn in assignments. Likewise, teachers use the same methods to communicate with learners and return graded work.
Most online programs make other educational services available to online learners, including counseling, tutoring, and even extracurricular programs. Upon completion of all graduation requirements, learners usually receive their diplomas in the mail.
GED Tests
Although students can pursue prep courses for the GED test over the Internet, the tests cannot be taken online.
Adults and out of school, teenagers can also take the General Educational Development (GED) Exam, which covers topics in language arts, math, science, and social studies. It comprises drag-and-drop, fill-in-the-blank, many choice, and short answer, among other types of questions.
Although students can pursue prep courses for the GED test over the internet, the tests cannot be taken online. The American Council of Education (ACE), which develops and standardizes the test, recommends potential test-takers to be wary of courses offering to administer the exam over the Internet since these are not approved or approved programs.
Adults or out of school, teenagers can get an accredited high school diploma online. Accredited programs can be found through the Distance Education and Accrediting Commission (DEAC), a not-for-profit organization that operates an accrediting commission for distance learning programs.
