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Can vocational-technical courses be counted towards basic course credits?
Vocational-technical courses which have other content such as math or science can be accepted as credit for both vo-tech and
basic course credits only if the superintendent of the district in which the student resides accepts them as such.
Are there different courses for the different diploma options?
Yes, the requirements for the General Diploma are simply the minimum required by the state. To receive an Academic or Honors
Diploma, twenty credits are required. (See pp.2 - 5.)
May I take two English courses in one year to graduate early?
With the changes in the number of credits to receive an Academic Diploma, it would not be probable that this would happen.
However, if an evaluator verifies in writing that this is possible or advisable, upon completion of the work, we will issue a
diploma. We do not want the Erie County Home Schoolers Diploma used to facilitate students cutting a year of school arbitrarily.
If a student works year round, it may be possible to complete the required courses early. However, that, too, must be indicated.
How do I get honors in a particular course?
To receive honors recognition in any subject, four full credit courses are required. You should first choose the way you will
fulfill these credits (see page 5), use the Academic Diploma Checklist (pages 12 to 14) for regular standards, then refer to
page fifteen to be sure you have met the additional requirements for honors in the courses you have selected.
Can the research papers count for both English and another subject?
Yes, the research papers can count for both English and one other subject because the English papers can be on any subject.
However, to be used as the sole method of documentation or as an honors credit, the papers must be ten pages long. In the case
of the honors in foreign languages, the paper need not be a research paper, but should be written in that foreign language.
What "school number" should Erie County Home Schoolers use on PSAT, SAT and ACT forms?
Erie County Home Schoolers should use the number 391281 on the PSAT, SAT, and ACT forms. If you use this number for the PSAT,
please notify us so that we can send the results to you.
What is the advantage of using this number?
We receive the scores on a label that we can affix to the student’s ECHSDA Diploma Transcript.
How do I fill out the ECHSDA Diploma Transcript?
The number of credits earned in each subject should be entered in the correct box indicating whether they are general, academic,
or honors credits. The grade should be the final grade earned in each subject. This can be a letter grade, a percentage, or a
pass/fail. Please consider that most colleges prefer a letter grade or a percentage.
What should I do if my graduating student is interested in a large group graduation with Erie County Home Schoolers?
Anyone interested in participating in a large group graduation with Erie County Home Schoolers should indicate this on the
Filing Form (due February 28 of senior year).
If my student does extra work, can more than one credit in English be awarded?
Yes, more than one credit can be awarded, however, the extra work should be documented as a separate course, e.g. Journalism,
Debate, Speech, Creative Writing, Poetry, Shakespeare, Mythology, etc. If the extra work consists of reading additional books, it
is recommended that the student strive to earn the honors diploma.
How do we count college courses for high school credit?
Each one-semester, three credit college course counts as one full credit course on the ECHSDA Diploma Transcript. If, however, the
student is pursuing Academic or Honors English, all three of our requirements must be met. Many college English courses are writing
only and the additional reading must also be completed to receive the credit. A literature course most likely will include enough
reading and writing, but a speech must still be given.
Can a student whose parent is a Pennsylvania certified teacher and home schools under the Home Tutor Law obtain an Erie County
Home School Diploma?
Yes, home tutored students can receive the ECHS Diploma provided that an evaluation of the student’s educational progress is
completed each year. This procedure is the same as required for other homeschoolers. At the completion of each school year, the
home tutor of the home education program assigns credits for each course taken. The evaluator then determines if these credits meet
the standards for the General Diploma, the Academic Diploma, or the Academic Diploma with Honors. Once credits are assigned,
the evaluator must sign the ECHSDA Diploma Transcript for that year.
New in 2006!
Is Psychology a science or social studies course?
The subject of psychology has been considered by ECHSDA to be a social studies course. That continues to be true for many
introductory psychology courses. However, researchers now know much about the physiology of psychology. If a psychology course
consists primarily of this aspect of the subject, it can be considered a science. In that case, it is the responsibility of the
supervisor of the program to demonstrate this. If a student wants to earn honors in science and chooses to use this course for
one of the experiments and papers, the experiment must deal with the physiology of psychology.
Filing Form Deadline
February 28 remains the postmark deadline for the Filing Form. The ECHSDA Administrator will order diplomas promptly after that
date. Diploma delivery from printer to ECHSDA Administrator would be expected by mid-May. A second diploma order will be placed
on July 15 for those who missed the February 28 deadline and have submitted all paperwork and fees, including the late fee of $20.00.
Diploma delivery for this second and last order would be expected mid-September.
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