Distance Education High School Options for Gifted / LD children

Oversight programs allow you to homeschool your child while submitting evidence of work completion to a company who will 'certify' your child's progress. When your child has finished the entire course of study, the company will issue an accredited diploma and handle transcripts for your child's college application. With any of these organizations, be sure to verify the school has maintained their accreditation. It is your responsibility to verify accreditation still exists at the time of your application and to insure the accrediting agency's certification is accepted by colleges your child is likely to attend. You might also be interested in signing up for $5000 for School.

Below are organizations which offer oversight services and correspondence high schools:

American School - Has been around a long time, is well-known, and a nice low-key option. American School produces their own course books and materials which are not known to be rigorous. If your child needs to meet high academic standards for college, this may not be the program for you. American School is said to be "easy" by many homeschoolers and offers the benefit of letting a child get an accredited diploma without spending hours on academics. As one of my friends pointed out, American School allows her child to engage in many extra-curricular activities because her school work can be completed in a few hours each day. American School is probably fine for any child seeking admission to a fine arts college.

Keystone National High School - A relatively rigorous option for your child's high school program. Keystone has offered correspondence courses for a long time and is moving into the Virtual High School arena. This can offer you flexibility to have your child take some courses online, and some via traditional texts if Keystone continues to offer traditional correspondence courses.

North Atlantic Regional School (NARHS) - an Oversight organization that allows you to pick your child's curriculum from dozens of choices. The NARHS program guide includes lists of programs that can be used to meet required credits in various courses. You can pick from any of the "acceptible" choices and build a flexible program tailored to your child's specific needs. This is one of the most flexible programs available although it is up to you to build your child's program. There are no pre-packaged courses offered by NARHS. It is strictly an oversight agency.

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James Madison High School (NOT Recommended) - Has an admissions policy against accepting ANY child that has EVER had an Academically-based Individual Education Plan (IEP). Although when questioned, they wrote me a letter saying they'd accept a child who could prove competence, I felt the attitude in the letter had an air of arrogance as if to say my child wasn't good enough for them. In my personal opinion, I've dealt with public school teachers who look down their noses at children with learning disabilities enough to know that I don't need to pay James Madison's staff to look down their noses at my child! There are plenty of other schools with receptive attitudes. I recommend bypassing James Madison altogether, but wanted to include them in the list so you will know they were 'reviewed'.

Accredited Distance Education Programs