It’s that time of year! Graduation!! Congratulations to all the high school seniors out there on all of the hard work you have put in to bring you to this point. Job well done! Many of you are planning to participate in a graduation ceremony or celebration of some type – so enjoy your day. Parents – you are almost done with the paperwork –there are just a few more things to take care of – and one of those is issuing a diploma for homeschool graduation. 
A diploma is a certificate often issued by an educational institution validating that a student has completed a certain course of study successfully. As homeschoolers, we do not have an educational institution that will do this – nor will the state. Therefore, it is up to you (and perfectly legal) to issue your child’s diploma. Feel free to order a pre-printed one online – or, you can create your own diploma on the computer and print it out on the beautiful certificate paper found at most office supply stores. I have uploaded a Diploma Sample for your use if you wish. For a nice touch, you can even order diploma covers from graduation supply companies.
If your student had a specific course of study in high school, feel free to label your diploma accordingly. For example – you may add a line that says “Majored in Computer Programming” or “College Preparatory”. Just be prepared to explain the reasoning and the course of study behind this label should a college ask. Your transcript should also reflect this path.
Your homeschooling diploma will be backed up and validated by the transcript and the portfolio of work your student has done. To put a finished touch on the transcript, add a final graduation date and a statement that says something like: “FULL NAME has successfully completed a secondary course of study and is eligible for graduation.”
In Florida, if you are homeschooling under a non-traditional private school, most of these schools will issue a diploma for you – providing that you have followed their guidelines for graduation.
One last thing – unless your student’s next stage in life specifically requests it, I do not recommend that you take the GED as proof of graduation.
So, once again – congratulations on reaching this major milestone! Job well done.
~to your success
Joanne
Image courtesy of sippakorn at FreeDigitalPhotos.net
Hi Joanne, I am a homeschool mom from Orange Park, FL and I saw you speak years ago somewhere in Jacksonville. I was wondering if you still offer classes for a small group involving transcripts, college prep, et
C… High school years. If so, what is the min/max of attendees? Cost? Also, would we need to provide the venue? We can do that. I have many high school momma’s who have many questions. Thank you, Kristen Hartley
Hi Kristen – My apologies for the delay in responding. YES, I do still offer high school classes. The cost is $5 per person and we would need a minimum of ten attendees. Let me know what you’d like to do and we can compare calendars. Go ahead and email me at joanne@highschoolpuzzle.com. Thanks!