Purpose. Joining HEART

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1 HEART Home Education and Religious Training PO Box 2591, Anderson, SC Phone: Fax Home Education and Religious Training (HEART), established in 1998, is a third option homeschool accountability association that meets the requirements of SC Code As a member of HEART, families commit to following the standards set forth in SC law option #3 for homeschools and obtain access to wide variety of support and resources to assist them in record keeping and educational planning. Purpose 1. Offer homeschooling families legal status under SC Code We maintain annual membership records. We report the number of students homeschooled per grade annually to each school district. We maintain and submit the annual assurance form as required by the SC Department of Education. 2. Offer homeschooling families support and services We assist in the transition from public/private school to homeschool. We provide documentation of membership as needed for families for the SC Department of Motor Vehicles, dual enrollment or college attendance, scholarships, and other similar requests. We offer assistance and counseling to families regarding the maintenance of homeschool records required by law. We offer assistance with the preparation of high school transcripts. We offer guidance services for high school students including but not limited to, letters of recommendation, preparation of transcripts, preparation and verification of class rank, Palmetto Fellows Scholarship filing. Joining HEART Membership applications must be completed online at Annual Membership applications and packets completed by August 1 st are eligible for the Early Bird Family Registration fee of $50. Any application/packets received after August 1 st will be charged the Family Registration Fee of $70. There is an annual High School fee of $30 per student in grades Membership registration will be closed on August 31 st. Exceptions are made for families who have relocated to the Anderson area. Students who are truant or have been expelled or suspended from public or private school will be considered on a case- by- case basis after additional information is provided to the HEART board of directors. Fees may be paid by cash, check, money order, or by PayPal on the HEART website. Membership applications are reviewed by the HEART board of directors. Families will receive an acceptance letter confirming their membership ONLY after the board approves their application and receives the family s completed membership packet. HEART membership packets include (1) a Handbook Agreement, (2) a copy of the primary teacher s high school/college diploma or GED if a copy is not already on file, (3) a Proposed Course of Study Form for each student, and (4) payment of the family membership fee and any applicable high school fees. Membership in HEART runs from June 1 st through May 31 st. Families have the flexibility to determine their own academic calendar. However, all courses taken for high school credit must be completed by May 31st. With the May 31 st deadline in mind, students taking any course for high school credit should start their work early enough to allow for sickness, Thanksgiving, Christmas, spring break, compiling grades and portfolios, and unexpected life events. 4/22/15 1

2 Membership Requirements 1. Families must submit a membership packet each year by August 31st. 2. Membership packets should include the following items. Handbook Agreement Form Copy of the primary teacher s high school diploma or GED certificate or college degree. (If one is not on file.) Proposed Course of Study for each student Payment of applicable family membership fee and high school fee(s). 3. Parents will maintain in their home all records required by statute for each student being homeschooled. This includes a copy of the primary teacher s high school diploma or GED certificate, attendance record, plan book or diary of the subjects taught and the activities completed by the parent teacher/student, a portfolio with samples of the students work for each subject taught, and semi- annual progress reports. 4. All new members will attend a record check in January and May the first year of homeschooling with HEART. 5. All returning members will attend an annual record check in January and submit the End of Year Accountability form by May 31 st. 6. Students taking course work for high school credit are required to complete all course work and assign final grades by May 31 st. 7. Students completing course work for high school credit are required to use the South Carolina Uniform Grading Policy (UGS). 8. Parents of students in grades 9-12 should submit a HEART High School Record Form annually by May 31 st of each school year. Please refer to the high school section of the handbook for additional details. 9. All families wishing to renew the following school year must have completed all the applicable requirements listed in numbers 1-8. All forms needed for the above requirements may be found under the forms tab HEART reserves the right to request a complete homeschool record review. Members who fail to submit required reports or submit incomplete reports will be notified via mail that they have been deemed Not- in- Compliance and will be given 10 days after such notification to submit the required documentation and have homeschool records ready for review if necessary. A member family may also request a meeting to bring their own records into compliance. In our effort to maintain compliance with the SC Department of Education, failure to show homeschool records in accordance with homeschool statute or failure to submit the appropriate reports at the end of the 10 day warning period will result in termination of the family s membership and the family will be ineligible to rejoin HEART. HEART is required to sign and submit an annual assurance form to the SC Department of Education each school year stating that our families are in compliance with the law. HEART established the requirements above in order to maintain a reputation that is above reproach and fulfill our responsibility of assuring member compliance. 4/22/15 2

3 Withdrawing from Public/Private School If withdrawing a student from the public school system, first secure membership with HEART. If withdrawing a student in the middle of an academic year, the parent may find it helpful to look through the student s books and make a list of the topics that have been covered and the topics yet to be completed. This will assist the parent in planning the remainder of the school year and assure that important concepts are not omitted. Then, the parent/legal guardian should notify the school of the decision to homeschool and withdraw the student. At that time, the parent should request any documentation they need from the school to begin their homeschool. This may include an attendance record showing the total number of days attended, test score reports, report cards, a syllabus from each high school level course, and a high school transcript. If the student has any course work that has been completed for high school credit, a transcript from the school must be submitted to HEART so grades can verified. It is the parent s responsibility to request and submit the transcript to HEART no later than May 31 st of the school year. Returning to Public School Public schools cannot deny a student entrance. However, they are not required to award credit for course work completed through a home school plan of study. Thorough record keeping will assist the school officials in determining grade placement and courses for which the student will receive credit. In some cases, schools may require a placement test or end of year test to assist in this process. A record of standardized test scores can also assist in the enrollment process. Public high schools use Carnegie Units for promotion and graduation requirements. HEART also uses Carnegie Units in generating transcripts. Please be prepared to answer questions regarding your homeschool methods, materials, and curriculum. It is the parental responsibility to speak with a school representative to learn the current state graduation requirements and to provide the academic records requested by the high school. Should a family decide to return to the public school system, please prepare early by scheduling an appointment with a guidance counselor to discuss the schools requirements. HEART will assist the family by providing a letter verifying membership and/or a high school transcript. Homeschool Law Revision Section 4. Title 65 of the 1976 Code by adding a new section to read: Section In lieu of the requirements of Section or Section , parents or guardians may teach their children at home if the instruction is conducted under the auspices of an association for home schools which has no fewer than fifty members and meets the requirements of this section. Bona fide membership and continuing compliance with the academic standards of the associations exempt the home school from further requirements of Section or The State Department of Education shall conduct annually a review of the association standards to insure that requirements of the association, at a minimum, include: a) a parent must hold at least a high school diploma or the equivalent general education development (GED) certificate b) the instructional year is at least one hundred eighty days c) the curriculum includes, but is not limited to, the basic instructional areas of reading, writing, mathematics, science, and social studies, and in grades seven through twelve, composition and literature and d) educational records shall be maintained by the parent- teacher and include: 4/22/15 3

4 a plan book, diary, or record indicating subjects taught and activities in which the student and parent- teacher engage a portfolio of samples of the student s academic work and a semiannual progress report including attendance records and individualized documentation of the student s academic progress in each of the basic instructional areas specified in item (c) above. By January thirtieth of each year, all associations shall report the number and grade level of children home schooled through the association to the children s respective school districts. This statute is commonly referred to as Option #3. The standards listed above are requirements of SC home school law. Families who choose to homeschool under this statute are responsible for maintaining all of the required documents showing that they have fulfilled all of the mandates listed. This is the law. HEART, as an organization, must decide to how to determine that the requirements are being met by its members. In order to best assist our members in this process, HEART has established the following polices. South Carolina Compulsory Attendance law states: Kindergarten/Compulsory Attendance Law Section A parent of guardian shall require his child to attend regularly a public or private school or kindergarten of this State which has been approved by the State Board of Education, a member school of the South Carolina Independent Schools Association, a member school of the South Carolina Association of Christian Schools, or some similar organization, or a parochial, denominational, or church- related school, or other programs which have been approved by the State Board of Education from the school year in which the child is five years of age before September first until the child attains his seventeenth birthday or graduates from high school. A parent or guardian whose child is not six years of age on or before the first day of September of a particular school year may elect for their child or ward not to attend kindergarten. For this purpose, the parent or guardian shall sign a written document making the election with the governing body of the school district in which the parent or guardian resides. The form of this written document must be prescribed by regulation of the Department of Education. Upon the written election being executed, that child is not required to attend kindergarten. Therefore, all children who turn 5 years of age by September 1 st must attend kindergarten unless the family chooses to sign a kindergarten waiver. The waiver should be signed at the school district office for which the student is zoned. If a home schooling parent elects not to sign a waiver for the student, the family must join an accountability association. They are then required to abide by the law outlined in the homeschool statute. Failure to either sign a waiver or join an accountability association means that a child is truant. Foster Children According to Section of the compulsory attendance law, a foster parent may teach a foster child at home as provided in Section , , or , if, in addition to any other requirements, home schooling of the child has been approved by the Department of Social Services or other agency having custody of the child. Curriculum Choosing curriculum is a parental responsibility. Attending a homeschool conference in the spring of the year is a good way to view the curriculum choices in person and allows the parent the opportunity to speak directly with 4/22/15 4

5 the representatives of the curriculum to better understand the curriculums organization, the learning approach utilized, the time commitment involved, etc. for various curriculums. Parents can also visit a store that sells homeschooling curriculum. Again, this allows parents to peruse a variety of options; however, curriculum representatives are not available to speak with. Finally, parents may choose to shop online at the individual curriculum websites. Also, it may beneficial to speak with other homeschooling families to get feedback on different curriculums. However, it is important to remember that the parent knows his/her own child/children the best and should choose a curriculum that fits the needs of the individual child. Please bear in mind when selecting curriculum for courses taken for high school credit, the curriculum/material used must be on a high school level for a student to receive a high school credit. Testing Parents who choose Option #3 for homeschooling in South Carolina are not required to do annual standardized testing. The students are exempt from all testing required by the school districts including the high school exit exam. However, standardized testing does offer benefits to parents and HEART encourages parents to test every 2-3 years. The benefits of testing include: 1. Providing the parent with information on student achievement in specific subject areas 2. Helping the parent tailor the student s goals and curriculum for the next year based on the strengths and weaknesses documented in the test results 3. Validating the student progress reports/report cards. This is especially important for students who are planning to return to public school and/or attend college 4. Helping prepare student for the testing atmosphere they will encounter while taking the PSAT, SAT, and ACT It is true that some students do not test well. However, test- taking skills are acquired, not innate. Helping your student learn the skills needed for taking college entrance exams, college exams, military entrance testing, testing for acquiring a job, or taking tests while employed is important to their success. This is best done by consistent practice. The Anderson Home School Association offers the Terra Nova test in the spring of each year. Test results are reviewed only by the parent. Registering for this test can be done through the AHSA website beginning in January of each school year. There are other groups in the community which allow annual testing participation by homeschool students. These opportunities are posted on the AHSA website. Some local private schools also allow homeschool students to test with the appropriate grade level. Parents who are interested in this opportunity should call the school directly and inquire about the school s policy early in the school year so as not to miss important deadlines. Parents may also choose to test at Bob Jones University Press Testing Center. This center offers the Stanford 10 Achievement Test and the OLSAT combination test. They offer ADA accommodations and other special accommodations. Included in the test fee is a 30 minute consultation session on score interpretation. Finally, some parents may be qualify to become a certified tester for specific tests and choose to test their own child or a small group of children. The qualifications and number of students the parent may proctor varies from test to test. Information regarding becoming a certified tester may be obtained at administrator- support.php. The PSAT, SAT and ACT are generally the testing done by high school students. Information for the PSAT can be found at The test measures critical reading, mathematics, and writing skills The PSAT provides practice for the types of questions the student will encounter on the SAT and is used to select National Merit Scholars. Students who receive this honor receive scholarship money and may be eligible for additional scholarships at some colleges and universities. The PSAT may be taken at local public high schools and some private schools. It is administered in October. The fee for the test will be paid directly to the school administering the test. National Merit Scholarship qualification is based off of PSAT scores from the student s junior year only. 4/22/15 5

6 Parents should call the school at which they would like to test, register their student and pay the fees. This should be done early in the year as many schools have limited space available for outside students and may order their tests early in the school year. The SAT is a college admissions test that measures what you know and how well you apply that knowledge. It tests critical reading, mathematics, and writing. The SAT is offered at specific testing sites on specific days. This information can be obtained at Students can register and pay the fees for the test at this site. Students generally take the SAT late in their junior year and/or early in the senior year. Students can combine the highest score from each section from multiple test dates to obtain their highest overall score. The SAT is one test by which the student may qualify for the Palmetto Fellows Scholarship and the Life Scholarship. The ACT is a college admissions test that measures student achievement in four subject areas: math, English, reading, and science. There is an optional writing section. To determine if the student needs to take the writing portion of the examination, please check the entrance requirements of the college/university the student is interested in attending. The ACT is administered on six different testing days. To obtain further information, register and pay the required fees for the ACT please visit Students generally take the test late in their junior year and/or early in the senior year. The score reported is a composite score for all sections. Subject scores from multiple test dates cannot be combined to determine the composite score. The ACT is one test by which the student may qualify for the Palmetto Fellows Scholarship and the Life Scholarship. There are a variety of prep books and prep courses a student may take advantage of in order to prepare for the SAT and the ACT. Some students choose to earn ½ of a Carnegie Unit by spending at least 60 documented hours in preparation for these tests. More information regarding preparation can be found at the websites listed above. High School HEART has instituted several policies this year for high school course work. Please note they are in green print as you read through the high school section. Homeschooling the high school years can be challenging. The parent/teacher is responsible for ensuring that the academic policies of HEART are met whether the course they are seeking credit for is being taught at home, through a co- op, taken online, at a private school, or through dual enrollment. HEART has established its academic policies to comply with the requirements set forth by the SC Commission on Higher Education. It is necessary for HEART to meet these requirements if even one student is to receive state based scholarship money. When selecting the texts/curriculum/materials to be used for high school course work, please be aware that all texts/materials used for a course receiving a high school credit MUST be high school level texts/materials. High school credits may be earned for core subjects in the seventh and eighth grades provided the course material and requirements are high school level. Credits earned are for core subjects and foreign language only, no exceptions. Please consider carefully whether the student is sufficiently prepared to handle high school level course work prior to purchasing curriculum. There is no educational advantage to pushing a student into course work for which they do not have the adequate academic preparation. No more than 2 credits for Physical Education will be awarded on the HEART transcript. EARLY GRADUATION: All requests to graduate early must be made prior to November 1 st. Eleventh graders enrolled in course work to complete requirements for graduation and requesting to graduate early will be classified as 12 th graders 4/22/15 6

7 **All of the above policies are in place to create uniformity on HEART transcripts with regard to rank, course credits, GPA and to put all HEART college prep and technical prep high school students on the same level playing field when competing for scholarships.** High school requires additional documentation by the parent/teacher to assist the HEART director in the preparation of the HEART high school transcript. These documents must be received by HEART not later than May 31 st. Families with high school students should be mindful of this deadline when planning their school year. This deadline is required to meet the requirement set by the SC Commission on Higher Education that all class rank reports must be finalized no later than June 15 th the school year. HEART has no flexibility in this date. The documents required on behalf of the student seeking high school credit are listed below. High School Record Form: Due May 31 st. This form lists the course title, credit earned, and final numerical average for each high school course. There should be one form submitted per student. Please note that if a student is taking a course for credit at another institution, whether a private school, online course, or college, a transcript for the course work from that institution must accompany the high school record. Please maintain a copy of these for your personal records. End of Year Accountability Form: Due May 31 st. This form is required one per family and confirms the family s compliance with the requirements set forth in statute Homeschool diplomas are not state certified. Only public schools can issue a state certified diploma. However, transcripts and diplomas signed by HEART are recognized by colleges, employers, and the military as valid documents signifying the completion of a high school course of study. Parents can prepare their own transcripts and diplomas as valid documents. Some institutions may require a transcript from HEART in addition to or in lieu of the parent prepared transcript. Transcripts may be requested on the HEART website at The transcript request form is located on both the public and member pages. Please allow 10 days for the transcript request to be processed. Transcripts are free to current students in HEART. The fee for transcript requests for former members is $5. The fee may be paid via PayPal on the HEART website. Parents may opt to use curriculum providers who offer transcript and diploma services. However, if the provider does not meet the requirements of an accountability association as outlined in , then the family must still join a homeschool accountability association to fulfill their legal status with the state. Please note that in order to qualify for state scholarships, the student must meet be a member of a homeschool accountability association. The ranking report for both the Life Scholarship and all filing for the Palmetto Fellows scholarship must be completed and sent directly from the homeschool accountability association. 4/22/15 7

8 HEART Graduation Requirements for Class of 2017 Subject English Language Arts Mathematics Science U.S. History Social Studies American Government Economics Physical Education or JROTC Computer Science Foreign Language or Career Technology Electives TOTAL Units Required 4 Credits 4 Credits 3 Credits 1 Credit 1 Credit ½ Credit ½ Credit 1 Credit 1 Credit 1 Credit 3-7 Credits CREDITS High School Tracks Parents with students entering the ninth grade or upon first joining HEART should choose a High School Track. The track indicates the intended plan of study the student will pursue during high school. The track will be designated on the HEART High School Record Form. Selecting the high school track is intended to help parents and students plan the type of courses they will take during the high school years so they are prepared for the next level of study beyond high school. It also assists HEART in providing guidance to families as they plan the high school course of study. Explanations of the tracks are listed below. College Preparatory Track: This track is designed to prepare students who wish to attend a four year college or university upon graduation. The South Carolina Commission on Higher Education (SCCHE) has issued the requirements needed to complete this track. Students entering this track should take course work that is of sufficient rigor to prepare them for participation in university level course work. Parents and students who desire to pursue entrance into a four year institution should contact the admissions office of the colleges and universities they are interested in to get the specific entrance requirements for that school. Please note that entrance requirements are the minimal requirements needed for admission. In order for students to be competitive for admission and/or scholarships, additional course work or course work with additional rigor may be necessary. It is the parent s responsibility to obtain this information from the institutions and to sufficiently prepare their students to meet their goals. College Preparatory Course Prerequisite Requirements- SC Commission on Higher Education English: Must have at least 4 units. Two of these units should contain a strong grammar and composition component. At least one should be in English Literature and one in American Literature. Math: Must have at least 4 units including Algebra I, Algebra II and Geometry. A Fourth higher- level math should be selected from among Algebra III/trigonometry, pre- calculus, calculus, statistics, or discrete mathematics. Science: Must have at least 3 units of Laboratory science. Two units must be taken in 2 different fields of the physical or life sciences and should be selected from biology, chemistry or physics. The third unit may be from the same field as one of the first two or from any lab science for which biology and/or chemistry is a prerequisite. Courses in earth science, general physical science, or introductory or general environmental science for which 4/22/15 8

9 biology and/or chemistry is NOT a prerequisite will not meet this requirement. It is recommended that students take physical science taught as a lab science as a prerequisite to the three required units of lab science outlined in this section. It is also recommended that students desiring to pursue careers in science, mathematics, engineering or technology take one course in all three fields. Foreign Language: Must have at least 2 units of the same foreign language. Social Science: Must have at least 3 units. One unit of U.S. History is required. A half unit of Economics and a half unit of Government is strongly recommended. Fine Arts: Must have 1 unit and should be selected from appreciation of, history of, or performance in one of the fine arts. Elective: Must have at least 1 unit. College preparatory course in Computer Science (one involving significant programming content, not simple keyboarding) is strongly recommended for this elective. Other acceptable electives include preparatory courses in English, fine arts, foreign languages, social science, humanities, lab sciences (excluding earth science, general physical science, general environmental science, or other introductory science courses for which biology and/or chemistry is not a prerequisite), or mathematics above the level of Algebra II. Physical Education or ROTC: Must have 1 unit. Technical Preparatory Track: This track is designed to prepare students who wish to attend a two year technical college or enter the work force upon graduation. Parents and students who desire to pursue entrance into a two year institution should contact the admissions office of the colleges they are interested in to get the specific entrance requirements for that school. It is the parent s responsibility to obtain this information from the institutions and to sufficiently prepare their students to meet their goals. Certificate of Completion: This track is designed for students who do not plan to attend an institute of higher learning, join the military forces or seek a job that requires a high school diploma. HEART will not keep track of credits earned, as this is considered a non- diploma track. No transcript or diploma will be issued. HEART will verify compliance with state home school law under section but will not verify that the student has met the conditions necessary to obtain employment where a high school diploma is required. HEART Grading Policy/Class Rank Policy All students enrolled in the college prep or tech prep track are required to assign numerical grades for each credit earned in accordance with the SC Uniform Grading Policy. All course work for consideration must be completed by May 31 st. All students in the college prep or tech prep track will be ranked. Ranking reports will be completed no later than June 15 th. The conversion table on the following page lists the numerical grade, letter grade, and the quality points earned for college prep, honors, and AP/Dual Enrollment designation. 4/22/15 9