Procedures

Send the Diploma Transcript Request Form to the ECHSDA administrator or download the transcript from the Forms page. When you receive the ECHSDA Diploma Transcript, begin recording your student’s courses and grades for ninth through twelfth grades. Included on the Diploma Options page are checklists that may be used for your convenience to help ensure that you meet all the requirements for the diploma option of your choice.

At the completion of each school year, the supervisor 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, the Academic Diploma with Honors, the General Diploma with Specialization, or the Academic Diploma with Specialization. Once credits are assigned, the evaluator signs and dates the ECHSDA Diploma Transcript for that year.

This transcript may be kept in the possession of the supervisor of the home education program for the ninth, tenth, and eleventh grades but must be filed with ECHSDA by February 28 of the student’s senior year. At that time, the home school supervisor must send all items listed in the Paperwork Filing Checklist (below) to ECHSDA.

Once all necessary paperwork has arrived at the office of the ECHSDA Administrator, written notification will be sent to the supervisor.

At the end of the senior year, the final evaluation letter and an original ink ECHSDA Diploma Transcript must be sent, along with the Diploma Request Form. At that time, the diploma will be issued.

Please Note

  • A student who has previously attended a public, nonpublic, or private high school must have his or her transcript from that school sent to ECHSDA by the filing deadline in the senior year (February 28).
  • All students must send the Filing Form to ECHSDA, even if they have not been homeschooled before their senior year. Information from the form is needed to order the diploma (diploma requested and name as it should appear on the diploma).
  • Passing grades must be documented for all required subjects before a diploma will be issued.

Paperwork Filing Checklist

Send the following, postmarked by February 28 of the senior year, to open your student’s file:

  • Filing Form
  • Fee of $60 (or $65 via PayPal)
  • Photocopy of completed ECHSDA Diploma Transcript listing completed courses for grades nine through eleven (with course names, credit earned for each course, and percent or letter-grade earned), and projected courses and credits for grade twelve
  • Homeschool evaluation letters (or an official public or private school transcript) for grades nine through eleven
  • Supervisor Compliance Letter stating that the home school supervisor:
    a) is the parent or legal guardian of the student,
    b) is in full compliance with the law, and
    c) is not involved in non-compliance hearings.
  • Evaluator’s Credential Registration form with attached documentation
    Note: Do not send the Evaluator Credential Registration form and documentation if the evaluator has previously registered with ECHSDA.

Send the following at the end of the senior year to complete your student’s file:

  • Diploma request form
  • Grade twelve evaluation letter
  • ECHSDA Diploma Transcript (All homeschool credits must be listed on this final, original ink ECHSDA Diploma Transcript. Be sure to include all dates and signatures.)

Graduation Exercises

Reflecting the diversity of homeschoolers receiving Erie County Home School Diplomas, most families plan their own individual or group graduation ceremony. Some years, ECHSDA sponsors a graduation ceremony in Erie County. To indicate your interest in participating in the Erie County ceremony, please check “Yes” on the Filing Form.