Do Homeschool Programs Need to Be Accredited?

Note: This article originally appeared at CatholicMom.com March 9, 2015. Visit the Catholic Mom website where you'll find a treasure trove of articles to lift you up in your faith as well as help you in your everyday vocation as wife and mother.

Do I need to sign my children up for an accredited home study program? This is a frequent question among homeschoolers, especially as their children approach the high school years. The answer depends upon the family’s individual dynamic. Here we’ll explore what accreditation is and when it is necessary.

What is Accreditation?

Accreditation of educational programs is a process voluntarily initiated by schools, performed by private agencies, to ensure they meet minimum standards. It helps parents make sure a school is not merely a diploma mill or part of an educational scam.

There isn’t a central control or government organization that oversees accrediting agencies. Because there are both good and bad accrediting agencies, parents need to make sure the accrediting agency is legitimate itself.

Accreditation alone is not assurance that an educational institute is superior to a non-accredited institution. There are great schools that are not accredited. Conversely, there are bad schools that are accredited.

Why Wouldn’t a School or Homeschool Program Seek Accreditation?

Accreditation is an expensive and time-consuming process. It adds to the cost of tuition and therefore puts an added financial burden on parents.

Accreditors may restrict a school from offering nontraditional programs in order to be approved. A school that wants to offer an “out of the box” curricula, or give parents more authority in choosing curricula, may find their hands tied by their accrediting agency.

Accreditation itself does not create or develop curriculum, it only gives a “stamp of approval”. Therefore, the staff of non-accredited schools and programs sometimes find that marketing and recruiting are the only advantages to accreditation.

When is Accreditation Necessary?

Generally speaking, accreditation is not necessary for homeschool programs. However, there are some cases where an accredited transcript or diploma will be required.

If you plan to put your child into a site-based high school after homeschooling a few years, check entrance requirements with the prospective school. Some public and private high schools will require an accredited transcript before accepting your child. In most cases, the school will have an option of allowing your child to test into their grade level without an accredited transcript.

Children seeking scholarships from the NCAA (National College Athletic Association) may be required to have an accredited diploma to be accepted. Speak with your NCAA contact first as the rules have changed over the years.

Many parents assume that accreditation is necessary for college acceptance. Always check with prospective colleges, as requirements can change, but it is extremely rare that accreditation is necessary. Colleges have a long history of accepting students from private schools and homeschools that are not accredited. They will instead base acceptance on an evaluation of the student’s application, the results of their Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT) or American College Testing (ACT) scores, and their high school Grade Point Average (GPA).

What if I want to design my own curriculum or use a non-accredited program, but am one of the rare cases where accreditation is necessary?
There are several accredited agencies that will review your course of study and issue an accredited transcript or diploma for a fee. These programs include, but are not limited to:
Clonlara
NARHS
West River Academy
As always, do your research to find the best accrediting agency for you.

In Conclusion

Accreditation is an issue that unnecessarily burdens parents. In most cases, it is not required. You as the parent are the ultimate authority when it comes to your children and their education. Homeschooling does not involve attending a school and the focus should be on providing the best education for each individual child. Sometimes the best education will be enrolling in an accredited home study program and sometimes it will not.

As private homeschoolers, parents are the ones who provide “accreditation” for their children’s education. The quality of home education should be assured by parents first and foremost.

Note that this article refers to accreditation of kindergarten through high school programs and not accreditation of colleges and universities. 

Copyright 2015 Maureen Wittmann.
Image copyright 2015 Maureen Wittmann.

Do Homeschool Programs Need to Be Accredited?

FAQ: Accreditation and Homeschool Connections

Q. What is accreditation?
• Accreditation is a voluntary process, performed by private, nongovernmental agencies.
• There is no central control or authority.
• There are good accrediting agencies and bad ones.
• One accrediting organization is not legally designated as being superior over another.

Q. What does accreditation have to do with learning?
• Nothing directly. It measures standards and does not develop educational programs.
• Some of the worst public schools and private schools are accredited.
• Some of the best are not.

Q. What is the purpose of accreditation?
• The main function is to weed out diploma mills and other education scams.
• Gives assurance that the educational institution being reviewed is legitimate and meets minimum standards.

Q. What is the usefulness of accreditation for homeschool families?
• Educationally, there is little usefulness for students and their families.
• Does provide a comfort factor for parents, giving them assurance by a 3rd party that the program meets minimum standards. However, parents must still determine if the accrediting body is legitimate.
• Useful to schools for marketing and recruiting.
• May be helpful in some cases if putting children into a public or private high school after homeschooling partway through high school.
• Possible requirement for NCAA scholarships.

Q. What if I want to design my own curriculum or use a non-accredited program, but am one of the rare cases where accreditation is necessary?
• There are several accredited agencies that will review your course of study and issue an accredited diploma for a fee. These programs include, but are not limited to:
     Clonlara
     NARHS
     West River Academy
We have not used these programs personally, so cannot recommend one over the other. As always, do your research.

Q. Is Homeschool Connections accredited?
• No. Our policy is that parents are the ultimate authority in their child’s education.
• Non-accreditation allows us more flexibility.
• Non-accreditation keeps our classes inexpensive.
• Home education does not involve attending a school.
• We are not a school, but an online curriculum provider.
• Our focus is providing the best online curriculum for use at home, not accreditation.
• As private homeschoolers, parents are the ones who provide “accreditation” for their child’s education.
• The quality of home education is assured by parents, not a 3rd party or accrediting body.
• Students using our program are educated at home by themselves and their parents. We merely assist the students and parents with online classes and other services.

Q. What about transferring to a public or private high school after homeschooling? Will lack of accreditation affect my student? 
• Some high schools will require an accredited transcript.
• If the school will not accept a student’s transcript, they will likely evaluate the student using standardized testing, whether the homeschool program is accredited or not.
• If you have plans to put your child into a local site-based school, check their policy on transfer students.

Q. Is it necessary to have attended an accredited high school or program to be accepted to a college or university?    
• No. The high school’s accreditation or non-accreditation status is not a factor in the evaluation of a high school student’s eligibility for college admission, except in rare cases.  Check with prospective colleges if you are unsure.
• A school’s accredited status from any accrediting organization does not provide a legal guarantee that a student will be accepted into any private or public institution.
• The majority of students are accepted into colleges based on an evaluation of their application, the results of their Classic Learning Test (CLT), Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT), or American College Testing (ACT) scores, and their high school Grade Point Average (GPA).

If you have further questions about Homeschool Connections' accreditation policy, please do not hesitate to email us at homeschoolconnections@gmail.com

Note: This FAQ refers to the accreditation of K to 12 education. College accreditation is a completely different topic. We recommend attending an accredited college, especially if you are planning to attend graduate school or if you are entering a profession that requires an accredited college degree.