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Beach High School

www2.cruzio.com

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Re: Beach High School

#11

Post by musicale »

austinl wrote: post #3

> I'm often asked a question like, "How are you able to award a diploma on the basis of nothing other than an essay and a letter of support?" The answer to this very reasonable question has two parts. First, I'm in a legal position to offer a diploma on this basis simply because there are no mandated requirements, in California law or anywhere else, for graduation from a private high school. (California law sets many…

> A co-worker of mine formed her own private high school — while in public high school — and then graduated herself from it. She was running a successful business already, so it made sense to her at the time.

"Teachers hate her: smart student figures out secret hack for early graduation from high school!"

:)

Minimal-requirement/self-directed HS does sound like it could be great for some students.

College courses are also so much better than high school courses in so many ways, particularly the freedom and self-determination you enjoy in terms of selecting or rejecting classes, greater flexibility in time scheduling, and choosing whether or not to attend lectures. Not to mention more advanced material and potentially better teaching, lab, and library resources.

I wonder - do you need a high school diploma to enroll at a community college?

Re: Beach High School

#12

Post by musicale »

jf wrote: post #8

In California one can also take the CHSPE: https://www.cde.ca.gov/Ta/tg/sp/ Many of my homeschooled peers took the CHSPE at 16 then enrolled in a local Jr College and graduated at 18 with an AA

That sounds great.

This option is something that should be publicized more widely, and perhaps even encouraged by junior colleges.

I think students in California would greatly benefit from 1) knowing that there are multiple educational options and 2) having the freedom to choose among them.

Re: Beach High School

#13

Post by DoreenMichele »

To be fair, it sounds like the success of this program is strongly rooted in the knowledge, wisdom and judgement of the individual running it.

As a homeschooling parent, I de facto ran a private school under California law for some years. I think we listed my husband as the Administrator and me as the teacher, but I did almost everything. He played a really minor role.

A student can do a lot with a modicum of the right guidance. That "right guidance" can be hard to come by. Many adults aren't really equipped to supply that piece.

Edit: By success, I mean the stuff on this page: http://www2.cruzio.com/~beachhi/students.html

Re: Beach High School

#14

Post by dllthomas »

anonymousiam wrote: post #9

I tested out of high school at 15 by way of the California High School Proficiency Exam (CHSPE). I was free to enroll in Jr. college and to work full time. I even bought my own car at 16. Both of my kids did the same thing, but today the minimum age for taking the test is 16, so they had to suffer one year more than I did.

I worked around this (with parental support) by simply enrolling the local community college and getting a home-school program (which I think had some connection to Wes Beach? It's been a while...) to say "yeah, you're doing at least what you'd do in high school".

Re: Beach High School

#15

Post by [deleted] »

Waterluvian wrote: post #10
austinl wrote: post #3

> I'm often asked a question like, "How are you able to award a diploma on the basis of nothing other than an essay and a letter of support?" The answer to this very reasonable question has two parts. First, I'm in a legal position to offer a diploma on this basis simply because there are no mandated requirements, in California law or anywhere else, for graduation from a private high school. (California law sets many…

Completing high school is one of those things that isn't a big deal for some people who are already on a good track, are broadly intelligent. But I'm going to guess the overwhelming majority of people who think it isn't for them actually need it quite a bit. I also think for self motivated intellectual kids, completing high school anyways really isn't much of a roadblock or time waster.

[deleted]

Re: Beach High School

#18

Post by felipemnoa »

jf wrote: post #8

In California one can also take the CHSPE: https://www.cde.ca.gov/Ta/tg/sp/ Many of my homeschooled peers took the CHSPE at 16 then enrolled in a local Jr College and graduated at 18 with an AA

>>16 then enrolled in a local Jr College and graduated at 18 with an AA

I could definitely have graduated from high school a bit earlier if I had wanted to but didn't see the need. I was one of those weird kids that did not actually want to graduate from high school because I liked it so much.

Re: Beach High School

#19

Post by intrepidhero »

musicale wrote: post #11
austinl wrote: post #3

> I'm often asked a question like, "How are you able to award a diploma on the basis of nothing other than an essay and a letter of support?" The answer to this very reasonable question has two parts. First, I'm in a legal position to offer a diploma on this basis simply because there are no mandated requirements, in California law or anywhere else, for graduation from a private high school. (California law sets many…

> A co-worker of mine formed her own private high school — while in public high school — and then graduated herself from it. She was running a successful business already, so it made sense to her at the time. "Teachers hate her: smart student figures out secret hack for early graduation from high school!" :) Minimal-requirement/self-directed HS does sound like it could be great for some students. College courses are…

Not in my neck of the woods. Community College had us sit for placement tests and then we just started enrolling in classes at 16. It was great. Way better use of my time than highschool.

Re: Beach High School

#20

Post by 1000mA »

recursive wrote: post #6
lisper wrote: post #5

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> I don't think students physically attend. If you read the description, that is clearly the case.

I did, which is why I think that.

You don't need to express the fact that "you think" at all in writing. If you wrote it, we know you think it, whether it is correct or not.
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