With HSLDA’s help, a Wisconsin homeschool graduate did more than prove to a Minnesota community college that his diploma qualified him to enroll. His perseverance set a precedent that could help other homeschooled students whose academic credentials are wrongfully dismissed as substandard.

Joel LaValley graduated from his parents’ Wisconsin homeschool program in 2021. Like his three older brothers, Joel was homeschooled for his entire K–12 education.

Post high-school, Joel pursued several ventures. After teaching himself computer programming, he landed a part-time job with an electronics manufacturing company.

He’s also delved into horticulture, propagating apple hybrids in facilities he custom-built on his parents’ retired 40-acre farm in the northwest corner of the state. He crosses modern varieties of the fruit with heirloom samples he discovers either growing wild or in abandoned orchards.

Joel said he finds it quite natural to pursue what some might consider disparate interests.

“I’ve always been pretty good at finding new things to try my hand at,” he explained. “I would definitely credit how I was educated for my love of trying new things.”

Unexpected obstacle

Last fall, Joel determined it would help advance his career if he obtained more formal training. So, he applied to Lake Superior College in Duluth, Minnesota. Early in January Joel received a reply from college officials stating that, though they would be happy to take his tuition money and let him attend classes, he would not be permitted to earn credit or work toward a degree.

“I was told that due to Wisconsin having different requirements for homeschool graduation [than Minnesota], they couldn’t recognize my homeschool diploma,” Joel said.

As an alternative, officials said that Joel could take a federally-approved standardized test the college administers to “a person who does not have a high school diploma or its equivalent and intends to enroll.” Instead, Joel decided to leverage his family’s HSLDA membership and gave us a call.

False view of the law

HSLDA Staff Attorney Amy Buchmeyer investigated Joel’s situation and determined that college officials were basing admission requirements on their understanding of Minnesota homeschool law. Admissions officers were asking to see a copy of what they called Joel’s high school “final assessment”—their interpretation of Minnesota’s requirement that homeschooling parents test their children annually.

In a letter to college officials, Buchmeyer pointed out that Wisconsin requires no year-end assessment for home-educated students but does mandate that a specific form be filed every year as a notice of a family’s intent to homeschool. She affirmed that Joel’s parents had followed this regulation, as well as those for providing a certain number of hours of instruction each school year and sequentially progressive curriculum in required subjects.

Because Joel’s parents adhered to all regulations, Buchmeyer noted, the diploma they issued is valid at the federal level, as well as in Wisconsin. Buchmeyer also recommended that Joel submit copies of his homeschool notice forms to college officials as proof his parents followed Wisconsin homeschool law, and that they had issued their son a legally valid high school diploma.

Joel complied, and a short time later learned that he was accepted into Lake Superior College as a degree-seeking student. He’s now taking courses toward certificates in computer-aided design and rapid prototyping.

A benefit to others

Joel added he’s especially gratified that the college’s pledge to review its admissions policy could benefit other homeschool graduates who apply. Aside from the frustration he felt at being wrongfully denied admission right before the start of the term, Joel felt he needed to stand up for the validity of homeschooling.

“I wanted to push back,” he said.

Buchmeyer said she appreciated the quick response by college officials, as well as their willingness to correct a misunderstanding.

“We persisted until we found the root cause of the problem,” she said. “And, as is often the case, we learned that officials weren’t being vindictive—they just didn’t know the differences in homeschool law outside their own state.”