Looking to fulfill a lifelong dream, this fall homeschool graduate Jaclyn Clay enrolled in the same Ohio community college her son Jacob is attending. Also like her son, Jaclyn soon discovered that school officials viewed her home education credentials as problems that could disqualify her from pursuing her goals.

That’s how Jaclyn became the second member—and second generation—of her family to require HSLDA’s services within the span of a year. As we did for Jacob in 2024, our legal team again enlightened officials regarding state law and why a homeschool diploma is no cause for blocking students from acceptance into college or receiving financial aid.

“Homeschooling is a legally recognized form of education that is effective in preparing students for all kinds of pursuits after high school,” said Jim Mason, HSLDA president. “Some institutions still don’t get that, which is why HSLDA advocates for homeschool graduates across the country. When they face unwarranted obstacles to entering college, jobs, or the military—we are there for them.”

Extra verification

The difficulties began in the fall of 2024 when Jacob applied to the local community college to study cybersecurity.

“I’ve always loved technology,” he said.

However, the admissions office refused to accept Jacob’s homeschool diploma and transcripts on their own merits. The college urged Jacob to contact officials at the state department of education and within his public school district to request additional documentation confirming his homeschool program followed the law.

Jaclyn tried to comply, but when she contacted the local public school district, the folks she talked to were just as flummoxed by the college’s demands.

“The superintendent’s office was very familiar with Ohio homeschool law,” Jaclyn recounted, “and they wondered why the college wanted their signatures added to my homeschool documents.”

At an impasse, the Clays reached out to HSLDA for help.

HSLDA Staff Attorney Amy Buchmeyer wrote to the college on Jacob’s behalf. She pointed out that directing Jacob to request an official homeschool transcript from the state education department, for example, is not only a gross misunderstanding of how things work, but it also provokes undue aggravation by telling conscientious families to do something that is impossible.

In short, civil servants in Columbus don’t keep track of the specific courses homeschool students have completed and the grades they have earned. Parents do that.

Buchmeyer also affirmed that the Clays had indeed followed Ohio homeschool law, and that according to that same law they are empowered to “issue a high school diploma for their student with the same validity as a public or private school diploma.”

I feel like we would still be going in circles without you guys.
—John Clay, HSLDA member

Shortly after hearing from our attorney, the school enrolled Jacob. Since then, he’s been working steadily toward a two-year degree.

“Overall, it’s going well,” he said.

A call to ministry

Then this year Jaclyn decided to go to college to pursue a certificate in American Sign Language (ASL). She has been involved with the deaf and hard-of-hearing community since she was young and considers working in ASL as much a ministry as a career.

She applied to the same college her son attends and was quickly accepted as a student. But when she submitted her packet for financial aid, she encountered familiar objections regarding her own homeschool credentials.

At first the college asked for a copy of a document issued by Ohio school superintendents acknowledging that families have complied with homeschool law. The problem is that Jaclyn graduated more than 20 years ago from her parents’ homeschool program in North Carolina.

When the Clays informed the college of this fact, financial aid officers then asked them to contact the North Carolina Division of Non-Public Education (DNPE) to request official verification that Jaclyn had indeed graduated from high school. Jaclyn’s husband John did reach out to DNPE officials, who replied that they do not keep records of individual students. They did, however, provide copies of documents confirming Jaclyn’s mother had established a homeschool program and operated it from 1998 to 2008.

Nevertheless, when John followed up with the college he felt like he was inundated with even more confusing and conflicting requests.

“I tried everything I could to see if we could work it out,” he said, “but every time they fired back with something else. I feel like we would still be going in circles without you guys.”

What the law says

When Buchmeyer contacted the college again on behalf of the Clays in August, she included the DNPE documents as well as copies of Jaclyn’s high school diploma and transcripts. (Her father kept these records for more than two decades.)

Buchmeyer also explained that federal regulations consider homeschooling a legitimate form of education that qualifies graduates for financial aid. She cited the Federal Student Aid Handbook, which states that institutions of higher learning “may rely on a homeschooled student’s self-certification that she (or they) completed secondary school in a homeschool setting.”

After hearing from HSLDA, the college quickly approved Jaclyn’s financial aid. Now she’s attending classes full-time. Occasionally she sees her son on campus and the two will lunch together.

“I never in a million years thought this is how life would work out, but I love it,” Jaclyn said. “We never stop learning together.”

“It’s amazing to be able to help families like the Clays,” Buchmeyer said. “HSLDA has been working for decades to improve laws and policies to ensure homeschool graduates have an equal chance to compete for opportunities after high school. We still have cases where we have to fight for a level playing field, but we haven’t lost sight of the goal.”

Cover photo: iStock