Plan ahead as far as possible to make sure all state legal requirements are met, course work is sufficiently completed and records are in order. This will ensure that the process of receiving the diploma moves smoothly and there are no unpleasant surprises prior to graduation. Consider your home diploma options, weigh the alternatives and begin planning as soon as you know you will be earning a high school diploma from home. Issues to consider include the policies of colleges the student may be considering, the availability of correspondence programs and parental preferences concerning the student receiving a diploma at home versus one issued by an external institution.
Earn and get your diploma from your home school. Parents are the governing authorities of home schools and may issue high school diplomas in accordance with state home school law compliance standards. Once a student has completed the parents' prescribed course of study, the parents may issue a high school diploma. This document simply certifies that the student in question has completed the course of study laid out by the parents and does not certify or guarantee that the student has completed coursework required by state law.
Complete an accredited home school academic program. This option is ideal for students who are completing several years of a high school education at home or who are applying to a college or for an employer that is wary of home-schoolers (and parent-issued diplomas). Such schools generally offer education by correspondence, and in some cases students may be able to supplement home-taught classes with institution-taught classes.