In most states, public, private and home-school curricula must include a specific set of acceptable courses for study. The requirements typically include study in an English course with focus on literature and composition with reading and writing competency. Home study of a foreign language is also typically required of home-schooled high school graduates along with courses in mathematics and biology. Depending on whether the student is bound for college, he may also be required to fulfill college preparatory requirements such as completing courses in algebra and science with a lab component such as chemistry.
Home-school graduation requirements may differ depending on whether a family adheres to an external home-school provider's curriculum or follows a state-approved curriculum for home schooling families. A state-recognized high school graduation requires completion of a certain number of hours or credits ranging between 18 and 26 total credits. One credit is generally equal to one full year of study or two full semesters. Credits can also be measured in hours where one credit is generally equal to about 120 hours of study. Most states require an even disbursement of credit hours across subjects such as four credits in English, four credits in math, three credits in science and various credits for electives, foreign language and physical education requirements.
In most states, an official home-school graduation is marked by fulfilling testing requirements. Public schools require students to pass finals at the end of a school year before their final grade can be averaged and a determination can be made regarding graduation eligibility. Some home-schooling families follow a state-approved curriculum and may administer similar year-end finals or testing to gauge a student's graduation readiness. In California, a home-schooled student may be required to take the California High School Proficiency Examination. Other states may require students to sit for specialized high school diploma-equivalency tests or the GED exam, which is also known as the test of General Educational Development.