Homeschooling parents often ask how they should give high school credit for WriteShop I and II.
Common Questions about High School Credit for WriteShop I and II
- Is WriteShop I considered an English course?
- My daughter will be starting WriteShop II. Would this count for high school English credit?
- My 10th grader has almost finished both WriteShop I and II. How much credit can I expect to give?
- I’m teaching a WriteShop co-op class. How much credit should enrolled high schoolers receive?
- Can I give high school credit to my 7th grader who has finished WriteShop I?
You may have one of these questions yourself! Keep reading to find the answers.
Know Your State’s Requirements
A course can be content- or hours-based. Your student must complete a prescribed course of study or log a certain number of hours to receive credit. And requirements for high school credits differ from state to state.
For hours-based courses:
- In many parts of the United States, a semester of study (65 hours) equals 1/2 credit and one school year (125 hours) equals 1 credit.
- California requires a student to invest 65 hours (one semester) to receive 5 credits and 125 hours (one school year) for 10 credits.
Options for Assigning High School Credit
Option 1 | 1/2-Credit Composition Elective
- Based on hours alone, WriteShop I or II qualifies as a one-semester, stand-alone composition elective, separate from English or other language arts credits.
- The average student spends about 4-5 hours on each lesson (more in WriteShop II), or 64-80 hours per WriteShop level. If your student completes both books in one school year, you could consider each semester a 1/2-credit composition elective.
Option 2 | 1-Credit Complete English Course
- WriteShop assignments may be figured into a student’s total language arts or English grade (along with literature, grammar, and/or vocabulary).
- One WriteShop level, plus grade-appropriate grammar and literature, would together comprise a 1-credit English course.
- Since most students will spend about 65 hours completing one WriteShop book, we recommend that you give writing (WriteShop) at least 50% weight when determining your child’s grade.
Option 3 | 1-Credit Composition Elective (Co-op Class)
- Many students are enrolled in WriteShop co-op classes. Depending on class length and frequency, a class effectively adds 1-2 more hours per lesson to the 4-5 hours a student spends at home.
- This can add up to an extra 30-60 hours per level of WriteShop, qualifying each BOOK as a 1-credit course.
WriteShop I and II are great programs for teaching and reinforcing the steps of the writing process to your junior high and high schoolers.
Step-by-step instructions and self-editing checklists help them grow in their independence. And detailed parent rubrics ensure that you’re assessing their writing objectively!
For more information on the WriteShop program for your junior high or high school student, check out this WriteShop I & II Overview. Or contact us if you’d like to ask specific questions about using WriteShop. We’re glad to help!
Should 7th and 8th Graders Get High School Credit?
When my son took WriteShop II in 8th grade, I did not give him high school credit. He worked hard and wrote decent compositions and essays, but he needed a great deal of help from me and certainly did not produce what I considered high-school-quality writing. He wrote like a junior higher.
On the other hand, a 10th grader working through the same book is 1) actually in high school; and 2) more likely to write compositions that reflect his or her age and maturity.
Some homeschool umbrellas allow 8th graders to get high school credit for a course that’s considered high school work. But make this call with care. Even though WriteShop may be used with students as young as 6th grade, it is the rare 12- or 13-year-old who can actually write at a high school level.