Navigating High School Diploma Evaluation Requirements for International Students

Finishing high school in the United States opens many doors to higher education and employment opportunities for students from foreign countries. However, for students with education from outside the U.S., understanding the high school diploma evaluation requirements is crucial. This article identifies the general considerations to be made in enrolling in high school in the United States and highlights the importance of an appropriate placement decision to ensure a student will graduate high school with all the academic rights conveyed by earning a high school diploma.

Understanding the US High School System

In the United States, school curricula are not federally regulated. The only standardization happens in the form of individual states setting education requirements for high school graduation. These vary widely, allowing schools, as well as students and parents to make choices on what students will study, ranging from college preparatory to vocationally-oriented subjects and everything in between.

Public vs. Private vs. Online High Schools

Public schools are schools which are funded by local and state governments with additional support from the federal department of education. The common feature of all public schools is that they are free to attend for anyone starting in kindergarten through twelfth grade. There are residency restrictions, however, meaning that students should attend the public school in the vicinity of their place of residence, with some exceptions such as charter schools. Charter schools, while public and tuition-free, offer specialized types of education and unique teaching models that are an alternative choice for parents. Charter schools do not require local residency but may have other admission requirements.

Private schools exist at all levels as well, but most charge tuition to operate. Private schools can be parochial - affiliated to religious institutions, or completely secular. Private schools may offer need-based tuition assistance, but typically require on tuition funds to support their operation. There are varying perceptions of private schools. In some cases, they may be seen as more prestigious or more academically rigorous than public schools. In others, they are chosen because they incorporate religion into the curriculum. Private schools can also be selective in their admission policies, while public schools must admit and place every student. The common feature of public and private high schools is the need to meet state-established curriculum requirements for graduation.

Online high schools are a rapidly growing educational phenomenon made all the more common by the global pandemic of year 2020. When traditional schools were forced to transition to remote learning, they had to compete with already established online high schools. Online schools inherently provide greater flexibility in the educational process, but may lack the recognition and the socialization components. The latter can be supplemented by other opportunities such as sports, musical groups, field trips, and school clubs. Online schools must also be diligent in placing students at correct grade levels to ensure that their diplomas meet state graduation requirements and render their graduates eligible for higher education. The latter can be assured in many aspects through their institutional accreditation.

Read also: Job Skills for Students

The Importance of Proper Grade Placement

When a new student enrolls in high school, the school is responsible to document their previous achievement to ensure that they will meet state graduation requirements by the time they complete their final year. For example, one of the requirements for high school graduation in Illinois is four years of language arts. If a student is placed in the fourth year but has not previously completed three years of language arts, he or she will not be able to graduate unless they make up the deficient coursework. Scenarios like this make placing students an important task made more challenging when students come from foreign backgrounds and international education systems.

Evaluation of Foreign Credentials

There are no regulations on how students are placed in high schools. This process is usually handled by guidance counselors in consultation with administrators and foreign language departments, but it is ultimately the responsibility of the school.

Many school districts utilize a professional credential evaluation service like Scholaro for their international placement recommendations. The cost is covered by the schools and is built into their budget. Other districts may only be able to invest in trainings and resources like Scholaro Pro for their staff to evaluate foreign credentials internally. Private schools can also require applicants to provide professional evaluation reports from an agency like Scholaro. Whatever the set-up may be, correct placement ensures students graduate on time and have adequate preparation to succeed in their high school classes and beyond.

Role of Credential Evaluation Agencies

Applicants who completed their education outside of the United States must have a foreign credential report submitted directly by an acceptable organization. We cannot accept a credential report submitted directly by the applicant. A foreign credential report is only one of several requirements for certification. Please note that the Office of Teaching Initiatives does not process salary differential requests or other requests to review foreign credentials for purposes other than certification. In addition, the office does not return submitted foreign credentials or credential evaluation reports. All foreign transcripts must be evaluated by a professional credential evaluation agency accredited by the Association of International Credential Evaluators.

Credential evaluations are not free, and applicants are responsible for the cost of the selected service. The cost and the time-frame to perform the service will vary according to the complexity of the case and the amount of documentation provided. The entire credentialing process may take weeks to months. Prior to submitting any documents to a credential evaluation service, applicants may also need to obtain English translations of any non-English documents. They should inquire with the selected member organization, which may offer translation services or may provide guidance on how to proceed.

Types of Evaluation Reports

In most cases we recommend a General evaluation report ($110).

Equivalency Report: Identifying information.
A general evaluation report does not include individual courses, grades, or grade point average (GPA).
Some evaluation reports include grade point average (GPA) per credential as well as a combined, overall GPA.
Some credential evaluation agencies offer a more detailed course analysis section. It lists course subjects in transcript order including grades, credits and GPA. These designations indicate if each foreign course is comparable to a lower-level (100 and 200 level) undergraduate course, upper-level (300 and 400 level) undergraduate course, or a graduate-level (master or doctoral level) course offered in the United States.

Documentation Needed for Evaluation

Regardless of what kind of high school a student is enrolling in, ensuring correct placement can be helped by preparing a complete set of documents demonstrating prior educational achievement. Scholaro recommends any student to collect official documents from their previous school. Official documents are ones that are signed and/or sealed by school officials. It can also be helpful to include a school profile and curriculum information. Finally, when documents are not issued in English, it may be necessary to obtain a certified English translation. Public school districts should provide this service, but private schools may require an applicant to pay for it. Having translations professionally prepared helps parents present a complete application package to ensure appropriate placement.

The Evaluation Process: A Step-by-Step Approach

Once a school or an evaluation service receives complete documentation from a prospective student, the documents are compared against the native education system, which in turn is compared to the education system of the United States. The most common methodology is year counting beginning at the first year of compulsory education. In simplistic terms, grade levels correspond to consequent academic years. For example, the eighth year of compulsory education can be equivalent to eighth grade in the United States and grant access to grade 9.

Grade levels are frequently referred to by their numerical name - ninth through twelfth grade, and are also referred to as freshman, sophomore, junior and senior years corresponding to grades nine, ten, eleven and twelve, respectively. Variations in this nomenclature are common, but all fifty states in the USA have a twelve-year primary and secondary education system.

Of course, it isn’t always that simple, because grade levels are not numbered consecutively, and primary and secondary education can be made up of multiple stages of various durations depending on the country of study. Finally, exceptions are made in cases where some grade levels are significantly different than their US equivalent, or when schools offer multi-national curricula such congruently with their indigenous programs.

Read also: Eligibility for National Awards

Additional Requirements and Considerations

English Language Proficiency: citizen applicants educated solely in a foreign country where the primary and official language is not English must demonstrate proficiency in understanding and speaking the English language. An advanced-mid score is required on the American Council for the Teaching of Foreign Languages (ACTFL) English Language, Oral Proficiency Interview (OPI). Candidates whose native language is not English, or who were educated solely outside of the United States, will take the ACTFL English Oral Proficiency Test and not the SPEAK test.
Age Considerations: The age of a student is a secondary factor in placing them in the correct academic grade. In the United States, first grade is started at the approximate age of six, and high school is completed at the approximate age of eighteen. Age is a pedagogical consideration, because a students’ maturity level is directly related to their potential for academic and social development in their new school.

Steps to Enroll in High School

Identify schools in your area (except online schools) that match the criteria above.
Fill out the application to the school of choice and begin the enrollment process.

Other uses for High School Diploma evaluation

We can prepare your foreign education evaluation report if you’re seeking a license as a cosmetologist (including manicurist and esthetician) or barber in: Florida, Kansas (for high school credential evaluations only, not for training/professional certification), Missouri, Pennsylvania, and Utah.

Testimonials

"I am very happy with the services of this place. Everything went smoothly. They did a great job evaluating my transcripts in a week. On three occasions I sent them messages with questions which they answered asap. They seem to be very experienced in what they do. Roshy P.
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"I appreciate that you have great customer service and share the information as soon as possible.
"It was quick, so on time. Really helpful support staff.
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"I am preparing myself for the next chapter in my life as I will be starting my postgraduate study at the US in the program I have always wanted to go to.
"ECE has been helpful! I joined the National Guard with a higher pay grade and the rank of Specialist because of my college degree from Mexico. They checked and validated the transcript from ECE, and it was all good. Prompt action and kind assistance during the whole process. I have received my evaluation and original docs within 5 days including overseas shipment. Thank you for the great service.
"Thank you for all the help you provided me during the process and for the work put into the report itself.
"I just received my evaluation, I couldn't have been happier thanks to ECE. I got nervous and afraid to lose my transcript and degrees, so I called them. The operator was professional and polite, she responded to all my questions. Fatiha L.

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