How many high school students, given that school is online for at least part of 2020, are going to opt out completely? (thread)

California has a unique high school proficiency exam - the #CHSPE. Any 10th grader can take it, pass, and never attend high school again. It is legally equivalent to a high school diploma in the state. https://www.cde.ca.gov/ta/tg/sp/index.asp

Here's discussion from teenagers on Reddit about taking the CHSPE: http://redditsearch.io/?term=chspe&dataviz=false&aggs=false&subreddits=&searchtype=posts,comments&search=true&start=1564038598&end=1595574598&size=100
For highly motivated students, they can pass, go immediately to community college, and get transfer standing at a UC or CSU.

Indeed, the CHSPE "graduate" qualifies for free tuition and books at many community colleges, such as @SMC_edu (Santa Monica College). http://www.smc.edu/EnrollmentDevelopment/Admissions/FreeTuition/Pages/default.aspx

Doing so can speed up one's entry in the workforce dramatically - by two years, or even sooner if one takes advantage of independent study courses elsewhere, summer classes, etc. You can presumably start your career by your 19th or 20th birthday.

#COVID has exposed the quality of high school teaching. Teachers do great work but some are struggling in the online format. Social events like proms and grad nites are great for sociable people but many teens feel alienated from high school.

Community colleges offer lots of choices in teaching (compared to being assigned a teacher) and allow students to take an appropriate load. They offer all the high school level math, science, social studies, and language arts courses.

I was steered out of the CHSPE by more high school counselor and instead took advantage of Young Scholars at @calpolypomona, an after school program that let high school students take college courses (including calculus, which was not offered at my high school).

A few years later I met on the train a USC student who did take the CHSPE route, went to a JC, and then transferred to USC to get his degree in chemistry and play rugby. It was viable and he enjoyed it, and had the maturity to do so.

With the COVID-required online format high school students who may have hung around for the social activities might instead choose the CHSPE->JC->university route. They can start making money much faster and have more free time since JC courses have less BS.

I would not be surprised to see 20% or more of high school students "drop out" legally using this method. This will have tremendous impacts on school finance, but could get kids into the workforce sooner and on their way to financial independence. (end)