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| BATON ROUGE – LSU has received approval from the Louisiana Department of Education to temporarily relax High School Diploma program entrance requirements for high school seniors displaced by Hurricane Katrina. The program, administered by LSU Continuing Education’s Office of Independent Study, is intended to permit adults who did not graduate from high school to complete their graduation requirements and earn a high school diploma. The program uses independent study or correspondence courses to meet the specific graduation requirements appropriate for the time the individual was in high school. Traditionally, students have been required to be at least 18 years old and to have been out of school for at least one semester before applying to the program. According to Gail Hawkes, associate director of LSU Independent Study, “Cecil Picard, the state superintendent of education, has approved expanding eligibility to any student who attended a high school in the affected area and who is classified as a senior.” Students completing their graduation requirements through independent study courses will earn a high school diploma from the LSU Laboratory School. LSU previously announced free enrollment for up to six high school independent study courses for students in affected areas. According to DeShonda Coleman, coordinator of the program, “This opportunity could enable students to complete their remaining credits and graduate on time, or even early. The fact that students can earn a diploma from an accredited high school makes it a very appealing option for high school seniors. The relaxed requirements are in place only for this year, and the free enrollment option is only open until Friday, Sept. 30, so interested students should move quickly to take advantage of the program.” LSU Independent Study is one of the largest independent study programs in the country, and offers 80 high school credit courses. LSU currently enrolls more than 4,000 students annually in high school independent study courses and more than12,000 in college-level courses. Some 200 displaced students have already taken advantage of the no-tuition offer. Unlike traditional classes, the courses require no classroom meetings, so they are ideal for students who may not be sure where they will be next week or next month. Because the courses are self-paced, they are ideal for people with unpredictable schedules. Students can work on their course anywhere, send their assignments to LSU, and receive grades and comments from certified high school teachers. Students have nine months to complete the course requirements. They can take their exams virtually anywhere under the supervision of a proctor approved by LSU. Textbooks and other required supplies will need to be purchased by the students. “We are looking for some financial assistance for those students for whom purchasing a textbook is a hardship, and information on textbook availability will be posted on the LSU Independent Study Web site,” said Doug Weimer, associate dean of continuing education. For more information about the courses that are available and about special enrollment procedures for Hurricane Katrina victims, visit http://www.is.lsu.edu. Interested high school seniors can also call 225-578-3199 or toll-free at 1-800-234-5047. - 30- |
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