The information below provides an overview of what you can generally expect if you choose to participate in Home Ed Graduation.

Membership – The family must register as a Home Ed member, and the Senior Student must be registered for the Senior Class by September 15. JOIN HERE.

Graduation Date – The graduation ceremony is typically held on the first or second Thursday of May, but it may vary depending on venue availability.

Deadline to Sign Up – In order to make preparations for Graduation all students that want to participate in our Graduation Ceremony must be signed up by September 15.

Cost – We calculate the overall cost of graduation each year (cost to rent the venue, speaker fees, Senior t-shirt, refreshments, graduate display boards, after graduation party, etc…) When we determine the overall cost and the number of students graduating, based on that information we will calculate a per student price for graduation. Costs are estimated to run around $100-150/student. (Special Note to the Class of 2025 - if you paid your Junior Class Dues last year, you do not need to pay any additional fees this year. Your dues from last year have covered your graduation fees for this year. If you did not pay Junior Class Dues last year and you want to participate in the 2025 graduation ceremony, your Graduation fee is $125.)

Mandatory parent meetings – At least one parent of each graduate must attend the mandatory parent meetings (generally in October and March), as well as the graduation rehearsal the afternoon of graduation.

Cap/Gown/Diploma – The cost of the cap, gown, cords, diploma, and graduation announcements is the responsibility of each family. At the Mandatory Graduation Meeting a Josten’s Rep will be there to explain how to order everything you need and answer specific questions. All orders must be placed by the end of October.

Venue – The location of the graduation ceremony varies but is based on the capacity to hold our large Home Ed community and relatives. Past venues include Immanuel Baptist Church, Geyer Springs First Baptist Church, and Fellowship Bible Church.

Ceremony – We typically invite a Pastor or Spiritual Leader to give an inspirational message during our ceremony. The ceremony will also include prayer and has a very Christ-centered focus. When it comes time to present each student with their diploma, the parents of each student will be able to present their student with their diploma on stage.

Student Involvement – Students that serve in Student Leadership as well as those that hold Academic Distinctions will lead various parts of the Graduation Ceremony. (Give the welcome, invocation, class statistics, give the class speech, introduce speakers, give the benediction, etc…)

Diploma – An official diploma is presented to each graduate by their parents during the ceremony. Even though Home Ed is hosting the graduation ceremony and Josten’s is creating the diploma, the Diploma is officially presented and signed by the student’s parents. Parents ultimately hold the authority to issue their student an Official High School Diploma. The wording on the diploma will read, “High School Diploma: Be it known that (Student’s Name) has satisfactorily completed the course of study prescribed by (Parent’s Names).” Home Ed does not oversee or assess the student’s course of study. When parents sign their student up for Graduation, Home Ed assumes the student has completed the course of study prescribed by their parents.

Academic Distinctions – Home Ed wants to honor and celebrate the students that have excelled academically. In the Graduation Program we will list the names of the National Merit Scholars, Arkansas Governor’s Distinguished Scholars, and the Arkansas Honors Society Members. There are also special cords that parents can order and students can wear during the ceremony to signify these great academic achievements. More details about these distinctions will be discussed at the Graduation Meetings.

Program & Slideshow – Students will submit pictures and a short written bio to be included in the printed program and in the digital slideshow. Specific instructions on how and when to submit these items will be discussed at the parent meetings.

Reception/Display Boards – After the graduation ceremony, the sophomore class hosts a reception where each graduate displays a board featuring photos and memorabilia. These boards will be provided to you at a mandatory Spring Graduation parent meeting.

5th Year Senior – The official graduation date will be printed on your student’s diploma. If your student is considering being a 5th Year Senior and taking concurrent credit classes after graduation you may need to delay graduation. Students cannot enroll as a concurrent student after their official graduation date.

Special Needs Students – If your student has significant learning challenges and is not able to complete high school level credits, there is an option for you to get your student a Certificate of Completion instead of a Diploma to put inside the diploma holder which can be awarded on graduation day. Email Home Ed at homeedonline@gmail.com to discuss details.

How many students graduate with Home Ed each year? The number of graduates differs each year, but averages between 55-90 students.

Class Rank – Starting with the Class of 2026, we will no longer be calculating class rank. According to the College Board schools determine class rank according to GPA. Since Home Ed is not a school or educational entity, we do not have enrolled students, maintain academic records, or use a standardized method for how parents calculate their student’s GPA. Therefore, we believe it is not our place, nor do we have the necessary information, to calculate class rank accurately. As a result, the Home Ed Board has decided to discontinue calculating class rank starting with the Class of 2026.

Who coordinates all Home Ed graduation details? Graduation is planned and put on by the Graduation Parent and Student Volunteer Committee. The committee is led by the Graduation Coordinator(s) who are appointed by the Home Ed board of directors to head up Graduation.

What if my student decides in the spring to participate in the Home Ed graduation ceremony? Unfortunately, commitment to participate in the Home Ed graduation ceremony must be made in the fall (by September 15) of senior year to meet all deadlines.