HERALD5 was founded as Home Educators of Richland And Lexington District 5 (HERALD5) in 1986 to serve homeschool families whose children would otherwise attend school in Richland/Lexington District 5. However, over time we have expanded our membership to include families from Prosperity to Swansea and from Fort Sumter to Saluda!

HERALD5 was started as a support group for homeschooling families—a way to network and share information and to provide field trips and activities for students. SAFE was originally envisioned as an independent legal accountability sub-group for only HERALD5 members. However, the missions of HERALD5 and SAFE have become more unified and we now operate as a single entity due to the recent pandemic and other social and technological changes.

The name came from Supervisory Association for Educators in HERALD 5, now just SAFE in HERALD5.

In South Carolina, families who choose to homeschool under Option 3 must be members of an approved accountability association with at least 50 member families. Accountability associations must submit enrollment data—which only includes the number of students per grade level—to their local school districts. Option 3 allows families to educate their children with flexibility while maintaining compliance with South Carolina law.

Please see all requirements on the Membership page.

We are a group of Christian parents interested in providing quality education for our children. We appreciate the opportunity to make curriculum choices that fit the needs of our family, so we deliberately choose not to accept government assistance.

No, you do not need to be a Christian to join SAFE in HERALD5, but we do ask that our leaders are and that they sign the statement of faith provided on the application, which is as follows.

We believe…

• The Bible to be the inspired, infallible, divinely preserved Word of God, the supreme and final authority for all faith and life.
• That we serve one God, eternally existent in three persons: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit
• In the Deity of our Lord Jesus Christ, His virgin birth, His sinless life, His miracles, His vicarious and atoning death through His shed blood on the cross, His bodily resurrection, His ascension, and His imminent bodily return in power and glory.
• That man was created in the image of God, but fell into sin and is therefore lost, and only those who put their faith in Jesus Christ alone, not trusting in any personal works whatsoever, can be saved.
• That salvation is a free gift of God brought to the sinner by grace and received by personal faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, whose substitutionary death on the cross paid the penalty for man’s sin.
• That the ministry of the Holy Spirit is to convict mankind, indwell, guide, instruct, and empower the believer for godly living and service.
• In the spiritual unity of the believers through our common faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, and that individual doctrinal differences which may exist, outside those previously mentioned, should not hinder the unity of Christian home educators.

“HSLDA is a non-profit advocacy organization that advocates for homeschooling by protecting homeschooling families and equipping them to provide the best educational experience for their children.” (from https://hslda.org/post/who-we-are)

HSLDA is a simple way to ensure our members are legally protected as they homeschool. As HSLDA members, you have full access to the information on this great website. The HSLDA website has information about curriculum choices, homeschooling in high school, homeschooling children with special needs, etc.

Apply directly with HSLDA through their website: www.hslda.org. The application fee will be discounted if you give them the SAFE Group Number #299586. (Please do not share this number with anyone else as it only applies to members of SAFE.) The discount also applies to renewals. If you choose automatic renewal, the price will not increase. HSLDA also offers a monthly payment plan.

Under SC law, children who are 5 years of age by September 1st must attend kindergarten unless a waiver is signed. A waiver must be signed at the school district for which you are zoned.

It is not unheard of for students in 7th and 8th grade to earn high school credit. However, please be aware of what your student is capable of doing and only assign high school work if they are truly able to function at a high school level. If they are not capable of doing high school work this soon, please consider waiting until 9th grade to begin this phase. If you choose to claim high school credit in 7th /8th grade, you must use high school course material. High School credit will be given based on the course title, description, and curriculum used. Only core courses and foreign language will be considered for high school credit prior to 9th grade. High school fees will be assessed if you are issuing high school credit prior to 9th grade.

According to South Carolina law: “The curriculum includes, but is not limited to, the basic instructional areas of reading, writing, mathematics, science, and social studies, and in grades seven through twelve, composition and literature.”

According to South Carolina law, educational records shall be maintained by the parent-teacher and include:

• A plan book, diary, or other record indicating subjects taught and activities in which the student and parent-teacher engage.
• A portfolio of samples of the student’s academic work.
• A semi-annual progress report including attendance records and individualized documentation of the student’s academic progress in each of the basic instructional areas specified.

The diploma your student receives comes from you – from your school as a homeschool family.  You do not need to follow the public school choices for curriculum. You DO need to teach the subjects mentioned in the homeschool law, but how you teach them is your choice. If your student is interested in the military after graduation, or in attending a higher education institution, then taking courses similar to the requirements for the state diploma is highly recommended.

• English – 4 credits
• Math – 4 credits
• Science (Lab Sciences) – 3 credits
• US History – 1 credit
• Other Social Studies – 1 credit
• Government – 1/2 credit
• Economics – 1/2 credit
• Personal Finance – 1/2 credit
• Physical Education – 1 credit
• Computer Science – 1 credit
• Fine Arts – 1 credit
• Foreign Language or Occupational Specialty – 1 credit
• Electives – 6 credits

See the full College preparatory course requirements from the Commission on Higher Education.

South Carolina law states that homeschoolers must teach science, mathematics, social studies and English (composition and literature) every year beginning in 7th grade. The law allows flexibility for home schoolers to tailor their student’s education.

Provided you are compliant with the law (teaching the courses necessary by law), SAFE does not desire to tell you how to complete your child’s education. Each family has the freedom and flexibility to educate their children in a way that provides the best learning environment for that student as well as an individualized course of study based on the abilities and interests for each student.

Please contact the institution where your student is interested in attending to see what their entrance requirements are for students and tailor your high school course of study to those requirements. If your student is planning on attending an accredited university but is undecided, one strategy would be to follow the guidelines for public school requirements. However, a student who has plans to follow an apprenticeship route in acquiring a trade may choose a different course of study and have a transcript that looks different from the course requirements for public school.

South Carolina calculates GPA using a uniform grading scale, where grades are assigned specific numeric values. An “A” ranges from 90-100, a “B” from 80-89, etc. GPA is weighted based on course difficulty, with Honors, AP, and Dual Enrollment courses receiving additional points. For example, an “A” 95 would typically receive 4.5 points, where Honors credit would receive 5.0, and AP/Dual Enrollment would receive 5.5. This system is used for college admissions and state scholarships.

Many more details available here: https://www.homeschoolingsc.org/sc-uniform-grade-scale/

Honors credit refers to coursework that is more challenging than standard classes, designed for academically motivated students, often offering weighted grades that can boost GPA.

Honors is not:

• Just using a particular curriculum (i.e. A Beka for math or Apologia for science)
• Taking a course before most students take it or earlier than you remember taking it yourself in high school (i.e. taking Algebra in 7th or 8th grade)
• Simply doing 100% of the textbook
• Completing a 3 or 4-semester course in less time than what is recommended (ie. Saxon Advanced Math or Chalkdust Precalculus in one year versus the 3 or 4 semesters the books recommends.)

To receive Honors credit in SAFE:

• Honors credit must show additional work completed by the student in the content area for which honors credit is desired. This should include additional reading, writing and/or oral presentation. A course should show 3-4 additional projects per 1 Carnegie Unit and 1-2 additional projects per ½ Carnegie Unit.
• Honors credit may only be obtained in Mathematics, Science, Social Studies and English. For classes such as foreign languages and other special subject courses, honors credit may be obtained for 3rd and 4th level courses only and if the additional requirements are met.
• The material used for honors in one subject may not be used in another subject or class for honors or regular class work.
• Parent-teachers will be required to complete a worksheet/form that explains extra work done for honors credit. Book titles and authors along with page numbers will be required for additional reading assignments.

For more information, see the South Carolina Department of Education Honors Framework.

Advanced Placement (AP) is a program in U.S. high schools that offers college-level courses and exams, allowing students to potentially earn college credit and advanced placement based on their scores.

AP credit may only be obtained from a College Board Certified course in addition to successful performance on the AP exam. To receive AP credit a letter of certification from the College Board must be on file with SAFE as well as copies of test scores from the AP exam.

Parents are responsible to secure the final AP test approval and to find a test site.

For more information: https://ap.collegeboard.org/

Dual Enrollment is a program where high school students take college-level courses and earn both high school and college credit at the same time. It provides an opportunity to get ahead in college coursework while still in high school, potentially reducing the time and cost needed to earn a degree.

Students may receive high school credit for courses taken in their junior or senior year. One three-hour college credit equals one Carnegie Unit towards high school graduation. Only courses listed on the Commission on Higher Education’s List of Universally Transferable courses may be used for AP weighting in the GPA. (Note: Math 100, 101 and 102 are not among the courses on this list.)

List of Universally Transferable Courses in SC

Should your student choose to take something that is not on this list, it will still be included on their high school transcript for high school credit but does not qualify for a weighted grade in their GPA.

Many colleges give a simple letter grade (i.e., A, B, C) on grades sent from the college at the completion of the course. Students can request confirmation of their numeric grade by emailing their professor and then sending the professor’s reply confirming the numeric grade to the SAFE High School Coordinator. If it is not possible to confirm the numeric grade, SAFE will assign the numeric grade (according to the SC Uniform Grading Scale Conversion, 10 point scale) that falls in the mid-range of the letter grade. For example, if a student receives a “B” in Spanish at Midlands Tech and the numeric grade cannot be confirmed, he/she will be assigned an 85 on the transcript.

A CLEP (College-Level Examination Program) course allows high school students to earn college credit by passing standardized exams in various subjects, demonstrating their proficiency without taking the actual college course.

SAFE treats CLEP courses the same as Dual Enrollment courses. They carry all the same requirements and benefits as long as the student passes the CLEP exam. A copy of the student’s test scores will be requested to be kept on file with SAFE.

Note that the CLEP course can be added to the transcript but a numeric grade will not be assigned to the course.

More information about CLEP: https://clep.collegeboard.org/

Class rank is a mathematical summary of a student’s academic record compared to those of other students in the class. It is a factor sometimes used for awarding scholarships, granting college admissions, and evaluating an individual student’s achievements.

As an approved home school program, SAFE provides an official class rank for its members. Class rank is determined based on Grade Point Average (GPA).

Maintaining your student’s transcript and class rank is included in your high school fee. Additional transcripts will be provided to each high school family for an additional fee should your student require official transcripts to be submitted for school sports participation or with college application(s).

SAFE will provide each high school family a DMV letter for your student to obtain their driver’s license permit. Some colleges require a Letter of Good Standing for your student to take dual enrollment. This letter will be provided upon request.

The South Carolina LIFE Scholarship is a merit-based financial aid program that provides tuition assistance to eligible students attending in-state colleges, rewarding academic achievement with funding that can help cover educational costs.

A student must have a GPA of least 3.0 on the Uniform Grading scale, 1100 on the SAT or 22 on the ACT, or be ranked in the top 30% of their class. Colleges award this scholarship based on the content of the student’s transcript. There is not an application process. Students going to a technical school need to have at least a 3.0 GPA; test scores and particular rank are not required.

Details: https://ed.sc.gov/newsroom/scholarships/life-scholarship

The South Carolina HOPE Scholarship program is a merit-based scholarship for students attending a four-year institution who do not qualify for the LIFE or Palmetto Fellows Scholarship. This award is for the first year of attendance only.

More details: https://ed.sc.gov/newsroom/scholarships/sc-hope-scholarship/

The Palmetto Fellows Scholarship Program is a merit-based program established to recognize the most academically talented high school seniors in South Carolina and to encourage them to attend college in the state. (More information: https://ed.sc.gov/newsroom/scholarships/palmetto-fellows-scholarship/)

To qualify for the Palmetto Fellows Scholarship, a student must be enrolled as a senior and have taken the SAT or ACT by spring of the junior year or fall of the senior year to apply for early award.

Eligible students must meet the following requirements:

1. Have at least a 1200 on the SAT (or 27 ACT score)
2. Cumulative 3.5 GPA on the Uniform Grading Scale at end of the junior year
3. Rank in the top 6% at end of the sophomore or junior year, or if fewer than twenty students are in the class, the top two students (students ranked as number one and two) shall be considered for Palmetto Fellows Scholarship application, as long as all other eligibility criteria is met.

If a student is not in the top two, but they have a 4.0 UG Scale GPA and a 1400 SAT / 32 ACT score then they can qualify for the Palmetto Fellows without regard to class rank.

Application for the Palmetto Fellows must be made through the association. Class ranking will need to be included on the transcript. Please have a copy of your SAT or ACT scores sent to the Commission on Higher Education, code SAT 4313; ACT 6326.

On behalf of the Palmetto Fellows Scholarship applicant, SAFE submits a rank report for all homeschool students in the class (grade year). See details about class rank and GPA calculation above.

South Carolina offers additional scholarships beyond Palmetto Fellows, LIFE, and HOPE. The SC National Guard College Assistance Program (SCNG CAP) provides tuition assistance to eligible members of the South Carolina National Guard. Additionally, the state has Lottery Tuition Assistance, which helps students attending technical colleges or two-year institutions. (More information: https://ed.sc.gov/newsroom/scholarships/)

SAFE offers small scholarships for graduating seniors who are planning to attend college. Contact the SAFE Administrator for more information.