Converting GCSE Grades to High School Credits

[Jan]

Hi everyone
I am new to the site but most impressed so far!
My family and I have recently relocated to Florida Gulf Coast on an E2 Visa (which took 42 weeks to process!!!!)
My 17 year old daughter started High School in January and I was told that I needed to go "somewhere in Miami" to get her GCSE grades converted to High School Credits. The school has no idea where in Miami. After spending ages searching the net I cannot find the right place. Has anyone had a simliar experience.
Would be most grateful for any help....
Many Thanks
Jan

[DebbieM]

Hi Jan

Welcome!

We moved here 2 years ago and when we came to enrol my 17 year old daughter into high school she was refused as aparently Florida State law dictates that if a student has graduated from their country of residence then Florida is not obliged to offer a high school education. I must have called every single person I could think of at the time and also had a lengthy conversation with the principle and was told exactly the same thing.

If your daughter is in school now, then it might be prudent to delay the conversion or transcripts just in case they then make her leave. We never even got to the transcript stage (perhaps a more transient bunch in Orlando and the Principle is up to speed with us immigrants both legal and illegal) but I'm sure she had an address for somewhere in New York where she could send them and if my memory serves me correctly there was a cost of around $200 (?) to get this done. I'll check with her when she gets back and see if she can remember.

She ended up going straight to college where nothing was required other than a million and one questions as to our residency for in state fees.

I hope you enjoy your new life here in Florida, whilst fraught with worry about renewals (we too are on an E-2) I still know that we made the right decision.

Debs

[Jan]

Hi Debbie
Thanks for your advice. Maybe we will get the transcription done and keep it for a while. I am just worried that next year when she comes to graduate that they will say she doesn't have enough US Credits....
Anyway another question (sorry but it is great to speak to someone with similar aged kids) Do you know what the situation is with regard to my 17 year old daughter driving here? I understand that if she is under 18 she hs to hold a US Provisional license for a year (or until she is 18) before she can take her Florida Driving Test. Do you know if she went back to the UK to take her test if she could take the Florida test before she is 18? I have called the driving test office but no-one seems to be able to give me a difinitive answer...
Many Thanks
Jan

[chris]

Jan,
This is the link to Florida DMV (dept motor vehicles). You should hopefully find the answers there.
http://www.dmv.org/fl-florida/department-motor-vehicles.php

[DebbieM]

Hi Jan

If ever you have a question ask, because the chances are we will have been there and got the t-shirt.

Holly has just advised me that your daughter will have to hold a permit for 1 year or until her 18 birthday - which ever comes first before she can take a test. With our Insurance company as a permit holder (learner) there is no additional insurance premium for her (not like in the UK) as long as the person in the vehicle is registered and is over 21. It is the person that is insured and not the vehicle, so check yours out. Her and your license will only be issued for 12 months at a time - that's just the way it is.

See if you can get her set up with a checking account then at least although she can't get a SS number she will have some credit history with the bank. You may have to act as guarantor but worth it.

You have to have physically lived here for 12 months before you qualify for in state college fees which are definately worth having but you have to jump through hoops to get them, don't give up.

Holly confirms it is Miami that you need to send her GCSE's to and will attempt to retrieve the info from her room, what the chances are - your guess is as good as mine - you have a teenage daughter so will know the state of their rooms.

If I can help further don't hesitate.

Debs

[peter gold]

Where are you on the Gulf Coast as we never had these problems in Sarasota/ Venice. We bought reports and we got detais of the courses they had done in the UK . Son entered as a Sophomore with a 3.2 with no accreditation done. This was 1998 though?

[Jan]

Hi Peter
I think we may have met a couple of years ago. You took us round Sarasota in Jan 2005. Jan and Gary Wright.
We live in Cape Coral at the moment but we are hoping to move to Fort Myers soon.
The kids High School have no idea what a GCSE is, let alone how to convert to High School Credits.....
Best Wishes
Jan

[peter gold]

Jan
I am too old to remember last year as opposed to three years ago
Go to the Fort Myers school board with your kids certificates.
Good Luck
Peter

[Tigger]

hi, i have had to convert my GCSE's into high school credits, all i did was go to my guidance counsellor with my gcse certificates, and all she did was photocopy them. so i have now come out with 17 high school credits from 11 gcse. i may be different but certainly at celebration high school this is how it work.
hope this helps
thanks
steph
17