Homeschool benefits and savings in Lake Charles and Calcasieu Parish
SOWELA Technical Community College in Lake Charles lets homeschooled juniors and seniors in a BESE-approved home study program take college courses, with you signing as the school designee. Courses taught by SOWELA instructors are billed at full price, about $566.88 for a three-credit face-to-face course; the $50 per credit hour rate applies only to courses taught by a credentialed high school instructor.
Who qualifies
Has a BESE home study letter
Your child must be in a home study program approved by the Louisiana Board of Elementary and Secondary Education (BESE) and needs the approval letter first.
Is a junior or senior
Juniors must be at least 16 by September 30 of junior year. Seniors must be 17 or 18 by September 30 of senior year.
Has a 2.5 GPA
Send a transcript with a calculated GPA of at least 2.5 on a 4.0 scale.
Meets ACT or ACCUPLACER scores
Humanities and social science courses need an ACT English score of 18, and math or science courses need an ACT math score of 20. Next Generation ACCUPLACER scores also count.
What it is worth
SOWELA's dual enrollment page bills SOWELA-taught courses at full tuition and fees and gives $566.88 as the cost of a three-credit face-to-face course; the $50 rate carries no school-year label.
- 3-credit face-to-face course taught by SOWELA
- $566.88
- Two such courses in a semester
- $1,133.76
- Credit hour, high school instructor course
- $50
- 3-credit high school instructor course
- $150
- Standard dual enrollment load per semester
- Up to 8 hours
Lab fees, online registration fees, online access codes, and textbooks can add to the bill, so ask the Dual Enrollment Office for the total for each course.
From applying to keeping it
- Before you apply
Get the BESE approval letter
Have your home study approval letter, a transcript with a calculated GPA, and ACT or ACCUPLACER scores ready.
- Before the term
Apply as a visiting student
Apply at apply.lctcs.edu/sowela/undergrad, choose Non-Degree as the major, and pick a campus; online-only students choose Main Campus.
- Each term
Send the course request form
Email dualenrollment@sowela.edu for the form. You complete Section II as the school designee, then send the form, transcript, and scores as one PDF.
- Every course
Earn a C or better
Your student must earn a C or better in every college course to keep taking dual enrollment courses.
What it pays for
Covered
- College credit courses on campus or online
- Hands-on use of SOWELA labs and equipment
- Advising appointments with the Dual Enrollment Office
Not covered
- Textbooks and materials
- Online registration fees
Seniors can also apply to STEPS, which takes 12 to 15 credit hours a semester with at least 9 on the Lake Charles main campus.
Good to know
Home study juniors and seniors can dual enroll
Juniors and seniors in a BESE-approved home study program qualify for dual enrollment, STEPS, and early admission, and a parent can act as the school designee.
Who to contact
The Dual Enrollment Office sends course request forms, advises students, and answers questions about homeschool eligibility and fees.
dualenrollment@sowela.edu 337-421-6946 Homeschool opportunities
Homeschool rules and statewide help in Louisiana
BESE-approved home study: apply through LDOE within 15 days of starting; renew by October 1 or within 12 months of approval, whichever is later, or when advancing a grade. Nonpublic school not seeking approval: report enrollment annually as of the 30th school day; notify the previous public school within 10 days of enrollment when transferring.
Louisiana sets these rules:
- Subjects: Both routes require a 180-day school session. BESE-approved home study must provide sustained instruction at least equal in quality to public schools at the same grade; the nonpublic route does not require state curriculum approval.
- Testing: No mandatory state standardized test. BESE home-study renewal accepts a curriculum packet, qualifying standardized scores, or a grade-qualified certified teacher’s statement. The nonpublic route does not submit renewal test scores.
- Records: BESE home-study renewal requires evidence through the curriculum-packet, test-score, or teacher-statement option. For the nonpublic route, maintain attendance records and applicable immunization or exemption documentation.
- Teachers: BESE home-study parents or tutors need no teaching certification. An unfunded nonpublic school sets its own instructional-staff requirements.
Read the Louisiana homeschooling guide See statewide programs in Louisiana
Questions parents ask
- Will we pay $50 per credit hour at SOWELA?
- Courses taught by SOWELA instructors, online or on campus, are billed at full tuition and fees.
- What do I sign as the parent?
- On the course request form, you fill out Section II, listing the courses your student needs for graduation, and sign to authorize enrollment. A new form is needed every term.
- Can my student take classes online?
- Yes. Students can take courses on SOWELA's main campus or online, and online-only students select Main Campus on the application.
- What if my student has not taken the ACT?
- Next Generation ACCUPLACER scores also meet prerequisites. Only ACT and ACCUPLACER scores count, and an ACT score is used over ASPIRE or PreACT.
Turn support into your child’s next lesson
College classes can cover part of high school. We teach the subjects your child needs alongside them, starting at the right level in each subject.
$149/month per child after the trial.
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