A genius New York teen was denied the opportunity to graduate high school early and earn his diploma to attend his dream college due to his age \u2014 despite being a full-time community college student.<\/p>\n
Michael Sweeney, a 14-year-old homeschooler, is on the verge of applying to Arizona State University to study mechanical engineering, but his dreams were dashed when Bethlehem Central School District denied his request to enter his senior year, the Times Union reported.<\/a> <\/p>\n The teen, who turns 15 in December, tried multiple times to get approval to graduate early but school officials claimed his homeschool plan didn\u2019t meet the requirements needed for the credits.<\/p>\n Michael Sweeney, 14, was denied from graduating with Bethlehem Central High School as the teen seeks to apply to school with Arizona State University. Tyler A. McNeil<\/p>\n Sweeney has outpaced all of his courses offered to him and is currently taking advanced classes, including Calculus III and Physics II at the local college where he\u2019s been enrolled full-time for the last two years.<\/p>\n \u201cHe\u2019s moving on to 12th grade,\u201d his mother Nicole Sweeney told the outlet. \u201cHe\u2019s testing out of every high school category at this point.\u201d<\/p>\n He is bound by New York State\u2019s compulsory education law that requires all kids between 6 and 16 to attend full-time instruction, meaning Sweeney would have to wait until the 2027-2028 school year to graduate.<\/p>\n The brilliant youngster has taken the California Achievement Test, a standardized exam common among homeschool students to ensure they are learning and not being left behind.<\/p>\n The CAT scores determine the grade level the students are equal to.<\/p>\n Sweeney scored a 13.5 equaling him to a sophomore in college, confirming his grade level is beyond that of a being a high schooler.<\/p>\n Bethlehem Central School District Superintendent Jody Monroe has denied Sweeney at least three times as the teen looks to graduate from homeschool.<\/p>\n Sweeney could get permission from the school when he turns 15, but every request he has made has been denied because his homeschooling course load doesn\u2019t match the requirements for someone his age.<\/p>\n \u201cWith no compliant homeschool program your student must enroll in school, either here at Bethlehem Central or elsewhere, such as a private school,\u201d Bethlehem Superintendent Jody Monroe wrote in a rejection letter to Sweeney\u2019s parents, the outlet reported.<\/p>\n The school district didn\u2019t accept Sweeney\u2019s individualized home instruction plan (IHIP) last year because it stated he was only taking college courses and not credits to cover his requirements for grades eight through 11.<\/p>\n \t\t\t\t\t\t\tStart your day with all you need to know\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n \n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tMorning Report delivers the latest news, videos, photos and more.\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n \t\t\t\t\t\tThanks for signing up!\n\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n During what should\u2019ve been his eighth-grade year, Sweeney took 26 college credits while also completing high school credits to cover his ninth to 11th grade requirements, according to the outlet.<\/p>\n The teen also got government credit when he applied for his hometown\u2019s tree advisory committee, becoming the youngest applicant to interview for a position.<\/p>\n Facing prospects of having to essentially repeat high school, possibly in person, Sweeney fears he will have to stop taking college classes.<\/p>\n During what should\u2019ve been his eighth-grade year, Sweeney took 26 college credits while also completing high school credits to cover his ninth to 11th requirements. successphoto \u2013 stock.adobe.com<\/p>\n \u201cMichael\u2019s reached his point where he needs to start taking 300-level courses and you can\u2019t transfer in 300-level courses, so he needs to enroll in ASU full time to continue his degree path,\u201d Nicole Sweeney said.<\/p>\n A meeting in front of the school board where Sweeney\u2019s parents and lawyer could contest the district\u2019s decision was scheduled but was ultimately pushed back a month to allow for lawyers to work out a solution in private, the outlet said.<\/p>\n Meanwhile, Long Island pint-sized prodigy Joe Petraro-Hyppolite<\/a>\u00a0was accepted into NYU\u2019s master\u2019s program as a 13-year-old earlier this year after overcoming cancer and Tourette\u2019s syndrome.<\/p>\n Petraro-Hyppolite, who has an Einstein-level IQ, will begin his studies in sports medicine\u00a0at the New York City school starting next fall.<\/p>\n \u201cMy IQ is 168,\u201d Joe Petraro-Hyppolite, of\u00a0East Rockaway, told CBS<\/a>. \u201cWhenever I tell people, it\u2019s like, \u2018Oh, Young Sheldon, Doogie Howser.\u2019\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"A genius New York teen was denied the opportunity to graduate high school early and earn his 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