A 14-year-old child prodigy who has mastered Calculus II and linear algebra is unable to continue his college studies because officials have refused to allow him to graduate from high school early.
Michael Sweeney, of Bethlehem, New York, has been homeschooled throughout his education and currently attends community college full time. However, the Bethlehem Central School District has denied his request for early graduation—reportedly rejecting it three times this year.
According to the Times Union, Sweeney has completed Composition I and II, as well as college coursework in history, engineering, physics and health.
He scored 13.5 in every category of the Cognitive Abilities Test, or CAT—above the 12-point threshold used to demonstrate completion of 12th-grade-level work. The standardized test is widely used by homeschooling families to satisfy state testing requirements.
“He’s moving on to 12th grade. He’s testing out of every high school category at this point,” Nicole Sweeney, Michael’s mother, told the Times Union.
His parents told the outlet that Michael completed 26 college credits, along with his high school coursework, in just one year. They believe that achievement should be equivalent to completing ninth through 11th grade.
The family submitted Michael’s homeschool education plan and all required transcripts, but the district rejected their early-graduation request each time.
“With no compliant homeschool program your student must enroll in school, either here at Bethlehem Central or elsewhere, such as a private school,” Superintendent Jody Monroe wrote in a rejection statement sent to the Sweeney family.
Michael Sweeney, 14, has mastered Calculus II and linear algebra but cannot continue his college classes after the Bethlehem Central School District refused to let him graduate from high school early.
Superintendent Jody Monroe rejected the Sweeney family’s request for early graduation on behalf of the Bethlehem Central School District.
The New York State Education Department says Sweeney must attend public high school for another two years because he will not turn 16 until after the next school year begins. He will celebrate his 15th birthday on December 10.
Sweeney has applied to Arizona State University’s mechanical engineering program, but he cannot enroll without first graduating from high school.
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“Michael’s reached his point where he needs to start taking 300-level courses and you can’t transfer in 300-level courses, so he needs to enroll in ASU full time to continue his degree path,” his mother told the outlet.
According to the Times Union, Monroe said the family could appeal her decision to the school board and advocate for Michael’s early graduation.
The family has hired an attorney to assist with the appeal.
The Sweeneys said the Bethlehem Central District postponed a planned school board meeting to give their lawyers time to determine the best way forward.
According to Michael’s parents, the district suggested that he complete ninth grade during the current school year. Officials also declined to recognize his college credits as equivalent to ninth- through 11th-grade coursework.
The family told the outlet that they are working to enroll Michael in an online degree program at ASU. The course would include student building kits and computer design software that he could use at home.
Sweeney’s parents told the outlet that their son completed 26 college credits, along with his high school coursework, in only one year—an achievement they say should equate to completing ninth through 11th grade.
Sweeney has applied to Arizona State University’s mechanical engineering program but cannot attend without graduating from high school.
‘I really like the problem-solving, but also the creativity of it. Something that’s fake but magic almost,’ Sweeney told the outlet.
He said he dreams of designing, creating and testing out animatronics that are often used in theme parks as his future line of work.
The Daily Mail has reached out to Bethlehem Central School District for comment.