At what point does it simply cost a kid 7 "mow-the-lawns" for an Algebra I credit?

So when I read a story like this, about how students who have repeatedly struggled with a "core class at school" (i.e. they didn't pass) being able to use computers for credit recovery so that they can graduate, I like the idea.

And I do believe that there is a place and space in public education to address this need in this type of way.

But I also gotta question one basic thing: How do they know the student doing the work online is the student who is getting the credit? I mean, why not just cheat?

Have your brother do it, your sister do it, a cool aunt or uncle. I mean if we are talking about the difference between a relative being able to earn a high school diploma or not, blood's a little thicker than water on the "please help me front".

And kids can barter. 10 car washes for an Algebra Class. 6 wash-the-dishes for an English paper. 8 let-me-borrow-your-car for some academic love on the American History front.

Really, where are the safeguards? And though I am sure they are in place to some small extent, let's be honest, huh? I mean I use online banking but come on, in the back of all our minds we all know that each time we log in we might discover that every freakin' penny to our name has been absconded with by some Russian hacker with laptop and a bottle of vodka.

If Chase, Bank of America and CitiBank struggle with online deception -- as they mightily do, pouring miliions into it every year, fending off thousands of attacks every month -- you don't think America's alternative high schools and credit recovery departments aren't going to see a wee bit of fraud?

Of course, the girl in the article certainly seems like she did her work and benefitted from an online learning opportunity. This is no way meant to disparage her. Like I said, for some kids, this is gonna be good stuff.

But at what point does it simply cost a kid 7 "mow-the-lawns" for an Algebra I credit in this country?