I’ve planned my curriculum and my daily schedule. I’ve planned my involvement in coops, sports, and field trips (you know…for all that great socialization!) I’ve planned my reading lists, my library trips, and my music lessons. Great! We’re ready to go, right?
Not quite! There’s one important thing you forgot! How are you going to actually prove that you did all those great activities you have planned? How will you show your children’s
progress along the way? How will you document your homeschool journey?
Planning an effective record-keeping system is just as important as planning the details of your homeschool curriculum and schedule! Let’s ask a few questions and take a closer look at the why’s and how’s of homeschool record-keeping.
“Is record-keeping really that important?”
Records from your child’s homeschool education serve several important purposes. The first, and arguably, most important reason to create an effective record-keeping system is that detailed records can help you prove compliance with the law. Secondly, when students apply for scholarships or other honors, school records may be necessary to prove eligibility. In addition, colleges and universities may require detailed records as part of the application and admission process. At times it may become necessary for a homeschooled child to enter (or re-enter) a public or private school. Appropriate placement within the new school can be more effectively done if complete records can be provided. Some families may elect to keep records for less pressing reasons. Records can simply be used to showcase a child’s homeschool experience, or as a nostalgic “look back” for children as they grow up!
“But where do I begin?”
The truth is no one system will work for every homeschool family. There are just too many variables in question to answer this question with a single “pat” answer. The information that follows is designed to provide you with the information you need to help you create your own record-keeping system—a system that is perfectly suited to meet the needs of your family!
“When should I start working on my record-keeping system?”
Maybe you’re just thinking about homeschooling for the first time. Or maybe you’ve been homeschooling for a long time, but have never developed an effective method for keeping records. In either case, the time to start keeping complete records is now! It’s possible that you will never be required to produce the records that you have collected. The advantages of having comprehensive records still far outnumber the hours spent working on them. And how much time will you need to invest? While the time required will vary somewhat from family to family, most homeschoolers must invest relatively little time in order to create and maintain a well-designed record-keeping system.
“What should be in my child’s records?”
Hopefully, by this point you agree that you should keep a record of your homeschool journey. The next question that should be considered is this: What records should be maintained? Several factors need to be considered when answering this question:
- Where do you live?
- With what laws must you comply?
- How old is your child?
- Will your child be entering public or private school in the future?
- Is your child college-bound?
Where you live will significantly influence the decision of what records must be included. In the United States, the education of all children, including homeschooled children, is governed by state laws. Families who fail to comply with the laws of their state—either unwittingly or in defiance of the law—may face legal challenge, and could ultimately lose their right to homeschool. Knowing and understanding these laws will help you determine what records you need to keep for your children. An online search for the laws that govern homeschooling in your state can provide you with this important information. Homeschoolers in some states have very few requirements to satisfy, but still choose to keep records of their children’s homeschool experience solely for personal and/or sentimental reasons.
The age of your children is the next question to consider. While it is important to keep records for all children, the need increases for high school age children. High school records play an important role in the college and/or job application process. Similarly, families who may eventually want to enroll a child in public or private school may need to present school records in order to simplify the placement process. A student’s future academic interests and pursuits will also guide you as you put together your record keeping system. But even if all you want to do is show off your young child’s academic abilities to family and friends, keeping records is a great idea!
“How do I put it all together?”
No two families are exactly alike when it comes to their homeschool experiences. And that applies to their record-keeping as well! Exactly how you keep your own student records will be determined by many of the same factors discussed above. And as your homeschool experience grows and changes over the years, your record-keeping needs will likely change as well.
Of the many possible record-keeping methods you might choose, a portfolio is possibly the easiest, and most efficient way to compile and store your child’s academic records. A portfolio is a collection of documentation intended to demonstrate a homeschool child’s academic progress. Though legal requirements and personal preference may cause the contents of a homeschool portfolio to vary from family to family, a comprehensive portfolio should contain some combination of the following items:
- A Student Information Page that contains general student information such as name, birth date, address, etc.
- Any Medical Records required by law such as immunization records, annual physicals, etc.
- Documents that prove compliance with local requirements and/or state laws. One or more of the following documents should be included:
- A list of specific goals and objectives for each academic subject
- Documentation of communication with local school district officials as needed
- A listing of educational materials utilized. This list should include author and publishing information for all books, curriculum, DVD’s/videos, and software used.
- A sampling of student work in all subject areas, particularly those required by law. This collection should honestly represent both the type and quality of all work completed by the student.
- Documentation of required and/or voluntary assessment. Some states require some form of assessment. Student progress can be assessed and reported in a variety of ways including report cards, standardized testing, professional evaluations, grade reports, and transcripts.
- A listing of extra-curricular activities such as field trips, homeschool group or church activities, sports, music, drama, etc. These can be presented in a variety of ways, but a photographic journal is an especially effective way to provide this documentation.
- Documentation of special awards, honors, accomplishments, or achievements earned.
Still not sure how to move forward? An online search of key terms (homeschool portfolio, homeschool records, sample transcript, etc) will provide you with an abundance of ideas, tools, templates, and products designed to help you create thorough homeschool records. In addition, electronic homeschool management systems can provide easy access to much of the documentation needed to put together a complete record of your children’s home grown education. What are you waiting for? Now’s the time to stop planning and to start doing!!
This post was written by Linda Difino, a homeschool mom with four wonderful children. Her homeschool journey began nearly 20 years ago with three daughters (all now graduated) and continues on with a 1st grade son! When she isn’t homeschooling and
home-making, Linda works from home as a homeschool consultant and enjoys blogging at The Joyful Journey (http://joysandrewards.wordpress.com) and The Homeschool Apologist (http://thehomeschoolapologist.blogspot.com).
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