Homeschool Record Keeping

Homeschoolers may keep records in order to comply with state requirements, provide work samples to colleges or future employers, show friends and relatives what children have accomplished, preserve memories of their school years, and evaluate their children's progress from year to year.

Before deciding on a record-keeping system, determine your purpose for keeping records. If you are looking to comply with your state's homeschool laws, make sure you know exactly what your state requires. Your state may require you to submit a course of study, test results, health and immunization records, attendance records or a portfolio of work samples.

Here is some additional information about homeschooling requirements, along with links to your state's homeschool laws.

Tips for Homeschool Record Keeping

Keeping records is easy if you follow the KISS method - Keep it So Simple! If you are homeschooling more than one child, create a separate file folder or keepsake box for each child's documents and records.

Here are some homeschool record keeping systems you may want to consider:

• Calendar - Make notes about your child's daily activities on a pocket calendar, desk calendar or wall calendar. Recording school days on a calendar is probably the easiest way to keep attendance and activity records.

• Daily Log - Keeping a daily log will allow you to make more detailed notes about what your child accomplishes in each subject from day-to-day. Follow this link to view a sample daily log.

• Weekly Log - By keeping weekly logs, you can list your child's daily accomplishments in each subject for an entire week on one page. Follow this link to view a sample weekly log.

• Course of Study - A course of study is a list of subjects you have taught and the materials you used to teach them. Here is a sample course of study form, along with a printable book list.

• Journal - At the end of each day, make notes in a journal or spiral notebook about books your child read, completed assignments, educational activities and other accomplishments. Remember to date each entry. Follow this link to find sample journal pages you can print and place in a 3-ring notebook.

• Report Cards - If you have decided to give your children grades, you may want to prepare report cards at six-week or quarterly intervals. Here is a sample homeschool report card.

• Portfolio - Home school portfolios are collections of documents and work samples you can use to demonstrate your child's accomplishments for the quarter, semester or school year. Here's some information that will help you create a homeschool portfolio.

Remember, in a homeschool environment, education is not limited to traditional school assignments.

When keeping records and recording your child's accomplishments, make sure to include activities like reading, educational games, letter writing, field trips, art, building models, discussions, educational television programs, and everyday learning activities like cooking and budgeting.

Do you need to prepare transcripts for your high school student? Follow this link to learn how to prepare official homeschool transcripts!

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