The Ins and Outs of a Homeschool Portfolio
By Mimi Rothschild
Exactly what is a homeschool portfolio? A homeschool portfolio is a fancy way of saying, “a small collection of your child’s school work.” You probably have a homeschool portfolio hanging on your refrigerator right now and a few boxes in the attic that could be divided into 50 or more homeschool portfolios. Who cares about these aside from you, the proud parent? Well it is possible that your state education board cares.
First of all, the most important thing to relate about homeschool portfolios and homeschool regulations in general is that you should know as much as possible about your state’s education laws. You can run into a bias against homeschooling and you may be subject to some unnecessary demands by local officials. The best way to fight this is to know your rights and be ahead of the pack when it comes to fulfilling homeschooling requirements.
What you include in your homeschool portfolio is one of those requirements. Some states may not require a homeschool portfolio at all, but most will want some sort of record of your child’s educational progress. Some good things to have ready are:
* A reading log
* A daily activity journal
* Samples in each subject from the beginning, middle, and end of the year
* An attendance log (if required)
Choose samples that best demonstrate your child’s progress throughout the year. Take pictures of big or bulky projects like artwork and science projects to keep your portfolio slim and easily readable. Include separately, any school board correspondence or official paperwork that may be requested during the evaluation. Simplicity is best, as it allows the evaluator to take the time she needs with your child, who is, of course, the glowing jewel of the homeschool portfolio.