Homeschool Evaluations – Everything You Need to Know
Homeschool Evaluations
Along with homeschool record keeping homeschool evaluations can seem so complicated and hard to know where to start.
Getting a gauge of where your child stands academically may or may not be a priority to you and your homeschool philosophy but the laws of the state where you live may feel differently.
Depending on homeschool laws where you live though, you may need to have a formal end of year evaluation or review completed each school year.
Below you’ll find all you need to know to make end of year evaluations stress-free!
Check what is required
Assuming your state is one that has some sort of end of year homeschool evaluation requirement (which is why you’re probably reading this blog post!) figuring out what is required is your first step.
Each state is different when it comes to regulations regarding end of year homeschool evaluations.
Some states require a portfolio (more below on what a homeschool portfolio entails) evaluation or review of work & progress from the year, and some require standardized testing each year.
Standardized tests
If your state requires an end of year test as your homeschool evaluation it’s important to check and see what is to be tested. Some states require only the core subjects like math & language arts.
Also, be sure to see which grades require testing. In some states testing is only required at certain grade levels.
Where to have your child tested
Testing can take place in a couple of settings. Some states allow parents to administer end of year testing and submit results to the county or school district.
Tests can be ordered online through a variety of companies. Some of the most popular tests available for at home testing are:
Getting together with a local homeschool group to conduct testing is another way to accomplish this task.
Some homeschool co-ops plan for group testing & set a date for the end of the year, at the beginning of the school year. This may be a great option for you if you’d like to not be the one administering the testing.
If you don’t have a co-op or homeschool group you meet with regularly, check out Facebook for local homeschool pages.
Guaranteed there will be more parents out there looking for the same info you are regarding local homeschool evaluation & testing.
If you’re not seeing what you want, keep in mind, you could also be the one to start a testing group!
Umbrella schools (which are essentially a private school entity that oversees & aids families in meeting their state’s homeschooling laws) often offer testing services to even non-member students. Something to keep in mind is not all states offer umbrella schooling for homeschoolers.
Another thing I have heard other homeschooling parents do is reach out to the local school district or schools. A lot of times they will offer testing services for homeschoolers.
Same for local private schools. Look up schools near you and give them a call and ask.
Homeschool Portfolio Evaluations
Another option for homeschool evaluations, is an evaluation of your child’s work & progress from the school year. A portfolio evaluation is very easy to get together no matter what your schooling style.
Traditional schooling style? Keep physical examples of work.
Unschooling? Make sure to snap photos and videos of your daily learning.
It’s easier than you think to create your portfolio! Here are some tips to get you started.
What to keep
Knowing what is required in your state for homeschool evaluations is helpful when you’re in the planning stages for each school year.
The “usual” requirements are proof of progress. That means workbook pages, reports, projects, lesson plans from your own planning etc. Again, know what your state requires & go from there.
I wrote a whole blog post on homeschool record keeping that really ties in well to this post. The importance of record keeping definitely deserved its own blog post.
The hard work you put into keeping your children’s hard work organized will help them with their future. Getting into college, a trade school, or any future employment will most likely depend on their school records you keep. No pressure 😉
Examples of portfolios
Again, this post will give you plenty of details on how to maintain your homeschool record keeping. Record keeping is a big part of being ready for your child’s homeschool evaluations.
Having a system figured out will help you so much at the end of the year, or whenever your evaluations are due.
There are a few ways to keep & create a portfolio but the main question you’ll want to answer is do you want to create a physical portfolio or a digital one?
Physical portfolio ideas
Each year, if you have to create a portfolio for your children for their homeschool evaluation, you will be left with the question of where to keep the portfolio. Figuring that part out early on will help with knowing how much to keep.
Storage
If you decide that you would like (or need by law) to keep physical work examples for your children, first think about the long-term storage space you have available in your home.
If you have an attic or basement, storage bins may become your best friends (if they aren’t already!). In these bins you can keep workbooks, projects, and your planner – basically whatever you need all in one easy to stash away bin.
If you are tight on storage, you may have to be a little more particular with what you choose to keep.
Most homeschool evaluation portfolios ask for proof of work, for each subject for each of your children, from the beginning, middle, and end of the year.
Knowing this, at the end of the year, you can simply keep those pieces that you add to their portfolio and discard or recycle the rest.
Not keeping every single workbook or worksheet and every project will help keep the clutter at bay if you are tight on space.
Creating a physical portfolio
Once you have storage figured out, you now will be able to determine what type of portfolio you’d like to create for your homeschool evaluation.
A 3-ring binder is a great option. Adding in divider tabs for each subject, and some pocket folders/dividers at the end for projects, is a streamlined way to keep it all organized.
This option is easily transportable too if you are meeting your evaluator somewhere other than your home.
You can involve your kiddos with this option by having them draw a portfolio cover with maybe their name & age or school year, to put in the plastic liner cover of the binder.
This is a fun beginning of the year tradition you could do.
Creating a digital portfolio
If you are a minimalist at heart, or just like the idea of having your portfolio stored on your computer and not in a bin or closet, a digital portfolio may be for you!
I know a lot of families who utilize & love FREE online apps to help with building their digital portfolios. Evernote and Seesaw can both be used as a way to create a digital portfolio.
A digital portfolio is also perfect for those who consider themselves unschoolers. Documenting your days & field trips with photos and videos lines up perfectly with a digital portfolio.
Benefits of both portfolio types
Digital portfolio keeping, can go hand in hand with a physical portfolio. In this day and age where almost everything has a virtual option, homeschool evaluations are being done virtually more and more.
Some evaluators will request photos of your child’s work, which if you have in a binder, is very easy to do. You will email them the work via the photos, so they can assess that progress took place.
They will then most likely ask to set up a phone call to speak with your kids briefly about their school year. Simple questions like what was their favorite book, what subjects they do or don’t care for, what is their favorite memory of the year etc.
Progress not perfection
Keeping the phrase “progress not perfection” in mind when it comes to your homeschool evaluations is so helpful.
Don’t be intimidated by this part of homeschooling. It can be very simply taken care of, with a little planning.
This then allows you to focus on the fun & beauty that homeschool brings to your family. I hope the tips I shared are helpful in helping you feel prepared for your homeschool evaluations 🙂
