Keeping Homeschool Records That Meet State Requirements

1 Corinthians 13:5-6  "Love is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth."

To me, this verse inspires a lovely mindset in how we approach the paper trail that’s required of homeschooling.  God keeps intricate records of us, the good, the bad, and the ugly. Yet, He doesn’t use it against us, but for us, and we can ask him to review and find where we fail and gently lead us to a more fulfilling way. 

In this same way, keeping homeschool records can be an endeavor to make a collection of work, which shows the heart of the child and the teacher and the unconditional love that lives within that relationship. Something to celebrate in the present, which will become a guide in the near future. A little treasure journaling the fantastic homeschool voyage taken that day, month, and year.  Set that intention from the beginning and reflect on it often when things get rough.

The basic concept is to keep track of what has been accomplished each school day in order for parents, students, evaluators, or anyone else who has a hand in the development of the child, to easily review. Because there is no Federal requirement for homeschooling, the requirements for records are different for each state. Regardless, it’s important to note that beyond the legal requirements, recordkeeping helps you stay accountable and gives you a log of where you are growing and/or struggling.

Solid, consistent records help track a child’s progress, their interests and achievements, their strengths and weaknesses, and empowers them to take ownership and buy-in of their educational journey, which leads to greater confidence when heading to their next step in life. This fosters an intrinsic love of learning that lasts throughout life and makes living it more enjoyable. Those are powerful results from a stack of meaningfully put together papers.

The first and most important step is to discover the recordkeeping requirements of the state. Remember, there is no federal mandate and each state requires their own unique, specific details. The difference between states varies widely.  It’s imperative to take a look at specific state home education mandates before beginning. Relying on comments in social media posts is not a good way to learn this information. What "Sarah from Savannah" says is needed is going to differ greatly from "Casandra in California." Keep reading this article to find the link to the US Department of Education, then call the school district office to confirm and clarify what is needed.

If you’re just starting out, it can be confusing to know exactly what a homeschool record is. Basically, it could include some or all of the following. These are just examples, and as state requirements become clear, it’s good to keep in mind the ability to individualize and include more than what the state requires, if desired.

• The initial Letter of Intent to homeschool
• List of curriculum used
• Daily/yearly lesson plans
• Graded assignments/tests/quizzes
• Reading logs
• Records of field trip/educational experiences/job/volunteer opportunities
• Letters of recommendation/certificates of achievement
• Standardized test scores/yearly evaluation reports
• Narrative exams/summary of strengths/weaknesses
• Student work samples/transcripts/extracurricular activities and more
• Pictures/videos/media files

We cannot emphasize enough the importance to ensure complete understanding of what is required. In our county of residence, the school board website offers links and a few helpful resources including the state mandate. It’s smart to become familiar with your local school district's homeschool office and even show up in person to drop off mandatory documents. Consider it a bit of networking and building relationships similar to a local school experience. It’s always good to build bridges and create allies if needed someday.

To help you get started, access the US Department of Education and check below for a sampling of a few state requirements around the country. This gives a good idea of the vast array of differences in requirements that each state government has created:

Florida: 

Recordkeeping and Reports

• Within 30 days of establishing a home education program, the parent must notify the district school superintendent in the county where the parent resides of his or her intent to establish a home education program. The notice must be in writing, signed by the parent, and must include the names, addresses, and birth dates of the children being homeschooled. The parent is not required to hold a valid regular Florida certificate to teach. s. 1002.41(1), F.S.
• Home education programs must maintain a portfolio of educational records. The Florida statute defines a portfolio as "a log of educational activities which is made contemporaneously with the instruction and which designates by title any reading materials used, and samples of any writings, worksheets, workbooks or creative materials used or developed by the student." The portfolio of education records must be available for inspection by the superintendent upon a 15-day written notice. s. 1002.41(1)(b), F.S
• The student's portfolio must be preserved for a minimum of two years. s. 1002.41(1)(b), F.S.
• Within 30 days of closing a home education program, the parent must submit a letter of termination to the district school superintendent. s. 1002.41(1)(a), F.S.
• The family must notify the school district if the student wishes to terminate the home education program at 16 and the student must be notified according to s. 1003.21, F.S. that his/her earning power is likely to be reduced. Per Home Education FAQs.

California:

Initial and Renewal Applications

• Each person or organization providing private school instruction for elementary or high school students must file annually between the first and fifteenth of October an affidavit or statement to the superintendent of public instruction that contains the following information: name of person or organization; address where instruction is provided; address where records are housed; names and addresses of directors, if any, of the organization; school enrollment specified by grade and teachers; any records required by law; courses of study; names, addresses, and qualifications of faculty members; and criminal record summary information. Cal. Educ. Code §§33190, 44237,48222.

Curriculum and Instruction

• A parent or guardian may legally homeschool their child without a teacher certification in the state of California. On August 8, 2008 the Court of Appeals for the Second Appellate District in California unanimously reversed their previous decision made on February 28, 2008 to require parents to possess a teaching certification in order to provide home instruction.
• In grades one through six, the following courses must be taught: English, math, social science, science, visual and performing arts, health, and physical education. Cal. Educ. Code §51210.
• In grades seven through twelve, courses should be offered in: English; social sciences; foreign languages (starting no later than seventh grade); physical education; science; mathematics; visual and performing arts; applied arts; career technical education; automobile driver education; and other studies that may be prescribed by the governing board. Cal. Educ. Code §§51220, 51222.

New York:

Home Education Programs

• Parents of students of compulsory school attendance age must submit written notice to the superintendent of schools of their school district of residence of their intention to educate their child at home by July 1 of each school year. If parents decide to commence home instruction after the start of the year, they must submit the written notice within 14 days. 8 CCR-NY 100.10.

Initial and Renewal Applications

• Within 10 business days of receiving the parent's notice of intention, the school district must provide parents a copy of 8 CCR-NY 100.10 and a form to submit an individualized home instruction plan (IHIP). 8 CCR-NY 100.10.
• The parent must submit a completed IHIP within four weeks of receiving the materials, or by August 15, whichever is later. If the parent needs assistance in preparing the forms, the district must provide it upon request. 8 CCR-NY 100.10.
• The school district must notify the parent within 10 business days, or by August 31, whichever is later, whether or not the IHIP complies with state requirements. If the IHIP is found deficient, the school district must provide written notice of its deficiency. 8 CCR-NY 100.10.
• If the IHIP is found deficient, the parent must submit a revised IHIP correcting the deficiency within 15 days of receiving notice of the deficiency or by September 15, whichever is later. 8 CCR-NY 100.10.
• The IHIP must include the child's name, age, and grade level; a list of the syllabi, curriculum materials, textbooks or plan of instruction to be used in each of the required subjects; the dates for submission to the school district of the parents' quarterly reports; the names of the individuals providing instruction; and a statement that the child will be meeting the compulsory education requirements….(more bullet points on the site)

Kansas:

Home Education Programs

• Kansas does not have a home school statute, but the Kansas legislature enacted the Parental Rights Act in 1996 stating, "It shall be the public policy of this state that parents shall retain the fundamental right to exercise primary control over the care and upbringing of their children in their charge." K.S.A.§38-141(b).

Initial and Renewal Application

• Home schooling falls within the general classification of non-accredited private schools and must comply with the provisions for non-accredited private schools. This requires the school to choose a name, and register its name and address with the Kansas State Board of Education. K.S.A. §72-53,101.

Curriculum and Instruction

• In order to satisfy the compulsory attendance statute, a home school must have a "competent" instructor and instruction time must be "substantially equivalent" to the public school (465 hours per year for kindergarten, 1,116 hours per year for grades 1-11, and 1,086 hours per year for 12th-graders). K.S.A. §§72-1106(b) and §72-1111(a)(2).

Assessment and Diplomas

• As non-accredited private schools, home schools must have instruction that is planned and scheduled with periodic testing. When determining if a home school satisfies the compulsory attendance statute, courts will consider the planning, scheduling, and periodic testing that occurs. If a home school does not satisfy the compulsory attendance statute, children can be found to be in need of care and subject to the authority of the state. In Re Sawyer 234 Kan. 436, 672 P.2d 1093 (1983) and Kansas Attorney General Opinion No. 85-159 (1985).

Oregon:

Initial and Renewal Applications

• The parent or legal guardian must notify the education service district in writing within 10 days of withdrawing a student from public school to be homeschooled. The education service district shall acknowledge receipt of any notification in writing. Or. Rev. Stat. §339.035 (2) and Or. Admin. Rules§581-021-0026 (1)(f), (4).
• The notification must include the child's and parent's names and addresses, the child's birth date, and the name of the school the child is presently attending or last attended or, if the child has not attended school, the name of the public school district where the child resides. Annual notification is not required. Or. Admin. Rules §581-021-0026 (1)(f), (4).

Curriculum and Instruction

• No state policy currently exists.

Assessment and Diplomas

• Homeschool students are required to participate in a comprehensive examination that is approved by the Oregon State Board of Education in grades three, five, eight, and 10. The parent may choose which approved examination is used, but the exam must be administered by "a qualified neutral person" and occur no later than Aug. 15. Or. Rev. Stat. §339.035(3) and Or. Admin. Rules §581-021-0026(5).
• If the student withdraws from public school to be home-schooled, then the student must participate in an examination within 18 months. If the student never attended public school, then the first examination must be administered prior to the conclusion of grade three. Or. Rev. Stat. §339.035(3) and Or. Admin. Rules §581-021-0026(5).
• The individual administering the examination must score it and report the results to the parent or legal guardian and, when requested, the parent or legal guardian shall submit the results to the education services district. Or. Rev. Stat. §339.035(3)(c) and (d) and Or. Admin. Rules §581-021-0026(5)(b) and (c).
• If the student scores below the 15th percentile, the child must be given the examination again within one year. If this occurs for three consecutive years, then the superintendent of the education services district has the authority to require that the child receive education from a certified teacher selected by and at the expense of the parent or legal guardian. If the parent or legal guardian does not consent to placing the education of the child under the supervision of a licensed teacher, then the superintendent may order the child to school for a period not to exceed 12 months. Or. Rev. Stat. §339.035(4) and Or. Admin. Rules §581-021-0026(7)(a), (b), and (d). 

This legalese can be confusing but, don’t be intimidated and know that it will be a blessing and ease your mind to know the nitty gritty details of what is required. Knowing these things will make applying them daily much less stressful. 

Connect with us directly for specific support in planning and record-keeping. We are here to serve and help apply these requirements to the daily grind to transform it from burden to blessing.  We would be honored to have you join us as we gather around The Well! Start by accessing our Welcome Basket, which includes our sanity-saving Steps to Start Homeschooling.