Homeschool Records: Attendance, Portfolios and Report Cards

Records are the least glamorous part of homeschooling and one of the most useful. A tidy folder can answer a district letter in minutes, show an evaluator what your child learned, help your child re-enter school and, in the high school years, become the transcript that goes to a college. A missing record can make each of those tasks harder.

This guide, part of our how to start homeschooling series, explains what records most homeschoolers keep, how long to keep them and how to build a simple system that takes minutes a day. It also covers portfolios, report cards, test results and transcripts. Your state sets the legal minimum, so we show you where to check it first.

Quick answer: check your state’s requirements on its HSLDA page and department of education site, then keep at least four things: an attendance or days log, a list of subjects and materials, a few work samples each term and a reading list, plus any test results or evaluations. In high school, add course descriptions, grades and a transcript.

General information only, not legal advice. Records requirements vary by state. Confirm yours with official sources.

Start With Your State's Requirements

States differ widely on records. HSLDA’s state pages include an article called “The Importance of Recordkeeping” for each state, and the At a Glance box tells you whether your state requires notification, mandated subjects and assessment. Some states require you to keep attendance or a portfolio, some require you to submit test scores or an evaluation, and some require nothing at all.

Our guide to homeschool laws by state shows how to find those rules. Look for three things in particular: what you must keep, whether you must submit it and to whom, and for how long you must keep it. Write the answers on your one-page summary.

Even where nothing is required, keeping records is smart. They protect you if someone questions your homeschool, make it easier to enroll in a school or program later and help you see your child’s progress. Think of them as insurance that costs very little.

The Core Records Most Families Keep

Attendance or days log

A log of the days you held school. Where your state requires a number of days or hours, this is your proof. A simple calendar with a check mark for each school day works. You can also use a planner with a daily page. Our printable daily planners can double as an attendance record, and a block schedule printable can help you map out the weeks.

Subjects and materials list

A one-page list per year of the subjects you taught and the books, programs and resources you used. It is helpful when an evaluator asks what the year covered, and invaluable when you write a course description later.

Work samples

A few examples of your child’s work in each subject, collected each term. Include writing, math pages, art, project photos and anything that shows growth. Date each sample. Quality matters more than quantity, so pick pieces that show progress, including early drafts and later ones.

Reading list

A running list of books your child has read or listened to, with titles and authors and the dates finished. It takes seconds to maintain, and it is one of the most persuasive records of a rich education, especially if your style relies on real books.

Tests and evaluations

If your state requires standardized tests or an evaluation, keep the results and any letters or forms you submitted. If your state does not require them, you may still give a test now and then to see where your child stands. Keep those results too.

Official correspondence

Copies of every notice, letter, form and reply, with dates and proof of delivery. These protect you if a question ever arises about what you filed and when.

What Is a Portfolio?

A portfolio is a curated collection of records and work samples that shows what your child learned over a period, usually a year. Some states require a portfolio, and some allow it as one way to meet an assessment requirement. HSLDA’s state pages say whether assessment is required, and your state department of education can tell you what form is accepted.

A typical portfolio includes:

• A cover sheet with your child’s name, grade and the school year.
• The subjects and materials list.
• The attendance or days log.
• Work samples from each subject, in date order.
• The reading list.
• Photos of projects, field trips and hands-on work, with short captions.
• Test results or evaluator notes, if any.

Use a three-ring binder with dividers, or a digital folder with a sub-folder for each subject. Take photos of bulky or fragile work such as models and art. Add to the portfolio as you go, a little each week, so it does not become a huge job at the end of the year.

If an evaluator will review the portfolio, ask in advance what they want to see. Some want a certain number of samples per subject, and some ask for a narrative summary. The more you know ahead of time, the less you will scramble.

Report Cards and Grades

Many homeschool families issue report cards, either because the state requires it or because they like the structure. Others give written narratives or no grades in the early years. What you do is largely up to you unless your state says otherwise.

If you give grades, decide on a method and stay consistent. You might use percentages from tests and assignments, a simple scale or a standards-based approach. For younger children, a brief written summary of strengths and areas to work on may serve better than a letter grade.

Report cards are worth keeping because they feed into transcripts later. A simple template with the subjects, the grades or comments and the date is enough. Many curricula and online programs, including those that track attendance and scores, can generate reports you can save with your records. Check that they meet your state’s needs before you rely on them.

Test Results

Some states require standardized tests, and others do not. Where tests are required, find out which tests are accepted, who may administer them and whether you must submit the scores. If you choose to test even though your state does not require it, you can use the results to check progress and spot gaps. Keep results in the portfolio.

A test is a snapshot, not a verdict. A child can have a bad day, or may not be used to the format. Treat the results as one data point, along with your daily observations and work samples.

Records for High School

High school records matter more, because colleges, employers and training programs may ask for them. Families typically keep three kinds of documents.

1. Course descriptions: a short paragraph for each course that says what was covered, what materials were used and how the grade was determined.
2. Grades and credits: a record of each course, the grade and the credit awarded. Many families follow a common approach of counting a year-long course as one credit, but your state or target colleges may have their own expectations.
3. A transcript: a one-page summary listing courses, grades, credits and a grade point average, with your child’s information and the dates.

Before your teen reaches ninth grade, look at the admissions pages of a few colleges or programs your teen might want to attend. Many state their expectations for homeschool applicants. Some states also have specific rules about diplomas, so check your state’s page on HSLDA and your department of education. Our overview guide explains where to start.

Keep a list of activities as well: volunteering, clubs, sports, jobs, camps and projects. Colleges and scholarship committees often ask about them, and they are much easier to compile as you go than from memory later.

How Long to Keep Records

Check your state’s rules, since some specify a retention period. Beyond the legal minimum, many families keep attendance logs and portfolios at least until the child graduates, and transcripts and diplomas indefinitely. Scan the key documents and store them in two places, such as a cloud folder and an external drive, so a flood or a lost laptop does not wipe them out.

A Simple System That Takes Minutes

The best system is the one you will use. Here is a lightweight routine.

1. Daily: mark attendance on your calendar or planner, and jot a line or two about what you did.
2. Weekly: drop a few work samples into the folder, and add any books finished to the reading list.
3. Each term: choose the best samples from each subject, take photos of projects and update your subjects and materials list.
4. Yearly: assemble the portfolio, write a short summary of the year, save test results and file the whole thing.
5. As needed: file letters, forms and replies the day they arrive.

Pick a place and a habit. A basket on the counter where work samples land, then a Friday ritual of filing them, works for many families. Digital folders work too: a folder for each child, with sub-folders for each year and subject.

If you struggle to stay organized, our post on how stay-at-home moms organize their day has ideas for building routines that include record keeping.

Records When Your Child Goes Back to School

Many homeschooled children eventually enroll in a school, whether for a single year or for high school. A school may ask for records to place your child in the right grade. Your own records are the best answer. A subjects and materials list, work samples, a reading list and any test results show what was covered. Some schools also run placement assessments, so ask in advance what they require.

Policies on accepting homeschool records vary by school and district, and by state. Ask the school what documents it wants, and bring more than you think you need. Keep the originals and give copies. If your state requires you to file a notice when you stop homeschooling, as some states do, check HSLDA’s state page and file it so that your records stay clean.

Records for Special Education and Evaluations

If your child has an individualized education program, evaluations or therapy reports, keep them in a separate, clearly labeled section of your files. Include dates and the names of the professionals involved. HSLDA says families can legally homeschool children with special needs, and its state pages include an article on special education provisions. Keep a copy of any request you make to the district for evaluations or services, along with the response, because these papers may matter later if you re-enroll your child or seek support.

Also keep notes on what works. A short log of which strategies, tools and schedules help your child learn tells you what to repeat and gives an evaluator or a future teacher a clear picture. A few lines each week are enough.

Common Record-Keeping Mistakes

• Waiting until the end of the year to assemble everything.
• Not dating work samples.
• Throwing away work too soon.
• Relying on one device without a backup.
• Forgetting to keep copies of notices and letters.
• Keeping too much, so that the portfolio becomes unmanageable. Choose representative samples.
• Assuming a program’s reports meet your state’s needs without checking.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I have to keep homeschool records?

It depends on your state. HSLDA’s state pages and your department of education site explain the rules. Even where records are not required, keeping them is wise.

What should a homeschool portfolio include?

Typically a subjects list, an attendance log, dated work samples, a reading list, photos of projects and any test results or evaluations.

Do I need to give grades?

Only if your state requires it or you want to. Many families use grades in the upper grades and narratives earlier.

How do I make a high school transcript?

List each course with its grade and credit, add your child’s information and a grade point average, and keep course descriptions on file. Check target colleges’ expectations.

How long should I keep records?

Follow your state’s rule if it has one. Many families keep portfolios until graduation and transcripts permanently.

Sources: HSLDA state pages, including the “Importance of Recordkeeping” articles and At a Glance details (hslda.org/legal); state department of education websites for local rules; college admissions pages for homeschool applicant expectations. This article is general information and not legal advice.