Learn what to include in your homeschool portfolio, get homeschool portfolio examples, download free homeschool portfolio printables, and more to help you with your homeschool record keeping.
By: Andrea Dillon
Homeschool assessments and end-of-year evaluations seem to be the part of homeschooling that many families dread and procrastinate on the most. Prepping for these assessments can be stressful, but you can make this dreaded requirement easy and doable with some planning and research.
Homeschool assessments and evaluations differ from location to location. Depending on your homeschool laws, you may be required to participate in specific testing, or you may be required to keep and submit a homeschool portfolio.
What Is A Homeschool Portfolio?
Homeschool portfolios are a summarized view of your homeschooler’s school year. There are many ways to do this. The way you choose to do it may be driven by why you want a homeschool portfolio in the first place.
Homeschool Portfolio Examples:
- A Working Portfolio
- contains projects the student is currently working on or has recently complete
- A Display Portfolio
- showcases samples of the student’s best work
- An Assessment Portfolio
- presents work demonstrating that the student has met specific learning goals and requirements
- A Yearbook Portfolio
- containing lots of images. This will still show a student’s choice of best work and show mastery of specific subjects or activities
- A Scrapbook Portfolio
- similar to a memory book – often used for younger children; display projects and examples of the student’s favorite work along with artwork. This too will show mastery of specific subjects and/or activities
What Should Be Included In A Homeschool Portfolio?
The first step in making your portfolio is to check your homeschool laws. Your homeschool laws will tell you what you are required to include in a homeschool portfolio for assessment and review.
The second step is to talk to your homeschool portfolio reviewer to find out how they prefer to receive the portfolio and what they expect to see included in it. Reach out to your local homeschool support groups to get help in locating a homeschool portfolio review.
However, there are some basic items that should be included in each portfolio.
Check out the Homeschool Portfolio Checklist below:
Click to download the Free printable PDF version.
The checklist above is just a starting point. Use the extra blank page to write down any other items required by your homeschool laws or you want to include in your homeschool portfolio.
Resources Creating Physical Homeschool Portfolios
Just as each homeschool and homeschooler is unique, homeschool portfolios are unique as well. There are multiple ways to compile your homeschool portfolio and many options to help you. Below are resources to help you decide how to compile your homeschool portfolio.
The first step is to check your homeschool curriculum. Some programs, like Time4Learning, make creating your homeschooler’s portfolio easy and as simple as clicking save and print.
Homeschool Portfolio Printable Organizer |Homeschool.com
Simplify your portfolio work with this free portfolio printable!
How To Create An Amazing Free Homeschool Portfolio | My Little Poppies
Get information on how to create and compile your homeschool portfolio.
Homeschool Portfolio Examples
Need some visual examples of how to make your homeschool portfolio? Check out these examples!
One of our old physical portfolios
For this one I did type everything out and added pictures digitally. Then I printed it all and used our notebook binder to put it together.
Homeschool Digital Portfolios
Technology has made creating your homeschool portfolio even easier, especially if you take a lot of pictures, video, and use online homeschool curriculum/programs. I use this option for my own homeschool portfolios and submit them to my state reviewer via Google Docs, email, or private message.
Digital Homeschool Portfolio Resources
Canva is a great program for creating your homeschool digital portfolio. Get as creative as you want or just make something plain and simple. The choice is yours!
Click the image to check out a digital homeschool portfolio example I created in Canva. You can also print these and turn them into a physical portfolio.
How To Make A Digital Portfolio With The Seesaw App | My Little Poppies
Get ideas on how to use the app Seesaw to quickly create your homeschool portfolio.
Additional Homeschool Record-Keeping Resources
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