Keeping records
 

We just finished up third and first grades and I am now needing to figure out record-keeping. So far, I write a summary of our work for each year and I have a D-ring binder for each child and I have put everything into it divided by grade. But I can't keep everything! That's way too much paperwork! So what records do you keep? Tests/reports? Just records of results, like report cards? Examples of work? Should I be giving end-of-year grades for subjects? I don't want to toss important things but I don't want to horde either :no Help an early homeschooler out!

Re: Keeping records
 

I would love to hear what people farther along than me do.

This far I have kept almost everything, papers done and photoed printed of projects.

Part of that was because of the state I lived in that offically reserved the right to audit you if they felt the need.

As I now have two students, and no bacement this is not sustainable. How do i decied what to trash what to keep? I haven't ever give test as of yet.

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Re: Keeping records
 

My district only asks for an assessment at the end of the year. So far, they've been wonderfully hands-off. I submit our standardized testing and they don't even ask for it every year. That's it. I don't keep much, but that's going to change next year when I have a High Schooler. I need help, too.

So far I've kept tests (primarily math, we don't really do tests), any large co-op projects like Science Fair boards (they decorate our porch), all the SOTW lapbooks that span an entire book, and any big projects like that as portfolio pieces. I really should have writing projects. We have more than enough art projects. I'm disorganized and I live in a miniscule space, so all that stuff is tucked in different closets and corners. If I had to access it quickly, I'd be up a creek.

Re: Keeping records
 

Can you use the TinyScanner app on your phone to take pictures and convert into PDFs to keep records electronically? Or does it have to be a physical binder?

I’d only keep assessments, personally. But I assume those vary depending upon your homeschooling philosophy and curriculum, as well as the ages of your children.

(I was homeschooled in Virginia and my mom didn’t keep records— we just took a standardized test every year and had to score in a certain percentile, I think).


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Re: Keeping records
 

Does your state require keeping records? IMO what is more helpful are standardized tests - if your kids take those, I would keep those records. I'd also keep their math workbooks and a few written essays.

But honestly the rest is irrelevant until late middle school/high school. Should you need to place them in school, the school would administer assessments for placement. For high school then better record keeping matters IMO, but not for elementary school. For middle school only math really matters IME (though again that is determined more by standardized test scores).

ETA: If you want, you can create a report card for each child for each grade. That should be just 1-2 pages per grade total.

Re: Keeping records
 

I didn't keep any records until high school. My state doesn't require anything.

Halfway though my eldest's freshman year, we switch to an online curriculum. Her records will be saved for 7 years. I printed off a few things, just in case. But prior to that, I was going to keep track of the textbooks we used. I talked with a few homeschooling families about college applications and what was needed. She's planning on dual enrollment her junior year which will make the college application process much easier.

Next year we are tentatively going to be in a VA which has some record keeping requirements. They include weekly summaries of each core subject (2-3 sentences) and annual standardized tests. Also, an annual summary of the books/products we use for each subject.

Re: Keeping records
 

Our state requirements are just to file a letter of intent to Homeschool and to do a standardized test every three years. I wasn't sure if I should keep records for if we ever move or just to have in case whatever. I guess this means I can stick with tests/projects and whatever is special to me or them.

Re: Keeping records
 

One other thing you could do if your state has requirements is to save copies of the scope and sequence of any curriculum you use, or the table of contents. That way you can sell books you don't need any more or give them away. Often that info is on the publisher's website, too, but only for the most recent edition, usually. It's a general overview of what you covered.

That is what I am going to use for my weekly reports next year, if we join the VA. The curriculum we're using has titles for each lesson and I'll summarize the content for that week using the titles. When I submit my annual summary, I'll summarize what is in the scope and sequence/table of contents for each subject.

---------- Post added at 02:33 PM ---------- Previous post was at 02:32 PM ----------

If you move to another state they can not make you meet their requirements for previous years where you lived elsewhere. Their requirements will go into effect when you start homeschooling in that state.

Re: Keeping records
 

I don't keep anything except test scores. DD homeschooled K through 5th grade and the only thing I have is emails of standardized test scores for 3rd and 5th grade. DS just finished 2nd. I just threw away his workbooks for the year. :shrug3

Our state requires attendance and vaccination records. I also have those on file.

Re: Keeping records
 

Mine are going into 10th and 8th this year and we have been homeschooling since the beginning. I have only kept whatever was special to them. Our state doesn't have any requirements and when dd was thinking about attending a charter school last year they only asked for standardized test scores and or a report card. Since we don't do grades I just gave a course list with short descriptions and they said that was fine.

---------- Post added at 08:07 PM ---------- Previous post was at 08:04 PM ----------

I think if anything were to happen they could easily be tested and that would show that they have been educated. I did save the previous years math and language workbooks for a while when they were first starting just so I would have something to show, but I have gotten rid of those since then.

Re: Keeping records
 

This whole thread has me thinking about what and how to weed things out.

Have any of y'all ( or honistly some one you have heard about) who didn't keep something and they wished they had latter?

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Re: Keeping records
 

I only keep what is special to us. I start keeping the big binder in high school, just in case a kid ends up wanting a college that asks for more than a transcript. My first college student got accepted to 4 schools on the basis of his transcript and act scores. We didn't have to show anything to back up his transcript.


I've never regretted not keeping anything. Or heard of anyone regretting it. I do know quite a few people who've had issues with putting their kids in public high school past 9th grade and the schools not accepting their high school credits for English, math, etc. It doesn't matter what records they have. They will test them in some areas like math, but they make them do credit recovery in other areas even though they have records to show what they did. So in my experience, records don't really matter.

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Re: Keeping records
 

I only keep our annual assessments. For the older kids, almost all their writing is in google docs so I can pritn as needed. I should never need to.

Re: Keeping records
 

Our state doesn't require any kind of record keeping or proof of homeschooling. For my own peace of mind, however, I have kept the lessons plans on which I mark off every single thing we accomplish in a day. I didn't keep any grades until high school nor did we do any assessments so I felt like that was my only proof should it be called into question. For high school, HSLDA had me document one year (for good student discount insurance purposes) the scope of each subject which I thought was a good idea. One of my friends had to include that info for her child when he transferred to a public high school so they could determine his level. Of course I kept official ACT scores and the official transcript plus transcripts from concurrent classes at the community college. In full disclosure, I have kept probably most of the work my children have done during homeschooling in boxes in the garage, but I definitely don't think it is necessary at all and in all likelihood will toss quite a bit of it except for some special things.

Re: Keeping records
 

I’ve graduated a kid and I keep very little. All we needed to help dd get into a few colleges was a transcript, her DPI forms (official homeschool registration) and ACT scores. Beyond that, I kept few projects and pieces of writing that were sentimental like her college essays that made me cry :giggle

I’m using same approach w ds. A transcript, his dpi forms, and testing — except he will more than likely only test to get into technical college (accuplacer) instead of taking ACTs. He’s now considering a 4 year degree but would likely start at technical college to save money.


I don’t plan to expand what I’m documenting for homeschooling w DD2 except she’s planning college classes in high school. She potentially needs to be significantly more competitive as she’s already expressing interest in a very competitive pre- physical therapy and will need to get scholarships or to go to a public college ;)

Re: Keeping records
 

Right now I have one very useful box full of things we have done. I think I will weed though it and try to keep all my documentation to that box.

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---------- Post added at 08:36 PM ---------- Previous post was at 08:35 PM ----------

Thank you. It would neaver have occurred to me to keep that little.

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Re: Keeping records
 

Nope!

If my state required anything, I'd keep that.

Talk to some people who homeschooled and sent a child to college. Some colleges use a portfolio process to admit a homeschooled student but they are looking for specific things, usually from the junior and senior year. I think it's a good idea to start looking at what colleges want from a homeschooled student early in high school, just to be prepared, even if you don't know if your child will go to college or which college.

Re: Keeping records
 

Came back to say I’m referring only to what we’ve NEEDED to keep. We can easily provide documentation if more is needed. And I’m slow to toss and clean stuff so curriculum is here if we need it. Once kid #3 is in college I will purge better :grin

However, in high school, I put my kids in charge of a portfolio of sorts. As well as their checklists and work completion. I audit and supervise of course . Once dd1 was accepted to and registered for fall semester, she threw everything away after asking what I wanted. I’m going to get more involved w ds cuz he’d toss everything if I don’t look first ;)

And I’m in a low reporting state. Only need to register and be able provide attendance IF I get a call. I’ve not known anyone to get a call.

In high school I stop worrying abt state requirements and focus 100% on “college prep” from 9th grade. To clarify that by far exceeds my state’s requirements ;) I require a kid be ready for college whether they want to go or it :shrug3 kid #2 insisted his entire life he wasn’t going to college. Now he finds himself in a job he may want to pursue advancement and requires a 4 year degree. He’s starting senior year and because he HATES school, He has slacked off in certain areas but a year will be plenty to polish up what he needs for college.

Re: Keeping records
 

Ok guys over the rest of this month I am going to go though all the past school things I have kept and try to ruthlessly pair them down.

On some level it feels very very wrong to me and I can't quite put a finger on why. But there is no reason why I need to keep every math sheet and every handwriting practice page. I am going to have to slowly sneak these thing out in to the recycling and compost because early bird is super attached to everything she has ever touched.

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