Closing out the school year...what to keep?

[Tidbits of Learning]

Well, we have met our 180 day requirement by the state and completed most of our curriculum. I gave the kiddos the CAT test on Monday and am waiting not so patiently for the results.

I am finishing grading papers and putting everything in homeschool tracker. They will have a report card on file and test results on file. Do I need to keep any of their work? Do I need to keep tests? Or will the report card and test results be enough?

[robsiew]

I think what you need to keep/not keep really depends on what state you live in. Different states have different requirements.... also, different people have different ideas of what they like to keep/throw. Beyond the state requirements it's really an individual preference. For instance, there is no requirement for me to keep any of their work, however I do save everything. I figure if I ever needed it, it's good proof of our work. So far it hasn't amounted to more than 3/4 of a bin or so at the end of the year.

[Tidbits of Learning]

Our state requirements are either

1. a report card

2. yearly testing that shows progress

3. a certified state teacher (in your child's grade) evaluation

 

I have the state requirements. This is more of a what do I need to cover my derier. I guess with this being our first year that I am nervous to throw away anything should I need it later.

Do most people keep some of their children's work from each year just in case?

[EppieJ]

I like to make ds a "yearbook". I just use a 3-ring binder with page protectors and divide by month.

 

In this, I usually have a "school photo" along with his list of favorites at the time (favorite color, favorite friend, favorite book...). I keep any test results, monthly reviews (a requirement of the alt ed we're a part of- the turning in of monthly reviews, not the keeping of them) and samples of the work accomplished. I also (when I'm organized...ha! :tongue_smilie:) include photos of field trips or other alt ed events such as Expo or Opening Day ceremonies.

 

It's not a state requirement, but I figure it's a nice keepsake and if things ever do change, or we move, I've got something to show. :thumbup1:

[asta]

I have everything we've ever done, since 5th grade. I'll sort it when it's over. I've lived in too many places to know what the final state will require.

 

Besides, kid refuses to part with curriculum. I think he intends to homeschool his kid someday. :glare:

 

 

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[Tracy]

Barring specific legal requirements, I try to keep one thing from each subject per quarter, and we actually throw things away weekly, monthly and quarterly. At the end of the year, I will have a few good examples of their work from each subject. It also helps my hoarder make choices about what to keep.

[SilverMoon]

What you need to keep is up to you if your state doesn't specify.

 

We keep binders as described in TWTM. Nearly everything is 3-hole punched and sorted by subject. Anything that can't be 3-hole punched can either be glued to something that can (and further decorated by the child), or have a digital picture taken, printed, and then 3-hole punched. Books that were worked in, but didn't have pages pulled to 3-hole punch, sit on the binder shelf when they're completed.

 

At the end of the year they go on the top shelf in the linen closet. That poor shelf may threaten to collapse on us when I add this year's load. :tongue_smilie: I think it's time to pack them in a big ole Rubbermaid and banish them to the garage.

[texasmama]

I just tossed the consumable math workbooks from two years ago because I didn't see the sense in keeping them. I do keep everything else. I plan to put it in a binder by child/year and put it in a bin or on a shelf somewhere so they have a record of their work, for their own use/pleasure, as our state requires absolutely nothing.

[elegantlion]

I keep *most* things. When we used to live we were supposed to maintain a portfolio and I've kept that up, although less formal now. I have one plastic tub that I have all of his elementary years in. Recently I tossed a few old workbooks and he got mad at me.

 

I do take things papers out of the binders so I can reuse them. I use book rings to keep the paperwork together.

 

I will toss things that are irrelevant. As others have said unless you're required by the state to keep items, it's a personal preference.