How long do you keep paperwork, quizes and such?

[HollyDay]

The state we lived in at the beginning of our homeschool journey required we keep "relevant books, materials, quizes and writing samples" for 3 years.

 

The state we currently live in requires us to be a part of an umbrella school. Each "school" is different in what it requires. Mine states: "parents are responsible for quality education and the burden of proof of said education resides with the parent". Okay. . . . .? So how long, how much, and what type of examples would you keep???

[Shelly in VA]

Twice per year, I put together a 1" binder with samples of all the kids' work. (Not a binder per child, but one binder per semester; currently, I have 3 school-aged children.) I make a section for each child, and I put in a summary page listing what they covered that semester - I list texts, lessons covered, topics covered, etc. Then, I put in ~1 test/quiz or writing sample per month from each major subject. I feel like that shows their progress throughout the semester, which demonstrates that education is taking place. I also put in a page or two of photos of art projects, field trips, etc. And I keep a list of the books they read that semester.

 

Hope that helps! For me, it is a manageable amount of material, and I really can see their progression when I compare writing samples, tests, etc. over the course of time.

[K&Rs Mom]

We don't have a state requirement, and school year-round so don't really have semesters either. What I have is a file box with folders for child by age (labeled as K-4, K-5, R-3 so far), and a "to be sorted" folder. At the end of each schoolday, I put most of their completed pages in that folder, and every few months sort out a handful of papers that seem representative of what they've done, or show progress in a subject, and put those in the appropriate year-folder. Within each year-folder is also a smaller folder labeled "tests" for the few that I give (well, not the 3yo yet ;) ).

 

I also have a folder of completed lesson plans, and just dump those in at the end of each week. Since it doesn't take up much room yet, that one hasn't been sifted. I think when it gets full I'll put them in a binder by year (I just label by calendar year and note the date it's completed). I have a smaller folder in here labeled "progress reports" and a few times a year just write down some observations of each child. I think it will be fun to look back on those; it's almost like a journal but several months apart.

[mcconnellboys]

Well, we don't have a requirement, but I have it all right now. I won't keep it forever, but I am a pack rat,

 

Regena

[ncmomo3]

I keep everything and I'm not because I am a packrat. I am just paranoid that someone is going to demand to see some sort of proof of their education one day.

[Beth in Central TX]

Same here. We have no state requirements, but I can't throw anything away yet. I box each year up and put it in the attic. Four boxes are up there now, and we're working on filling up box #5.

[Ellie]

not more than a couple of months.

 

California didn't require any such recordkeeping, and if I'd been hauled off to court, I would have resisted as long as possible any effort to cause me to prove anything, since state law doesn't require any such proof.

 

If I were going to keep some sort of paper trail, it would be something like samples of written work, a few pieces of paper from the beginning, middle, and end of the school year.

[Soph the vet]

I have it all in 3 ring binders according to subject. I'm not sure how long I'll keep it, maybe until I can see and feel the high school diploma:D!

[Laura Corin]

I put together a one-hundred page clear book for each child each year. It includes samples, any testing results and their school report (my musings on the year). I haven't thrown one out yet, but I intermittently home educate in a place where the law is not clear, so I want ammunition.

 

Laura

[WTMindy]

I'm a paper purger. We don't need to keep any specific records and I see no reason to keep *any* daily math work, etc. I will keep tests for a while but then I'll usually choose a couple good papers to save in their memory box. I do keep history notebooks because these reflect their writing, history studies and I use them for reviewing tools. I bind these at the end of the year.

[Tutor]

and PA requires you to keep a portfolio for evaluation at the end of the year. Our new state does not require us to keep anything, but we have decided to keep putting together a portfolio.

 

During the year, we save everything into binders by subject. Each student has the following binders:

English (divided into spelling, writing, reading, grammar)

Math/Logic

Foreign Language

History/Science

 

If we have anything else that doesn't seem to fit a category, I'll just stick it in the back pocket of one of the binders. The binders are all 2" binders except English which is a 3" binder.

 

At the end of the year, I get a 1" binder, and label the spine with the child's name, years of term, and grade (if they were in gov't school). The child makes a cover to slip into the front. I then put copies of all legally relevant documents in the front... in this state, that would be a copy of the legally required card we filled out at the beginning of the year, the receipt for shipping, and the return receipt card with the school secretary's signature. Then I have dividers for each subject plus health and safety info (fire safety, stranger danger, hygiene etc) and place about a dozen samples spanning the entire year in each subject plus a list of primary texts used for each subject. (For art and music, I will place pictures of artwork I have taken throughout the year or copies of music pieces they've learned.) The health and safety section has a fire escape plan drawn by the child and any other info on health and safety we covered that year (PA required it, so we are going to maintain to those standards since they are the strictest, legislatively speaking). The kids will pick out some of their favorite pieces for each subject and include those. This provides a nice overview of everything done that year. I find the kids taking their portfolios out pretty regularly and reminiscing about field trips, difficult concepts they finally got or favorite books they read, so it is a nice family scrapbook as well.

 

Everything that doesn't go into the portfolio goes into the trash. We also send grandparents school papers periodically.