Family and learning
You are teaching at home and cannot account for the year.
“It is March and I could not tell you what we covered in October, or whether the fractions ever stuck. If somebody asked me to account for this year I would be guessing.”
17 guides · 89 minutes of reading
Homeschooling comes with paperwork that is easy to postpone and hard to rebuild later. These guides cover the rules that apply where you live, a record system you will actually keep, attendance and weekly rhythm, and how to check that something was learned. The three start here guides are the place to begin. Rules vary by state, so confirm yours locally.
Start here
Starting out and the rules
Start here for what to file in the first month and where to find your state's requirements.
How to start homeschooling: what to do in the first monthThe order to follow: find your state's rules, withdraw and request records if your child is enrolled, file what's due, and start recording.5 min read
Homeschool requirements by state: what records to keepOur plain summary of what all 50 states and DC ask homeschoolers to keep, from nothing filed to a portfolio, plus how to confirm yours at the source.8 min read
Homeschool notice of intent: what it is, how to find yoursSometimes called a declaration or affidavit. What a notice usually asks for, two real states as examples, and five steps to find your own.5 min read
A record system you will keep
Simple layouts for records, a reading log and several children, plus how to catch up.
A simple homeschool record keeping system you will keepThree things every time, the date, the subject and where you are, and one word on how it went, written right after the lesson, not from memory.5 min read
Homeschool record keeping template: three columns to copyThree columns for every entry, date, subject and where you are, how it went, plus a fourth for when it is worth it. Copy it as it is.5 min read
Homeschool record keeping for multiple childrenTwo children, three subjects each, one shared afternoon. File everything by child, log shared lessons once per child, and keep each record apart.5 min read
Homeschool reading log: three columns, quit books includedWhat goes in each column, why a book your child stopped still belongs on the list, and how the log fits into a portfolio or review.4 min read
How to catch up on homeschool records you did not keepKept nothing since October? What you can rebuild from workbooks, photos, receipts and library history, and how to mark it as reconstructed.5 min read
How long to keep homeschool records, and what to throw awayWhich papers to keep, what to photograph, and what to recycle. HSLDA's rule of thumb, what to keep forever, and Florida's two-year portfolio law.5 min read
Attendance and the weekly rhythm
Counting days and hours, and a week with room in it for the ones that go wrong.
Do you have to count homeschool days or hours?Some states count homeschool days or hours and many do not. How to find your own state's number, with one real state's rule as an example.5 min read
Homeschool attendance records: what counts as a school dayWhat counts as a homeschool day, the lightest three-part record, and which attendance habits are pointless. Check your state's rule at the source.5 min read
Four-day homeschool week: how many days each subject getsWhich subjects get four days and which fewer, why a spare day helps a plan hold, and what to record when the fifth day stays empty.5 min read
Homeschool weekly schedule with a spare day built inPlan four days and leave one empty on purpose, write your short-day list ahead, and put the hard subject first. Includes fill-in lines.6 min read
Checking what was learned
Ways to test understanding at home, and what to gather for a portfolio or evaluation.
How to tell if your homeschooler actually learned itCovered is not learned. Ask four questions a week or more later, write the answers down, and know when a result is not enough to say.5 min read
Homeschool subject not working? What to change firstWhen a homeschool subject stalls, change the time first, then the amount, then go back one step. Only then think about new material. Cheapest fix first.5 min read
What to include in a homeschool portfolio, by subjectThe five core contents, what to keep per subject, and why October and March samples say more than a highlight reel. Check your state's rules.6 min read
Homeschool evaluation: what to bring and how to prepareWhat an evaluator looks for, a six-item folder list, and how to get ready in one evening. Ask your own evaluator or state what it requires.5 min read