Homeschool Recordkeeping Made Easy

Record-keeping is an important part of homeschooling. Even if your state doesn’t require it, it’s important to have some record of your learning experiences. However, keeping track of what your kids accomplish can seem cumbersome and tedious. That’s why setting up some homeschool recordkeeping rituals is so important.

Having a system in place for your homeschool recordkeeping will make keeping up easier. It will also reduce clutter and anxiety at the end of the year. Instead of freaking out and scrambling to get everything together when your homeschool assessment is due, you’ll have everything prepped ahead of time. And if your kids do end up enrolling in school, you’ll have an organized record of their home education.

Here are some recordkeeping rituals to simplify your year.

Homeschool Recordkeeping Rituals for Each Day

End-of-year records are actually best built day-by-day. Investing just a few minutes each day will keep your recordkeeping running smoothly. Complete the following tasks each day to keep your homeschool on track. Investing just a few minutes each day and completing the following daily tasks will save you hours in the long run.

Update attendance record
Grade tests or projects that require a grade
Record grades in grade book or binder
Place items to use in future portfolios into each child’s folder
Log hours, for states that require it
Double-check what was completed and see if you need to adjust lesson plans for the following day tomorrow

End of Marking Period Tasks

Record keeping is vital at the end of each marking period. Staying organized and having up to date records will keep your homeschool running smoothly. These end of marking period tasks also help you evaluate how each student is doing. This will give you the information you need to adjust lesson plans, add supplemental work, or change what you are doing.

Calculate the average of the grades you’ve recorded. (If you use Homeschool Planet, this is automatically done for you)
Choose papers and projects to be included in the portfolio, recycle what is left
Update field trip, read aloud, and other running lists
Add any awards or certificates to portfolios
Adjust plans for the next marking period if you are ahead or behind your original plan

Yearly Routines for Homeschool Organization

By the end of the year, you may want to just close the schoolroom door and forget about homeschooling for a while. If you have kept up with your rituals throughout the year, pulling together your end-of-year reports should be easy. These quick rituals will help you close out the past year, and get ready for the next easily.

Finalize portfolios
Store portfolios in a safe place
Ensure that all record sheets are in your homeschool binder
Make note of supplies or books that need to be replaced (especially consumables)
Submit any required records to the proper authorities
Add final grades to high school transcripts
Issue report cards, if needed

Now that you have record keeping rituals in place, you can take a deep breath. You won’t be spending hours or days at the end of the year trying to catch up. Instead, you can close your record book, place it on a shelf, and go enjoy summer with your family.

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