Educational records, which include lesson plans, journals, semi-annual progress reports, portfolios, standardized test results, transcripts, and any other record that documents the student’s academic achievements, are to be maintained by the parent/teacher.
This means that if your student returns to the public/private school system, as the parent/teacher, you are responsible for providing the receiving school a complete set of records for all subjects, test results if a placement test is requested, and an attendance report.
This also means, when your child applies for a scholarship, enters the college admissions process, or submits an application to enter the military, as the parent/teacher, you are responsible for providing these organizations a complete set of records for all subjects, test results if a placement test is requested, and an attendance report.
Documentation to be completed and turned in for accountability will depend on which option you choose to home school under. However, regardless of which option you choose, you will be required to maintain educational records consistently throughout the years of home schooling.
There are no set guidelines in place, by law, which we have come upon, indicating the amount of time one must keep educational records. We suggest keeping all records until the child has successfully graduated high school. Not only can these records serve as educational records to help the student follow his/her progress throughout their education, they can also be a stroll down memory lane for whenever the family gets together.
Obtaining a copy of your student's educational records from a public/private school: When a decision has been made to home school and you desire a copy of your student's records you may go to the school your student is transferring out of to obtain the latest copy of their records.
When should you obtain a copy of your child's records? As concerned parent’s, we should have the right to request a copy of our children’s educational records, without any questions asked, whether we are home schooling or not. The fact is parents may find resistance in this area because public schools consider educational records confidential.
As a home school we have the right and the professional capacity to obtain a copy of our student’s educational records.
If your student is in their high school years and there is a transcript that needs to be considered, the parent/teacher will need to obtain a copy of their student’s records. As a home school you have accepted responsibility of maintaining their transcript.
If your student has not reached their high school years, it is not necessary that you to obtain a copy of your student's records. Some families request a copy of their student's records to see a history of their work in order to determine the areas their student may not be doing so well.
Should the parent decide their student will return to a public/private school setting, they will be responsible for providing the public/private school administration with a copy of their student's home school records.
The public/private school administration that your student returns to will need to request a copy of records prior to your home school records by contacting the last public/private school that your student attended.
Educational records shall be maintained by the parent/teacher and include: A plan book, diary, or other record indicating subjects taught and activities in which the student and parent/teacher engaged; PIE suggests that a daily lesson planner, diary or journal be kept on each student that includes a list or description of lessons/activities for each subject taught daily. Be sure to include field trips, sports activities, music, volunteer programs, and any extra curricula activities, such as 4-H.