For over the past thirteen or fourteen years, I’ve helped families evaluate portfolios. Some states require a licensed teacher to evaluate home-school portfolios even when they are enrolled in an online school. Virginia and West Virginia. HEAV offers this Evaluation Letter as a guide. This Academic Assessment Report must be submitted to the local public school administration in West Virginia.
Here is what I do. First I meet with the families, usually in their home. I ask the family to pull out their textbooks and syllabi. Each family approaches school differently. Most of the first interview is about understanding how the family home-schools. Do they use a program? Are they enrolled in an online school? Do they use a curriculum? I worked with one family who devised their own curriculum successfully. What is the school day? What would the family like to show me? Often the children like to guide me on a tour of their school space. Sometimes, the kids share interesting projects.
The first interview usually takes two or three hours. I want the family to tell me as much as possible about their home-school approach. One family created an annual theme. There was an extensive timeline of music bordering the school room. Other families stick to a strict daily routine and never deviate from planned lessons and the syllabus ordered from an online program.
Here is what I need to see if the child has made adequate progress: work samples, photos, time-lines, projects, models, dioramas, LEGO creations, and lists. I like reading logs with the titles of books read—ideally prepared by the kids. Did the family assign book reports? Are there hand-writing samples? What about tests or other assessments, such as a completed lapbook were performed?
One family creates a digital portfolio similar to this one, Paul’s grade report. The mom copies the curriculum guide and scans samples, tests, essays, etc, for each child. (The family has eleven children.) The same mom sends along photos of everything the family does during the year: fieldtrips, service work, scouting events, and family celebrations. Many families overlook the educational value of a trip to the Air and Space Museum. I’ve helped this family for over ten years. The mom just sends we digital copies of everyone’s work for me to write letters.
My job is to write a brief letter stating that I have evaluated the student’s work to ensure adequate progress. Guess what? Adequate progress looks different for every child. High school teens may pursue Civil Air Patrol or train through the local Rescue Squad. Sometimes families don’t think about this as part of the teen’s education. The training modules are quite similar to those taught in ROTC classes in public schools. Did the child take a Dave Ramsay program? Is she studying music? Yes, core subjects such as math, English, history, and science are key. But, the Co-op sports club is part of the child’s education.
Below is a generic evaluation letter. Usually, I tailor the letter to each child’s completed work: the number of books read and details from an essay or book report. The letter for the public school system is invariably formal. I usually make suggestions to the family. Sometimes, I have a few recommendations, as well. Those comments are separate from the letter. The letter is a formality. Is the child making progress or not? My job is to encourage families who take on the heroic job of home-schooling their children, not berate them. Find an evaluator who will support you!
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