High School Portfolio Evaluations

  In another life I taught in both private schools, public schools, and adjuncted at a local college.  Additionally, I did some educational consulting with the AP Board.  I have evaluated portfolios for over ten years.  What do I look for in high school portfolios? Does this seem exhaustive?  I hope so.  I try hard to fairly evaluate families and the work they do home-schooling.  Here goes.

Science: Did the family use a textbook?  Did they complete at least 2/3 of the textbook?  Did the family assign tests?  What does the family do in lieu of tests?   Every family addresses tests differently: some do every test from the publisher.  Other families do not test at all.  Advise the families to administer four to six tests annually.  Research projects are fine as alternative assessments. Does the family do labs?  My advice is to do at least one lab or experiment for each chapter or module.  Encourage the family to set a goal of twelve labs minimum.  My own Co-op, science classes do four formal lab reports; additionally, we collect and analyze data in a spreadsheet for other labs.  Sometimes the kids build models as part of a lab. My Co-op has regular lab assessments—but only four, formal lab reports.  Has the family considered participating in a science fair?  Do they do big projects?  

English: High school English courses include Composition, American Literature, English Literature, and World Literature. Ideally, students complete four courses.  Literature courses assign both paragraphs, letters, and essays.  Some programs require a research project or literary analysis.  The number of books assigned varies enormously.  A minimum of four books is fine, especially if the class includes a number of short stories, poems, and fables. Four essays are also reasonable minimums for literature courses.   Does the course have a syllabus?  Did the family complete 2/3 of the syllabus?  I use Stobaugh for literature classes I teach because I like the reading lists.  However, I used a syllabus from Kolbe with an individual teen I home-schooled.  The programs were very different.  Be sure to look at the syllabus as you evaluate the course.

History: High school History includes World History, American History, European History, Civics, and Government.   History courses vary as much as do different literature courses.  I used middle school, History textbooks in high school for two years, with the teen I home-schooled.  She was a reluctant reader and responded better to the middle school series.  I used the Catholic Textbook Project’s Light to the Nations I and II. Did the family complete at least 2/3 of the textbook?  How was material tested?  You will see a great deal of variety.  Does the History program have Geography?  Happily, most families use a textbook.  I think every teen should take Civics and Government. They should understand the Constitution, Bill of Rights, and how a bill becomes a law.  

Math: At the high school level, math includes Algebra I and II, Geometry, Precalculus, Statistics, and Calculus. Ideally, kids take four years of math.  Our Co-op offers a Consumer Math for teens who have completed Algebra I and Geometry.  (We have some kids who just can’t tackle Algebra II.) Because our Consumer Math class has so many practical topics, many families enroll their kids as an elective.  Again, did the family complete 2/3 of the textbook?  Do they test every chapter or module?  Is testing quarterly or by semester? Are there any cumulative tests?  My husband, Rob, teaches math for the Co-op.  He tests every chapter, but seldom assigns quizzes.  The kids do lessons, practice, finish the study guide, and test. I work off Rob’s model when I evaluate.  Most families test regularly in math.

Languages:  Many teens take a language: Latin, French, German, or Spanish.  Did the teen complete 2/3 of the course?  Was the program graded?  How often?  Was the focus on vocabulary or grammar?  I learned the hard way some online schools evaluate foreign language credit based on an independent assessment.  I looked over the assessment; it was entirely grammar!  I spent six frantic weeks scrambling to cram in enough grammar for three of the  students to earn enough points to get credit for French I.   In another case, a friend’s son has been working with me once a week for the last three years to learn Latin.  We are still working in Henle’s Latin I book.  Here, we are studying Latin; we may or may not finish two years by the time he completes high school.

Electives: I usually mention electives in my evaluations.  However, the local school board may disregard them.  Electives may or may not be graded.  If you add electives, be sure to include private art or music lessons, Driver’s Ed, First-Aid/ CPR certification, Dave Ramsay’s course, job shadowing, or Civil Air Patrol or Rescue Squad qualifications.  

Portfolio Evaluations

  Every year, I do a bunch of portfolio evaluations.  I just banged out a bunch.  I have permanent certification in West Virginia; my master’s degree allows me to evaluate portfolios in Virginia, despite the expiration of my Virginia certification.  I have a few tips for those of you doing portfolio evaluations.

1. Include your resume and certifications with the evaluation letter.  I attained National Board Certification  in Chemistry, too. All of my certificates and my resume goes in the packet (or attached digitally) to the local school boarde.  Why?  I want to ensure the bloated recognizes that I’m qualified to evaluate portfolios.

2.  First, consider the law.  In Virginia, the Home Educators Association in Virginia ( HEAV) have this guidance for Virginia evaluators.  The Christian Home Educators of West Virginia (CHEWV) have these guidelines.  The law varies by state.  Be sure to research your state’s rulings.  Check the deadlines, too!

3. What should be in the portfolio?  If this is your first year, arrange a meeting with the family.  Encourage the family to create a digital portfolio.  Review the curriculum.  I work with families enrolled in online school who use a defined curriculum.  Some families have created their own curriculum.  Be sure to look all of the textbooks, workbooks, and syllabi, if available.  Ask about a reading log.  I encourage every family to keep a reading log.  Next, look at work samples for every, core subject: Math, Science, Reading, Hand-writing, Spelling, Vocabulary, History, and Geography.  Some families may have Phonics, Composition, Latin, etc.  Request work samples.  Look over grades quizzes and tests.  Teaching Textbook and Rosetta Stone  provide grade summaries.  Make note of the averages.  Read any essays, too.  I try not to put too many details into the letter for the school board.  But these details are useful.

4. Write two letters: one for the school board and one for the family.  I like to make suggestions for the family.  I’m looking to see whether the family is teaching the core subjects: Math, English, History, and Science.  I want to learn if the family teaches for two-three hours (minimum) each day with a period set aside for daily reading.  Are there several work samples for each course?  Does science include labs?  Are there formal quizzes and tests?  Is the child working on grade level?  Does the family home-school from September until May?  If the family schools year-round, are they teaching around 30-32 weeks of the year?  Tailor suggestions to the family.  For example, an elementary aged student may not do any science; I recommend doing one weekly experiment of lab.  I also recommend Apologia Young Explorers and Apologia Science for Middle School and High School grades.

5.  Make a list of specific suggestions or challenges for the family.  Does the family take field trips?  Suggest local, free sites, such as the Marine Corps Museum or battlefield sites. I recommend summer, enrichment camps or seminars.  Do a multi-sport camp, join Mathnasium for two weeks, take part in a summer reading program at the library.  Encourage the family to report any extras in their portfolio.

6. What if the child has special needs?  All bets are off.  I’m working with several families who have children with special needs.  In one case, the child has a host of medical issues, too.  What is the family doing to help the child to continue to progress and develop?  Doe the child have therapies, such as speech, occupational therapy, vision therapy, physical therapy, music therapy?  What activities does the child do as a result?  Is she chalking outside to learn the motions to write?  Is she learning sign language to communicate?  The more profound the learning differences, the more important it is to understand what the family is doing to help their child grow.  In other cases, especially for elementary-aged students with learning differences, the family may spend most of their time working on math and reading.  History and Science take a back seat while they work on getting the child up to speed in reading.  I work with several families in that position.  I agree wholeheartedly that reading and math must take precedent over everything else.  I still recommend some History, Geography, and Science. Reading logs may include books read as a family and audio books—not just those books read independently.

7. Here is a generic portfolio review for a family.  Here is a basic letter.  My suggestions vary; each family’s situation is different.  I do recommend reading a book each week and writing a book report.  I read about this suggestion in Dr. Mary Kay Clark’s book, Catholic Homeschooling.  She explains that this is an insurance policy for a bad week.  I agree!  Are there any gaps?  Are high school, science classes lab based?  Does English include reading, grammar, spelling, vocabulary, phonics, and composition?  Be aware that by high school, kids may be taking harder courses, such as British Literature, which include reading several books and writing several essays.  I do look for four, formal lab reports for each science classes, as a minimum.  I think a literature class should include at least four novels and essays.  Only four as a minimum?  I just spent a school year dragging my composition class through four novels and essays.  All but one child has learning differences.  Let me tell you, it took a Herculean effort to just finish four books.  (Yes, we did a bunch of different writing exercises.) Hopefully, this will help you craft an evaluation.

What skills should a child know?

  I’m in the middle of portfolio season—evaluating portfolios for home-school families.  One aspect I’ve  had to consider long and hard is what does a child need to know, what skills, and at what age.  When I taught in private and public schools, I mainly taught Chemistry, with some Biology and Physical Science.  What do you use for standards?  Common Core? State Standards?  For the most part, at least in the sciences, teachers agree on the topics.  The topics, modules, or chapters are similar across different science textbooks.  But what about other subjects, like math?  Too often individuals drive change on a national level.  I’m not sure all the changes are good.   What should you do?  Let’s take a common sense approach.  I’ve been looking for skill based checklists.  I found a few.  Once you go down this rabbit hole, you’ll once again appreciate the value of a good, home-school curriculum.

1. Early Math Skills Check List looks good for early grades, kiddos 4-7, probably intended for kids 5-6. (We all know children develop at different rates.)  Here is an intermediate math skills check list, which looks appropriate for students 8-11, likely intended for kids 8-9. 

2. Scroll down to the Math paragraph here for skill-based, math checklists for K-5, based on Common Core Standards.  (I think the standards are fine; I’m not wild about how the standards have been implemented.) 

3. The American River Charter School’s “I Can” statements are checklists for core subjects: math, science, social studies, and language arts, for grades K-8. Take a look at these lists, which all seem reasonable.  

4. New York State has maintained high standards.  Look at this  English checklist, organized by a NY educator.

5. Home School Den has a History Checklist.  Believe me, Social Studies is a rat’s nest, which varies enormously by state. Although many districts focus on state history in fourth or fifth grades.   Often some sociology and geography is tossed into Social Studies.

 6.  National Geographic’s Geography Skills Handbook has a good outline for the overall scope of geography, based on National Geography Standards, based on teacher consensus.  (I recommend Evan-Moor’s Daily Geography Workbooks, which have a host of map skills.)

7. I’ve found Khan Academy to be reliable.