Homeschool portfolio examples: what a Pennsylvania evaluator sees
Pennsylvania spells out its portfolio rule in detail, so it makes a good model even if you live somewhere else.
A Pennsylvania homeschool portfolio holds a log made at the time of teaching that lists reading materials by title, samples of writing, worksheets, workbooks or creative work, and test results in grades 3, 5 and 8, according to section 1327.1 of the Public School Code. A yearly evaluator interviews the child, reviews it and certifies to the superintendent by June 30 whether an appropriate education is occurring.
Checked October 27, 2026.
This is a plain-words summary, not legal advice. Laws change: check your state's current law and its education department before you act.
What does the law say goes in the portfolio?
Pennsylvania's home education statute lists three things for each child, and Peabody's Pennsylvania page quotes them with the record checked on October 27, 2026:
- A log, made at the time of the teaching, that names the reading materials used by title.
- Samples of writings, worksheets, workbooks or creative materials the child used or made.
- In grades 3, 5 and 8, results of a nationally normed achievement test in reading or language arts and math, or the statewide tests. The parent may not give the test.
Who looks at it, and what do they write?
An evaluator does, not the school district. The law lets a certified teacher, a licensed psychologist, or a qualified nonpublic school teacher or administrator do it. The evaluator interviews the child, reviews the portfolio and writes whether an appropriate education is occurring.
Only the evaluator's certification goes to the superintendent, by June 30. The portfolio itself stays with you.
What does an example portfolio look like?
An invented example for a fourth grader, in one simple layout: one section per subject, three dated samples each (start, middle and end of the year), and the log in front.
| Section | What is in it | Dated |
|---|---|---|
| Log | A page a week: subjects taught and the books read, by title | Each week |
| English | A first-draft story, a revised paragraph, a spelling list | Sept, Jan, May |
| Arithmetic | A place-value worksheet, a fractions quiz, a word-problem page | Sept, Jan, May |
| Science | A plant-growth journal page with drawings | Oct, Mar |
| History and geography | A Pennsylvania map the child labeled, a short timeline | Nov, Apr |
| Art, music, physical education, health, safety | A photo of a painting, a recital program, a fire-drill plan | Any time |
Which subjects must it show?
At the elementary level the statute lists English (spelling, reading, writing), arithmetic, science, geography, history of the United States and Pennsylvania, civics, safety education including fire prevention, health and physiology, physical education, music and art. The secondary list adds algebra and geometry, literature, speech and composition. A sample per subject is the simplest way to show each was offered.
How many days or hours does it need to cover?
The law asks for 180 days of instruction, or 900 hours a year at the elementary level and 990 at the secondary level. You may count either. The log is where the count lives, so the attendance record or the Tap Clock can be the log's backbone.
What if I live in another state?
Many states ask for no portfolio at all. Florida asks for one with a two-year keep rule (see the Florida portfolio post). The What-to-file table lists each state's "keep" line with its source.
Build it in the Record Book
Peabody's portfolio builder saves each work sample with its date, subject, title, a note and up to 12 photos or files. Photos are shrunk and saved again on your computer, which also strips the location and camera details a phone adds; nothing is uploaded. It prints oldest first or by subject.
The evaluation pack then prints one packet for the evaluator from what the other tools hold: attendance, hours, reading list, report card, progress reports and the samples you tick. Nothing is typed twice.
Sources
- Pennsylvania Public School Code, section 1327.1 Home Education Program (General Assembly) (checked October 27, 2026)
- Pennsylvania Public School Code, section 1326 Definitions (General Assembly) (checked October 27, 2026)
- Department of Education: Home Education and Private Tutoring (checked October 27, 2026)
- Department of Education: Home Education and Private Tutoring Guide, May 2026 (checked October 27, 2026)
- Department of Education: Opportunity Scholarship Tax Credit Program (checked October 27, 2026)