Many families are coming upon their annual evaluation dates. If you are a seasoned homeschooler, you already know that these are a piece of cake. If you are a first year homeschooler and evaluations are causing you a little unrest, have no fear. I am here to iron out your worries.
Here's the breakdown: The state of Florida requires homeschoolers to "prove" they are giving their child(ren) a quality education through one of five ways:
A certified teacher determines if the child is being taught "at a level commensurate with his/her ability" through a portfolio and a discussion with the student.
The student takes a nationally normed achievement test given by a certified teacher.
The student takes an achievement test approved by the school district at an approved location through that district.
The student is evaluated by an individual holding a valid license (i.e.- psychologist or psychiatrist).
The student is evaluated using a measuring tool agreed upon by the school superintendent of the student's school district (this could include something like transcripts from dual enrollment classes).
Obviously, it is up to the parents to determine which route works best for their family. I will say, however, that an overwhelming number of parents opt for the portfolio evaluation. Why? A portfolio evaluation is quicker, easier, and frequently cheaper. Not to mention, only one certified teacher is viewing the progress made instead of multiple people in the school district.
So, if you decide to complete a portfolio evaluation, what does that fancy lingo (commensurate with ability) in the middle mean? It means that the child is learning something throughout the year at whatever level s/he may be learning at. Do you have a child in 5th grade but reading at a 2nd grade level? If you can show growth throughout the school year, that's all the teacher needs to see. Do you have a 4th grader learning Algebra? This is an example of you teaching that 4th grader at the level they can achieve. Grade levels are just a title, for lack of a better word. Funny enough, it is very rare for me to evaluate children who are learning from curriculums that are exactly on their grade levels. Some counties in Florida do not even ask for a grade level. The teacher simply signs off on the school year.
Portfolio evaluations may seem intimidating at first, but once you have jumped through the hoops, it’s a walk in the park every year after that. Please do not hesitate to reach out if you have any questions.
What do you need for a portfolio? Click below for downloadable pdfs for completing an email or video portfolio evaluation.
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