What Do You Need for a Florida Homeschool Portfolio Evaluation?

If you are homeschooling in Florida, you already know the annual evaluation is required. What most families are not sure about is exactly what needs to go into that portfolio — and what a certified teacher actually needs to see to sign off on your child’s year.

As a Florida DOE certified teacher with an M.Ed. in Reading and a Step Up For Students approved provider, I have reviewed hundreds of Florida homeschool portfolios. In this guide I am going to tell you exactly what Florida law requires, what I look for when I review a portfolio, and how you can submit yours completely online — no appointment, no Zoom, no driving anywhere.

What Florida Homeschool Portfolio Evaluation Documents Are Required?

Florida law does not give a detailed list of exactly what must be in every portfolio. Instead it requires that the portfolio demonstrate your child’s educational progress. Based on my experience reviewing portfolios and the guidance from the Florida Senate statute, here is what I recommend every portfolio includes:

1. Reading and Writing Work Samples

Include 3 to 5 samples that show your child engaged with reading and writing during the school year. These do not need to be perfect. They need to show that reading and writing instruction happened and that your child made an attempt. Good examples include:

• Written responses to books or reading passages
• Essays, stories, or creative writing pieces
• Book reports or reading logs with written responses
• Comprehension worksheets or activities
• Handwriting practice samples (younger students)

If possible include samples from different points in the year — beginning, middle, and end — to show growth. But if you only have recent samples that is perfectly fine.

2. Math Work Samples

Include 3 to 5 samples of math work. These can be:

• Completed worksheets or workbook pages
• Math tests or quizzes (scored or unscored)
• Screenshots from an online math program
• Math projects or applied math work
• Photos of hands-on math activities (younger grades)

3. Two Additional Subject Samples

Choose any two other subjects your child studied and include at least one sample from each. Florida law does not specify which subjects — any two work. Common choices include science, history, geography, art, music, health, foreign language, or any other subject that was part of your child’s school year.

4. A Reading List

A simple list of the books your child read during the year. This does not need to be formal. A typed list, a handwritten list, a photo of your bookshelf, or even a list you type directly into my submission form all work. Include picture books, chapter books, audiobooks, graphic novels, or any other reading your child did. Five or six titles is perfectly acceptable — especially for younger students.

5. An Activity Log

A record showing what subjects your child covered throughout the year. This is the piece that trips up the most families — but it does not need to be complicated. I have accepted all of the following:

• A simple typed document: “September: reading, math, science. October: reading, math, history.”
• A weekly planner with subject notes
• A monthly calendar with subjects marked
• A curriculum tracker showing lessons completed
• Screenshots from an online school platform
• A Google Calendar showing your school days

The goal is simply to show that school happened across the year and that multiple subjects were covered. Daily logs are not required. Weekly or monthly summaries are completely sufficient.

The Student Discussion Requirement — What It Actually Means

Florida law requires that the portfolio evaluation happen “upon review of the portfolio and discussion with the student.” This is the part that confuses most families — and the part that makes some evaluators insist on a Zoom call or in-person meeting.

At ClearPath Homeschool Testing, the student discussion happens asynchronously through our online submission form. Your child answers three simple questions in writing, and I review and respond to their answers as part of the evaluation. This fully satisfies the discussion requirement under Florida law — no live call needed.

The three questions your child will answer are:

1. What was your favorite thing you learned this year? Why did you like it?
2. Tell me about a book you really enjoyed this year. What made it special?
3. What is something new you can do now that you could not do at the beginning of the year?

Younger students can dictate their answers to a parent. Non-verbal students may respond through pictures, drawings, or parent-described responses. Two to three sentences per question is completely sufficient.

What Counts as Acceptable Work Samples?

Almost anything your child produced during the year counts as a work sample. I accept photos, PDFs, Word documents, Excel files, and images in JPG or PNG format. You can photograph workbook pages, scan printed work, take screenshots from online programs, or upload digital files directly.

Here is a quick reference for what counts in each category:

Florida Homeschool Portfolio Evaluation vs. Standardized Testing — Which Should You Choose?

Under Florida Statute 1002.41, you have several options for your child’s annual evaluation. Here is how the portfolio option compares to standardized testing:

Common Mistakes Florida Homeschool Families Make With Portfolios

After reviewing hundreds of portfolios, here are the mistakes I see most often — and how to avoid them:

How to Submit Your Florida Homeschool Portfolio Evaluation Online

At ClearPath Homeschool Testing the entire Florida homeschool portfolio evaluation process happens online through a single form. Here is exactly how it works:

• Upload 3-5 reading and writing work samples
• Upload 3-5 math work samples
• Upload samples from 2 additional subjects
• Type or upload your reading list
• Upload or describe your activity log
• Have your child answer 3 short questions in the form
• Submit — and receive your official signed evaluation letter within 48 hours

No appointment. No Zoom meeting. No driving anywhere. The entire submission takes about 15 to 20 minutes. Your official signed evaluation letter arrives within 48 hours and is ready to file with your county school district.

Step Up For Students scholarship families — including FES-UA, FES-EO, FTC, and PEP — can use their scholarship funds for the portfolio evaluation. Reserve through the EMA Marketplace before submitting.

Frequently Asked Questions About Florida Homeschool Portfolio Evaluations