Under the Third Option homeschool law, homeschoolers are required to make semi-annual progress reports. These reports are typically made at 90 days and 180 days. The law is not specific about how to make these reports, so homeschoolers have a lot of flexibility.
Many families choose to structure their progress reports similar to a public school. They will list the subjects taken and the grades earned. (If you do not use letter grades in your homeschool, you could also put "working satisfactorily" or "at grade level" rather than a numerical grade.) A report structured this way will be useful if you choose to enroll your child in a public/private school because the progress report will be written in a format that is similar to the school's reports, and the school will expect records from your school year.
Other families choose to make their reports more like a journal and reflect on all that their children have learned. These families might share the milestones throughout the year and their goals for the rest of the school year. These families end up making a meaningful keepsake that represents their homeschool journey.
Because everyone is different, I am thankful that SC did not structure the law with a specific requirement for the semi-annual progress reports. This allows each family to make a report that fits their homeschool style.
Please note that for TSCHAA members, record keeping is left up to the parents as stated in the Third Option law. You do not need to send your progress reports to TSCHAA. On your End of Year form due at 180 days, you will sign off that you completed your semi-annual progress reports and have them in your records. However, many associations do require that members turn in their progress reports, so please make sure you know your association's requirements.
TSCHAA provides printable record keeping sheets at the bottom of the Applications/Forms page of the TSCHAA website. Feel free to print one and use it for your homeschool records.
Whatever format you decide to use, please make sure that you create your progress report because it is a requirement for a Third Option homeschool.
Happy Homeschooling!
Lara T Caldwell, TSCHAA Director
