One component of a portfolio is a log. Let’s look at the language of the provision with only the part related to a log in bold:
“The portfolio shall consist of a log, made contemporaneously with the instruction, which designates by title the reading materials used, samples of any writings, worksheets, workbooks or creative materials used or developed by the student”- 24 P.S. 1327.1(e)(1).
There’s some debate about the proper form of the log and the degree of detail required especially as it relates to time. According to the clear language, the log is a list of books or other reading material that the student used.
The interpretation of “contemporaneous”, however, is debatable. While the definition of “contemporaneous” is clear (“occurring during the same period of time”), the question is when (within the 180 day school year) the list of materials must be recorded…hourly, daily, weekly or can it be generated at the end of the school year?
Opinions vary and supervisors choose different methods. It’s acceptable to jot down titles on a calendar but it isn’t required.
The Pennsylvania Department of Education (PDE) maintains that a list of materials must be accompanied by the corresponding dates in which they were used to prove that the 180 days or 900/990 hours has been met. The Home School Legal Defense Association (HSLDA) disagrees and suggests that numbering days (1-180) and recording materials used is sufficient. The HSLDA admits that less detailed logs have been accepted. Although either of these methods is acceptable if a supervisor prefers to record the log with time indicators, I maintain that the law doesn’t require more information than the title.
The 2014 amendments to the law makes this issue less worrisome since superintendents no longer review portfolios. Whatever method you choose to prepare a log should be acceptable to the evaluator, who will review the portfolio and certify that “an appropriate education has occurred”.
A simple list designating by title the materials satisfies the law and any evaluator should accept it.
The law does not expressly require that the portfolio contain any indication about the time of instruction but some argue that a dated log is the only way an evaluator can determine whether the legal time requirement for instruction has been met. I disagree.
First, the affidavit should have included a statement that “the home education program shall comply with the provisions of 24 P.S. §1327.1 and this affidavit is satisfactory evidence thereof.”
The samples of work will likely show progress. Although one sample page satisfies the law, I usually include a math page from the beginning of the year and one from the end of the year to demonstrate progress. This can be done for other subjects as well.
Similarly, many homeschooled students read dozens of titles throughout the year some of which contain hundreds of pages. This is also a reliable indication, along with the general statement in the affidavit that the program would comply with the provisions of the law, that the time requirement has been met.
Some homeschoolers prepare a very general schedule for their own use which shows subjects that will be covered on each day of the week (this is not required). If so, it can also demonstrate to an evaluator along with the sample pages that the time requirement has been met.
I’m not suggesting that you include a schedule in the portfolio because it isn’t required, I’m suggesting that there are ways to prove that the instructional time requirement has been met other than a detailed log. The truth is, regardless of whether they’re recorded, most homeschoolers complete many more days and hours of instruction than are required by law and most aren’t “recorded”.
I advocate a method that works for you and your family. If it suits you to keep a highly detailed calendar, it’s acceptable to include that in the child’s portfolio but please remember that it is not necessary or required by law.
While it’s great for you or the student to get into the habit of recording resources at the end of the day when new titles are introduced, sometimes it’s not practical and doing so as soon as is practical satisfies the law.