A homeschool year runs more smoothly with two plans: a calendar that says when, and a curriculum pace that says how much. Add a simple daily record and you also have everything you might need for a portfolio, an evaluator, or a move to a state with stricter rules.
Total up your days and hours with the free Homeschool Hours Calculator.
Check what your state or country asks for
Homeschool rules vary enormously. Some places require nothing; others ask for a set number of days (often around 180), a number of hours, particular subjects, a portfolio or annual testing. Read your local law or a reputable homeschool association's summary before you design your records, so you record what matters and nothing more. This guide is general information, not legal advice.
Plan the calendar first
Start with the year's teaching weeks: a 36-week year with breaks for holidays, family trips and a lighter week every six or seven weeks is common. Write the breaks in first; plans that ignore them end up rushed in May.
Pace each curriculum
For every book or course, take the total lessons, subtract any already done, and divide by the weeks left. A math book with 150 lessons, started at lesson 1 in week 1 of a 34-week plan, needs about 4.4 lessons a week. If you're behind, you can see exactly how many extra lessons a week catch you up, or decide to finish over the summer. The free Lesson Pace Calculator does this per curriculum.
Keep a two-minute daily record
At the end of each day, write the date, the subject, roughly how long, and what was covered. It takes two minutes and gives you the attendance, the hours by subject and a narrative of the year. Field trips, co-op classes, library visits and real-life learning count in many places; note them too.
Collect work samples as you go
Keep two or three samples per subject: one from the start, middle and end of the year. Add the reading list and photos of projects. A portfolio built through the year is easy; one assembled in June from memory is not.
Review every six weeks
Every six weeks, look at the pace of each curriculum and the hours by subject. If one subject is quietly squeezed out, adjust the weekly plan. The Homeschool Progress & Hours Tracker keeps the daily log, pacing and year record; the Printable Homeschool Weekly Planner is the paper version for the kitchen table.