The end of another homeschool year is coming quickly! It’s sometimes hard to believe you’re at the end of the year. But whether this year dragged on forever or flew by, the end of another homeschool year is here. If you’re a seasoned homeschooler you may have a pretty good idea of what you need to do to close out your homeschool. But; if you’re new to homeschooling you may have no idea what to do beyond finishing the textbook. That’s where this End of Homeschool Year Checklist comes in. It’s great for seasoned homeschoolers, beginners, and everyone in between.
There are a few steps to remember when closing out your homeschool year and that’s why I made these handy checklists. After years of homeschooling, I wanted to make sure that I didn’t forget to do anything. Luckily in the state of NC, what we’re required to submit is pretty easy, especially if you’ve kept good records throughout the year. But having a checklist is a great way to make double sure that you don’t miss a step.
I made two different types of checklists in two different colors to choose from, pink and yellow. The checklists were great together or separately. The first one pictured below is a general overview of what you need to do to close out your school for the year. This one is great if you just want a quick reminder of what you need to do.
The second option is the same steps just broken down into more detailed tasks. You could use either or both. This one is perfect if you want something a little more detailed or you love to check off tasks as you go.
The main thing to remember is that you need to keep really good records. It makes it easier for applying to college. And if you ever have to enroll in public or private school good records are a must. What each state requires may vary slightly, which is why I made the End of Homeschool Year Checklist to be very generic. Feel free to add your own steps in the notes section or let me know and I’ll add them.
Tips for Closing Out Your Homeschool Year
Step 1
Plan when you want to close out your homeschool for the year. Try to get a babysitter if needed or hopefully choose a day where you won’t have many distractions. Have a drink and a snack on hand. I always seemed to have a bag of Doritos. I’m not sure why, maybe it was the crunch. but having a snack kept me from having to get up and down so much. I also would sometimes light a candle, turn on some music and close the door to our classroom.
Step 2
Get everything you need together wherever you will be doing this. This keeps you from having to stop constantly looking for things you need. You’ll want all the paperwork, textbooks, answer keys, sticky notes, etc. Have your laptop ready, your planner, or your grade book ready to go. Even if you grade papers and enter them throughout the year, this gives you a chance to double-check and make sure you didn’t miss anything.
Step 3
Now it’s time to grade papers, record projects, or do anything else that will show what schoolwork they accomplished. Check with your state’s requirements regarding grading and record keeping. Also, make sure to record attendance and any required testing.
Step 4
As you go through your school year make notes of anything you want to remember for next year. Are there any changes that need to be made? Do you want to try a different curriculum? Maybe there was something you did this year that you want to expand on for next year? Maybe a note to your student on their work.
Step 5
The last thing you want to do is make sure everything is recorded, save it, and back it up. Trust me! Back it up if it’s on your computer. I have lost entire school years because of unexpected crashes and I thought I had backed everything up. But I found out that it wasn’t and I had to reenter several years’ worth of records. Not fun at all! Then you need to send what your state requires. Next, print out report cards, purge or put all the schoolwork in storage. And lastly, clean the classroom and you’re done. Time to relax because another homeschool year is in the books!
Be sure to check out all my homeschool blog posts here.
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