Free Printable Homeschool Attendance Sheet

Keeping homeschool attendance records is important, even if it is not required by your state. And the good news is, it can be simple with the right resources. Here is the free printable homeschool attendance sheet that I use in my own homeschool. I’ll also share everything you need to know about keeping good homeschool attendance records for yourself.

How Do Homeschoolers Keep Attendance Records?

Most homeschoolers keep attendance records by marking the days that they choose to homeschool on a calendar. You can also record the number of hours of school completed each day. It is important to check with your state to see what kind of attendance records are required.

You can get your own free printable homeschool attendance sheet by clicking on the button below!

Homeschool families should keep copies of their attendance sheets for each child with their important paperwork. In some states, this is a legal requirement. Regardless of whether or not it is required for you, it is helpful to have paperwork on hand in case of a legal question or issue in the future.

Making Your Homeschool Attendance Sheet Easy

The great news about homeschool records is that your homeschool attendance sheet does not have to be fancy. Some states have specific reporting requirements, but many states will allow you to keep track of attendance any way that you would like. A simple calendar, like the free printable homeschool attendance sheet you can download below, is an easy way to keep track of attendance.

It is important that the method that you choose is easy to use and easy to update. Keeping track of your child’s attendance should not be a chore. If your method is quick and easy to use, you will be more likely to stay on top of using it. This will help you to keep more accurate records.

Tracking Your Homeschool Progress

Homeschooling is tricky because sometimes, it’s hard to see progress. Our kids might not be understanding concepts as fast as we would like. Or maybe progress is very slow and it’s hard to notice changes from day to day.

A homeschool attendance sheet can be a fantastic way for parents to track their kids’ homeschool progress. Looking at your attendance sheet will show that you have been diligent in homeschooling your kids regularly. And, unlike whether or not your kids understand what they are learning, this is something that you have complete control over.

What Records Do I Need to Keep for Homeschooling?

The specific records that you need to keep for homeschooling vary depending on your state’s homeschool laws. Some states require that attendance records, grades, curriculum reports, and even standardized test scores be filed with the state. Other states have no recordkeeping requirements.

To find the specific requirements for your state, you can check with the HSLDA.

Why Keep Homeschool Records?

There are several important reasons why all homeschool families should consider keeping detailed records, including a homeschool attendance sheet.

1. It may be required.

In some states, record keeping is required in order to homeschool your child legally. It is very important to understand your state’s specific laws so you can make sure that you are homeschooling legally before you begin.

Record keeping is also helpful to make sure that you are meeting any requirements your state has for the total number of days or hours of homeschooling per school year.

2. It may prevent future problems.

If there is ever a question in the future about what you have been doing with your children, it can be helpful to have a paper trail of records to fall back on. A homeschool attendance sheet can be a great way to prove that you have been homeschooling your children to anyone who might be asking.

3. You might need to know later.

It is often helpful to have records of what your kids have been doing in homeschool. This is especially true for high school students who may be completing scholarship applications, applying for colleges, or complying with athletic requirements to join teams. It is also helpful to have a homeschool attendance sheet when completing a high school transcript for your child. This is a great way to prove that your child has completed the requried number of days or hours of study to earn high school credit in a subject!

4. It can help you qualify for special services.

Even if records are not required by your state, officials might still ask for them to determine if your child qualifies for special needs services, for example.

5. You might need them for another school.

If you decide to transfer your child to a traditional school in the future, a homeschool attendance sheet and other detailed records can help the school place your child in the correct grade. Having good detailed records will help you to be taken more seriously as a homeschool parent.

How Many Hours a Day Should I Homeschool My Child?

The number of hours per day that you homeschool will depend on your child’s age and your state’s requirements. The time can range from 30-45 minutes per day for preschool up to 4 hours or more per day for middle and high school students.

Most families find that a homeschool day is much shorter than a traditional school day for the same grade. You can read more about why that is the case in this post about our homeschool schedule for kindergarten.

The number of days per week that you homeschool will also depend on your family’s schedule. Some families choose to homeschool 5 days per week using a traditional school year calendar. Others may choose to homeschool 4 days per week, but do some homeschooling over the summer.

This is another great reason to keep track of your child’s attendance on a homeschool attendance sheet. If you are using a non-traditional calendar, you can make sure that you still have enough school days in your school year.

How to Use the Homeschool Attendance Sheet

The homeschool attendance sheet I created is very easy for homeschool families to use! Here are some tips to help you get the most out of your homeschool attendance sheet.

Print the template

I print a new copy of the homeschool attendance sheet for each school year. I keep my attendance sheets in my planner, but you could also keep them in your child’s homeschool portfolio. The key is to make sure the sheets are accessible and easy to update.

Because I use a classic happy planner, I scale my attendance sheets down when printing to make them fit in the planner. I have found that printing at 82% makes the perfect sized sheet for my planner. You can experiment with changing the size of the attendance sheet to make it fit in a notebook or planner that you choose as well.

Record your child’s attendance

To use the homeschool attendance sheet, I simply mark an X in the box on each day that we complete homeschool lessons. I try to keep up with this because it’s easier to remember which days we did homeschool when I update the chart frequently. Because it is quick and easy to do, I am more likely to actually update the chart- which is the key to success!

Enlist some help

For families with older children, completing a homeschool attendance sheet can be a good responsibility for kids to help with. You might consider purchasing a large wall chart and having your kids put a sticker on the chart for each day that they finish homeschool. Or, your older kids could fill out their own copies of the printable chart. Either way, it is important to check up on kids periodically to make sure that they are keeping accurate records.

Calculate the total

At the end of each month, the chart has a space to record the total number of homeschool days for that month. At the end of the month, I add up the total number of days for that month and record the number in the box.

These numbers help me see if we are on track to complete our homeschool year on time. Sometimes, it’s nice to see that we have been doing well with homeschooling and it’s ok to take a break for a day or two. Other times I see that we need to get back on track with being more consistent in our homeschool.

Using the Homeschool Attendance Sheet for Multiple Children

If you are homeschooling more than one child, you have several options. One option is to print multiple copies of the sheet, one for each child. This can be helpful if kids get sick and take a day off from homeschooling while their siblings are still working. Also, a copy of the sheet can go in each child’s homeschool portfolio.

Another option is to use symbols to keep track of multiple children on the same page. You might use an X for the days when everyone does homeschool, but list specific initials for days when only some children do. Or you might assign each child a color and put a dot on the date in each color to show your individual children’s attendance.

How to Use the Homeschool Attendance Sheet to Track Hours

Some states require homeschoolers to keep track of how many hours per day they homeschool. Others may require families to keep track of the total number of hours spent homeschooling per year. This kind of tracking is also easy to do using the homeschool attendance sheet.

Instead of marking homeschool days with an X, simply record the number of hours that were spent homeschooling that day. In the total column, add together the total number of hours spent homeschooling for the month.

This tactic is especially helpful if you have a day where you spend a little bit of time on homeschool, but not enough to count as a whole school day. You can record the amount of time you spent, and add it together with time spent on another day to count as one whole day.

How to Organize Your Homeschool Records

It is helpful to have a designated storage place for all of your homeschool records, including your attendance sheets. A special file folder or box for each child is a great idea. You might also choose to create a binder for each child to use as a homeschool portfolio. You could include samples of assignments, any grades and test scores, awards received, and a copy of their homeschool attendance sheet. This will create an important record for future reference, and a special keepsake for your child.

Download the Free Printable Homeschool Attendance Sheet

You can download your own copy of the free printable homeschool attendance sheet by clicking on the button below!

Looking for more help planning for your homeschool? You can get a free printable homeschool lesson planner here!