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📋 Compliance & Record Keeping

Do I need to give grades or assessments?

Claire

3 min read · The grovio Guide

I'm not a lawyer. Please verify with your state's official requirements.

I had strong feelings about this before I understood what was actually required.

I didn't want to grade my kids. It felt like it would change something between us, like I'd stop being their mom and become their evaluator.

It felt like it would change something between us, like I'd stop being their mom and become their evaluator.

What I actually found is that most states don't require formal grades, especially at the elementary level.

Some do require an annual assessment, which might mean a standardized test, a review by a certified teacher, or a portfolio evaluation. It depends on where you live.

What I do personally is pay attention without assigning numbers. I notice when something clicks, when we need to slow down, when we need to come at it from a different angle.

That kind of ongoing observation tells me more than any report card would.

If you're in a state that requires something formal, your state homeschool association will have guidance on what's accepted. Most of the options are gentler than the names suggest.

Check what your state actually requires. Then build something that fits your family.