Homeschool Record Keeping in California

Required days

175 days/year

Required subjects

7 subjects

Notice

Required

Testing / evaluation

Not required

Recordkeeping

Recommended

Jump to the full California requirements for plain-English detail on each of these.

What to keep in California

Good records are your best protection if anyone ever questions your homeschool. In California, keep an organized set: a running log of what you teach and when, samples of your child's work, and any assessment or filing documents the state asks for. Depending on the rules you'll keep some at home and file others, so keep everything organized and dated.

Attendance and hours

California doesn't specify a minimum number of hours, but requires at least 175 days of instruction per year.

Portfolio and work samples

No, California does not legally require you to maintain a portfolio. However, keeping records of your homeschool activities is still highly recommended for your own reference and for potential college applications or if you ever need to demonstrate educational progress.

How to organize your records

Keep one folder per child per school year: a running activity log, a stack of work samples, any test or evaluation results, and copies of anything you filed. Homeschool Fox does this automatically, logging hours by subject from your phone, tagging core versus non-core, and generating the California reports and year-end summaries you may need.

Common mistakes in California

• Skipping the private school recordkeeping

  Filing your own affidavit means you are operating a private school, and California expects private schools to keep an attendance register, a list of courses offered, and records of staff qualifications. These are simple to maintain from day one and awkward to assemble later.

What this looks like in Homeschool Fox

Every activity you log rolls into a compliance view for California, so the records exist before anyone asks for them.

Free California printables

Two ready-to-use PDFs for California homeschoolers. No account needed.

Templates, not legal advice. Confirm the current rule with your state or district.

What Homeschool Fox tracks for California

Everything California expects you to keep, in one place — no spreadsheets, no lost notebooks.

• Days toward your 175-day goal
• Required subjects & core hours
• Daily activity logs
• Attendance records
• Notes & portfolio records
• Printable PDF reports
• High school transcripts
• State-specific progress tracking

More California guides

• California Homeschool Requirements Hours, notice, assessment, and subjects at a glance.
• How to Start Homeschooling in California A step-by-step guide from withdrawal to your first logged day.
• Homeschooling High School in California Credits, GPA, transcripts, and graduation.
• How to Withdraw From School in California The steps, the letter, and timing to avoid truancy issues.
• Moving to California What to file when you arrive and whether your records transfer.
• Public School Sports in California Whether homeschoolers can play, what it takes, and who to ask.
• Homeschool Days Required in California The number, what counts toward it, and the pace to hit it.
• Required Subjects in California The list, how much time each needs, and proving you taught them.
• California Letter of Intent Who to file with, when it's due, and a free generator.
• California Year End Report What goes in it, when it's due, and who reviews it.