{
  "$schema": "https://ivywaters.com/research/schema.json",
  "id": "IW-LP26",
  "slug": "homeschool-learning-portfolio-benchmark-2026",
  "shortTitle": "Portfolio Benchmark",
  "title": "Homeschool Learning Portfolios: A Selected-Jurisdiction Benchmark (2026)",
  "deck": "A practical Pre-K–8 benchmark for family-owned portfolios that remain authentic to the learner and legible to an informed third party.",
  "category": "Learning evidence",
  "geography": "Selected-jurisdiction benchmark informed by official portfolio and assessment guidance",
  "version": "1.3.0",
  "pdfFile": "homeschool-learning-portfolio-benchmark-2026.pdf",
  "status": "Published",
  "publishedAt": "2026-08-18",
  "updatedAt": "2026-08-22",
  "sourcesCheckedAt": "2026-08-13",
  "nextReview": "2027-08-01",
  "methodology": "Comparative synthesis of official portfolio guidance and evidence practices, translated into a non-outcomes-based benchmark across learner stages.",
  "limitations": "The benchmark does not certify academic quality or legal compliance and should be adapted to jurisdiction, learner, and intended reader.",
  "evidenceBase": "Selected official portfolio and transition guidance plus assessment research, translated into an Ivy Waters framework; not a validated global scale or universal legal standard.",
  "ledger": "PORTFOLIO-BENCHMARK-SOURCE-LEDGER.md",
  "figures": [
    {
      "id": "iw-lp26-f01",
      "assetId": "portfolio-three-record-layers",
      "number": 1,
      "title": "One evidence life, three portfolio purposes",
      "subtitle": "Family-learning, legal or evaluator, and transition layers can share evidence without becoming one indiscriminate file.",
      "alt": "Three stacked portfolio layers for family learning, legal or evaluator review, and transition use.",
      "sourceNote": "Ivy Waters synthesis based on official guidance and assessment sources.",
      "canonicalAnchor": "https://ivywaters.com/blog/homeschool-learning-portfolio-benchmark-2026#figure-iw-lp26-f01",
      "svg": "https://ivywaters.com/research/figures/portfolio-three-record-layers.svg",
      "png": "https://ivywaters.com/research/figures/portfolio-three-record-layers.png"
    },
    {
      "id": "iw-lp26-f02",
      "assetId": "portfolio-evidence-taxonomy",
      "number": 2,
      "title": "A portfolio can show more than finished work",
      "subtitle": "Different evidence families support different claims about learning, context, and transfer.",
      "alt": "Nine-part evidence wheel showing status, plan, process, product, skill, reflection, context and support, verification, and transfer.",
      "sourceNote": "Ivy Waters evidence taxonomy grounded in official guidance and assessment research.",
      "canonicalAnchor": "https://ivywaters.com/blog/homeschool-learning-portfolio-benchmark-2026#figure-iw-lp26-f02",
      "svg": "https://ivywaters.com/research/figures/portfolio-evidence-taxonomy.svg",
      "png": "https://ivywaters.com/research/figures/portfolio-evidence-taxonomy.png"
    },
    {
      "id": "iw-lp26-f03",
      "assetId": "portfolio-three-tier-benchmark",
      "number": 3,
      "title": "Build the layer the next decision needs",
      "subtitle": "A larger archive is not automatically a stronger portfolio. Purpose and readability determine what to add.",
      "alt": "Three-step ladder for minimum coherent, strong learning, and transition-ready portfolio tiers.",
      "sourceNote": "Ivy Waters three-tier portfolio benchmark.",
      "canonicalAnchor": "https://ivywaters.com/blog/homeschool-learning-portfolio-benchmark-2026#figure-iw-lp26-f03",
      "svg": "https://ivywaters.com/research/figures/portfolio-three-tier-benchmark.svg",
      "png": "https://ivywaters.com/research/figures/portfolio-three-tier-benchmark.png"
    },
    {
      "id": "iw-lp26-f04",
      "assetId": "portfolio-annotation-anatomy",
      "number": 4,
      "title": "A useful caption turns a file into evidence",
      "subtitle": "The annotation tells another reader what an artifact can and cannot show.",
      "alt": "Artifact card surrounded by annotation fields for what, when, purpose, learner contribution, support, claim, boundary, and privacy.",
      "sourceNote": "Ivy Waters artifact-annotation framework.",
      "canonicalAnchor": "https://ivywaters.com/blog/homeschool-learning-portfolio-benchmark-2026#figure-iw-lp26-f04",
      "svg": "https://ivywaters.com/research/figures/portfolio-annotation-anatomy.svg",
      "png": "https://ivywaters.com/research/figures/portfolio-annotation-anatomy.png"
    }
  ],
  "claims": [
    {
      "id": "IW-LP26-C01",
      "label": "Portfolio principle",
      "text": "A strong portfolio is selective, contextualized, chronological enough to follow, and readable by someone outside the family.",
      "classification": "Ivy Waters benchmark",
      "sourceScope": "Official portfolio and evaluation guidance",
      "figure": "iw-lp26-f01",
      "canonicalAnchor": "https://ivywaters.com/research/reports/homeschool-learning-portfolio-benchmark-2026.json#IW-LP26-C01",
      "evidenceNote": "Use the report's inline citations and source scope; do not present an Ivy Waters synthesis as a directly measured statistic."
    },
    {
      "id": "IW-LP26-C02",
      "label": "Evidence finding",
      "text": "Varied evidence types can show learning more faithfully than a folder dominated by finished worksheets.",
      "classification": "Practice synthesis",
      "sourceScope": "Portfolio and assessment guidance",
      "figure": "iw-lp26-f02",
      "canonicalAnchor": "https://ivywaters.com/research/reports/homeschool-learning-portfolio-benchmark-2026.json#IW-LP26-C02",
      "evidenceNote": "Use the report's inline citations and source scope; do not present an Ivy Waters synthesis as a directly measured statistic."
    },
    {
      "id": "IW-LP26-C03",
      "label": "Annotation finding",
      "text": "A useful artifact annotation separates learner contribution, support, evidence claim, scope boundary, and privacy context.",
      "classification": "Ivy Waters framework",
      "sourceScope": "Documentation and portfolio practices",
      "figure": "iw-lp26-f04",
      "canonicalAnchor": "https://ivywaters.com/research/reports/homeschool-learning-portfolio-benchmark-2026.json#IW-LP26-C03",
      "evidenceNote": "Use the report's inline citations and source scope; do not present an Ivy Waters synthesis as a directly measured statistic."
    }
  ],
  "editorialStance": "Ivy Waters measures the infrastructure of home education, not whether one family's educational choices are superior to another's.",
  "canonicalUrl": "https://ivywaters.com/blog/homeschool-learning-portfolio-benchmark-2026",
  "jsonUrl": "https://ivywaters.com/research/reports/homeschool-learning-portfolio-benchmark-2026.json",
  "pdfUrl": "https://ivywaters.com/research/reports/homeschool-learning-portfolio-benchmark-2026.pdf",
  "sourceLedgerUrl": "https://ivywaters.com/research/sources/PORTFOLIO-BENCHMARK-SOURCE-LEDGER.md",
  "correctionsUrl": "https://ivywaters.com/research/updates.json",
  "citation": "Ivy Waters International (2026). Homeschool Learning Portfolios: A Selected-Jurisdiction Benchmark (2026) (Edition 1.3). https://ivywaters.com/blog/homeschool-learning-portfolio-benchmark-2026",
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      "title": "Texas Education Agency Home Schooling",
      "url": "https://tea.texas.gov/families-and-students/finding-school-your-child/home-schooling",
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      "accessed": "2026-08-13"
    },
    {
      "id": "IW-LP26-S-03A4E891",
      "title": "Cambridge 2026 Handbook changes",
      "url": "https://www.cambridgeinternational.org/exam-administration/cambridge-exams-officers-guide/changes-for-2026-cambridge-handbook/",
      "publisherDomain": "cambridgeinternational.org",
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    {
      "id": "IW-LP26-S-096F8A2A",
      "title": "Florida dual enrollment",
      "url": "https://www.fldoe.org/schools/higher-ed/fl-college-system/dual-enroll-transfer/",
      "publisherDomain": "fldoe.org",
      "accessed": "2026-08-13"
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    {
      "id": "IW-LP26-S-0A994B95",
      "title": "University of California: Home-schooled students",
      "url": "https://admission.universityofcalifornia.edu/admission-requirements/first-year-requirements/home-schooled-students.html",
      "publisherDomain": "admission.universityofcalifornia.edu",
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    {
      "id": "IW-LP26-S-17673BF1",
      "title": "New Zealand home-education application guidance",
      "url": "https://web-assets.education.govt.nz/s3fs-public/2024-03/Home-education-application-guidance-2020.pdf?VersionId=vMi34XYxUznKsl1SfKmef7ZlF4Wqv9uY",
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      "id": "IW-LP26-S-189F90C1",
      "title": "U.S. Department of Education: What FERPA is",
      "url": "https://studentprivacy.ed.gov/faq/what-ferpa",
      "publisherDomain": "studentprivacy.ed.gov",
      "accessed": "2026-08-13"
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      "id": "IW-LP26-S-1D5D751D",
      "title": "NSW Government: Application and assessment process",
      "url": "https://www.nsw.gov.au/education-and-training/home-schooling/registration-guidelines/6-application-and-assessment-process",
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    {
      "id": "IW-LP26-S-1DFCE485",
      "title": "National Academies, Knowing What Students Know",
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      "id": "IW-LP26-S-1E33EB36",
      "title": "South Africa Home Education",
      "url": "https://www.education.gov.za/Parents/HomeEducation/tabid/406/Default.aspx",
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      "id": "IW-LP26-S-28B6A7CD",
      "title": "U.S. Department of Education FERPA",
      "url": "https://studentprivacy.ed.gov/ferpa",
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      "id": "IW-LP26-S-3999EDF8",
      "title": "South Africa Department of Basic Education: 2026 home-education FAQ",
      "url": "https://www.education.gov.za/Portals/0/Documents/Publications/Home%20Education/FAQ/Frequently%20Asked%20Questions%20Updated%20%2018%20March%202026.pdf?ver=2026-05-15-130329-000",
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      "id": "IW-LP26-S-3EA79CE3",
      "title": "GOV.UK: Elective home education guidance",
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      "title": "Texas enrollment in public school",
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      "title": "OECD: The theory and practice of upper secondary certification",
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      "id": "IW-LP26-S-64B5B393",
      "title": "NSW Government: Home schooling registration at a glance",
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      "title": "Education Endowment Foundation: Metacognition and self-regulation evidence review",
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      "id": "IW-LP26-S-E69017D2",
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      "url": "https://www.massey.ac.nz/study/entry-requirements-to-study-at-massey/secondary-school-and-home-schooled-students/",
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      "title": "GOV.UK: Educating your child at home",
      "url": "https://www.gov.uk/home-education",
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      "id": "IW-LP26-S-F9878603",
      "title": "Florida parent home-education resources",
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      "id": "IW-LP26-S-FDD98B84",
      "title": "University of Toronto: Canadian high school requirements, home school",
      "url": "https://future.utoronto.ca/requirements-canadian-high-schools",
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}