NH Homeschool Year-End Checklist: Everything to Do Before Your Annual Evaluation

April hits and the mild panic sets in. The annual evaluation is coming. The portfolio is still in pieces. You are not sure what you actually need, what you can skip, and whether what you have is enough.

This checklist is the answer to that question. It covers what New Hampshire's RSA 193-A actually requires for the annual evaluation, what EFA families need to do separately, and what to save once the evaluation is over.

Work through this in order starting around April 1st and you will be evaluation-ready by late May, with room to spare.

Part 1: Portfolio Assembly (Complete by May 15)

Reading Log

• [ ] Compile a complete list of all books and reading materials used during the year
• [ ] Include books read independently, read-alouds, audiobooks, and curriculum-assigned readings
• [ ] Format as a simple table or list: Title and Author (date read is optional but helpful)
• [ ] Check for any titles your child read earlier in the year that may have been forgotten — check library histories if needed
• [ ] For curriculum-based programs, list key texts from each subject

Note: There is no required format. A two-column table (Title / Author) on one or two pages is sufficient.

Work Samples

• [ ] Pull 3 to 5 representative samples per required subject
• [ ] Aim to have samples from early in the year, mid-year, and late in the year for each subject — this demonstrates progression
• [ ] Label each sample with the subject and approximate date
• [ ] For subjects with no paper output (PE, music, art appreciation, field trips), gather photographs, receipts, or certificates instead
• [ ] Discard duplicates — choose the samples that best show growth, not the most impressive single piece

The eleven required subjects (RSA 193-A:4):

• Reading
• Writing
• Spelling
• Language (grammar, composition)
• Mathematics
• Science
• History
• Government
• Health
• History of NH and US Constitutions
• Exposure to and appreciation of art and music

Tip: You do not need perfect coverage of all eleven with equal depth. Evaluators understand that emphasis varies by year and family. What matters is that there is some evidence of each domain across the year.

Cover Page and Table of Contents

• [ ] Prepare a cover page: student name, date of birth, grade level or age, parent name, program year
• [ ] Include a copy of the acknowledgment letter from your participating agency (your proof of legal compliance)
• [ ] Create a simple table of contents listing: Program Info, Reading Log, Work Samples (by subject), Supplementary Evidence
• [ ] Add divider tabs to the physical binder or folder labels in a digital portfolio

Optional but Useful

• [ ] Write a one-page narrative summarizing the year: general goals, curriculum or approach used, notable accomplishments, any challenges
• [ ] Compile a supplementary evidence section: field trip logs, class certificates, photographs of projects, activity records

Part 2: Book the Evaluator (Complete by April 15)

New Hampshire's most commonly used evaluation method is a certified teacher portfolio review. Evaluators fill up fast in May and June.

• [ ] Identify a certified teacher evaluator through GSHE's evaluator list, local co-op networks, or NH homeschool Facebook groups
• [ ] Confirm the evaluator holds a valid NH teaching credential or licensure from a reciprocal state, or currently teaches at an NH nonpublic school
• [ ] Contact the evaluator to schedule a review appointment (late May or early June is typical)
• [ ] Ask the evaluator their preferred format: physical binder in person, or digital portfolio reviewed remotely
• [ ] Confirm their fee (typically $30 to $60)

Alternative evaluation methods (if you are not using a portfolio review):

• Nationally normed standardized test (CAT, ITBS, Stanford Achievement Test, CLT) — administer at home or through a proctor
• State assessment test — contact your resident school district to coordinate
• Mutually agreed-upon alternative — requires prior written agreement with your participating agency

If you are using a standardized test, registration deadlines vary by test. Check the publisher's website in March or April.

Part 3: Conduct the Evaluation and Finalize the Letter (June)

• [ ] Present the portfolio to the certified teacher evaluator
• [ ] Participate in the brief discussion if the evaluator requests one
• [ ] Review the evaluation letter before signing it
• [ ] Sign the letter if you agree with the assessment (the evaluation is not legally complete until you sign)
• [ ] If you disagree with the letter, do not sign — you are legally entitled to seek a second evaluator

What the letter should say: That the student has made reasonable academic progress commensurate with their age, ability, and/or disability. No specific score, grade, or ranking is required.

Part 4: EFA-Specific Deadline (July 15 — Children's Scholarship Fund)

This section applies only to families using the Education Freedom Account (EFA) program under RSA 194-F. If you are a traditional RSA 193-A homeschooler, skip this section.

• [ ] Confirm which document you are submitting for the Annual Record of Educational Attainment:
  • Option A: Standardized test results showing Total, Math, and ELA scores
  • Option B: Signed portfolio evaluation letter from a certified teacher stating educational progress was made
• [ ] Upload the document to the Children's Scholarship Fund portal before July 15
• [ ] Save a timestamped confirmation of the upload
• [ ] If renewing for the following school year, confirm EFA re-enrollment is complete

Warning: Missing the July 15 deadline results in an immediate freeze of EFA funds for the following year. Do not wait until the last week of June to schedule your evaluation if you are an EFA family.

Part 5: Post-Evaluation Housekeeping

• [ ] Store the signed evaluation letter in a permanent, safe location (digital backup recommended)
• [ ] Keep the full portfolio intact for two years from the end of the instruction period — this is a legal requirement under RSA 193-A
• [ ] Archive the reading log and one representative work sample per subject from this year in a long-term file — useful for continuity into the next year
• [ ] Begin the reading log for the new year

What you can discard after two years: The bulk of work samples and supplementary evidence. Keep the acknowledgment letter permanently — there is no expiration on the value of having that legal proof.

Common Year-End Questions

Do I need to send anything to the school district? No. The portfolio remains your private property. The annual evaluation letter stays in your possession. Nothing is submitted to the state, the SAU, or the Department of Education.

What if my portfolio is thin in some subjects? If you are in April or May and realize certain subjects have little documentation, you still have time to add evidence. Have your child complete a short writing sample, do a science activity with photos, or read a book in the thin area and log it. The evaluation is based on the full year, and a few late additions to the reading log or work samples file are entirely appropriate.

What if I do not pass? Under the changes made in 2022 via House Bill 1663, a poor evaluation result cannot be used to terminate your home education program. The evaluation results are your private property and are never submitted to the state. If an evaluator declines to sign a satisfactory letter, you seek a different evaluator — there is no governmental mechanism to force action based on a negative evaluation.

What if I had a hard year? Illness, family stress, a move, a mental health crisis — New Hampshire's "reasonable progress commensurate with the child's age, ability, and/or disability" standard is individualized by design. A child who made genuine growth despite a difficult year will satisfy a thoughtful evaluator. Be honest with your evaluator about the context.

Do I need a new Notice of Intent every year? No. New Hampshire's Notice of Intent is a one-time filing per child. You do not re-notify the participating agency each year — only if you change your participating agency or re-enroll the child in public school and then withdraw again.

The Timeline at a Glance

Make Next Year Easier Starting Now

The families who have the smoothest year-end experience in New Hampshire are the ones who do five things throughout the year: they keep the reading log current, they pull a few work samples monthly, they photograph hands-on learning as it happens, they stay on top of the EFA deadline if applicable, and they book their evaluator early.

If you want a complete, ready-to-use system — with a fillable reading log, work sample organizer, year-end assembly checklist, and EFA-specific deadline tracker built around RSA 193-A — the New Hampshire Homeschool Portfolio Guide has everything formatted for this state's specific requirements.

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