Research your state's requirements for home-school portfolios. Label a divider, file folder or pocket folder for each required section and anything else you would like to include. If your state does not require a portfolio, decide what you want to include, and label dividers for each section.
Choose a way to keep the information. Some people use a three-ring binder, while others prefer hanging file folders. You also can use a storage box or an accordion file to hold all the information for the school year.
Print out forms to match your sections. Many free, printable forms are available online. Typical portfolios forms include the following: curriculum list, class schedule, daily school log, grades, field trip list, extracurricular activities, test scores and reading logs.
Create a title page that includes your student's name, grade and school year. You might want to let your student design it, as this helps him take ownership of the project. Next, create a table of contents, listing the sections in the portfolio.
Begin adding to the portfolio as soon as the school year starts. Whether you must share it with the state or not, you'll want samples of your child's work from throughout the year so you can see how much he has progressed by the end of the year.
Keep the portfolio available throughout the year, and add information as you go. If you wait until the end of the year to throw the portfolio together, chances are you'll leave out some important information. Set aside a certain time during the day or a certain day out of the week to update the portfolio.