# Portfolio Benchmark Source Ledger

Research artifact for [The Global Homeschool Learning Portfolio Benchmark 2026](/blog/homeschool-learning-portfolio-benchmark-2026).

Checked: 2026-08-13
Scope: selected official home-education, portfolio, assessment, transition, qualification, receiving-institution, and privacy sources.
Purpose: claim maintenance, annual review, correction control, and consistent web, PDF, chart, and interactive outputs.

This ledger does not create a global legal standard. A source may apply only to one jurisdiction, age, pathway, institution, course, qualification, or year. “Not stated” means the source does not answer the question. It does not mean a requirement is absent.

## Coding key

### Requirement type

- **Required:** mandatory language or an explicit condition of the stated pathway.
- **Conditional:** required only when a stated condition applies.
- **Recommended:** advice or a useful practice, not a stated condition of entry.
- **Institution-specific:** controlled by a receiving institution, authority, provider, school, district, faculty, or exam centre.
- **Not stated:** the source does not answer the question.

### Evidence tier

- **Tier 1:** primary law, official government guidance, official templates, official qualification or examination rules, original peer-reviewed work, systematic review, or meta-analysis.
- **Tier 2:** intergovernmental or professional institutional synthesis with a transparent basis.
- **Tier 3:** advocacy, practitioner, or industry context.
- **Tier 4:** discovery-only material that should not support a headline claim.

### Discretion

- **Low:** the source states a clear administrative condition.
- **Medium:** the source states a process but leaves a local or conditional decision.
- **High:** a reviewer, school, district, faculty, provider, or institution assesses the case.
- **Unknown:** the source does not define the decision boundary.

## Major claim and policy map

| ID | Major claim or policy | Source | Geography or institution | Requirement type | Evidence tier | Discretion | Limitation | Checked |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| P-01 | Parents may provide full-time or part-time home education in England, do not have to follow the national curriculum, and must provide a suitable full-time education. | [GOV.UK Educating your child at home](https://www.gov.uk/home-education) | England | Required / Informational | Tier 1 | Medium | Does not answer every local review, school placement, or qualification question. | 2026-08-13 |
| P-02 | A local council in England can make an informal inquiry into whether home education is suitable. | [GOV.UK Educating your child at home](https://www.gov.uk/home-education) | England | Conditional | Tier 1 | Medium | The page describes the national position; local process and evidence request can vary. | 2026-08-13 |
| P-03 | New Zealand home-education guidance asks families to set goals and explain how they will know whether goals have been met. | [Detailed guidance for home-education applicants](https://web-assets.education.govt.nz/s3fs-public/2024-03/Home-education-application-guidance-2020.pdf?VersionId=vMi34XYxUznKsl1SfKmef7ZlF4Wqv9uY) | New Zealand | Required / Recommended | Tier 1 | Medium | Guidance applies to the New Zealand application and exemption context, not every global pathway. | 2026-08-13 |
| P-04 | New Zealand records may include photos, documents, reflective journals, and student work records, and should be kept regularly to show progress over time. | [Detailed guidance for home-education applicants](https://web-assets.education.govt.nz/s3fs-public/2024-03/Home-education-application-guidance-2020.pdf?VersionId=vMi34XYxUznKsl1SfKmef7ZlF4Wqv9uY) | New Zealand | Recommended / Conditional | Tier 1 | Medium | The guidance leaves families room to develop their own record system. | 2026-08-13 |
| P-05 | New South Wales guidance asks families to show how an educational program is implemented, including records of learning activities and assessments of progress. | [NSW application and assessment process](https://www.nsw.gov.au/education-and-training/home-schooling/registration-guidelines/6-application-and-assessment-process) | New South Wales, Australia | Required / Conditional | Tier 1 | Medium | Applies to NSW registration assessment and current guidance. | 2026-08-13 |
| P-06 | NSW publishes templates for learning activities, progress, and achievement, but says parents may develop their own record systems and the templates are optional. | [NSW templates for home-schooling parents](https://www.nsw.gov.au/education-and-training/home-schooling/support-material/templates-for-home-schooling-parents) | New South Wales, Australia | Recommended | Tier 1 | Low | Template availability does not determine what an individual application will require. | 2026-08-13 |
| P-07 | NSW registration guidance includes an educational program and records of implementation and may involve an authorized-person review. | [NSW registration at a glance](https://www.nsw.gov.au/education-and-training/home-schooling/registration-guidelines/registration-at-a-glance) | New South Wales, Australia | Required | Tier 1 | Medium | Registration periods and application conditions can vary. | 2026-08-13 |
| P-08 | Alberta's current government page distinguishes supervised and notification-only home-education programs, assigns parents responsibility for planning and evaluation, and states that supervised programs receive at least two formal school-year evaluations that include portfolio review. | [Alberta Home Education](https://www.alberta.ca/home-education) | Alberta, Canada | Required / Conditional | Tier 1 | Medium | The page summarizes the provincial framework; the supervising authority, current regulation, forms, and linked handbook govern the detailed process. | 2026-08-13 |
| P-09 | South Africa guidance lists attendance, work portfolio, progress, educational support, continuous assessment, and year-end or phase-end assessment evidence. | [South Africa Home Education](https://www.education.gov.za/Parents/HomeEducation/tabid/406/Default.aspx) | South Africa | Required | Tier 1 | Medium | Provincial implementation and current national policy must be checked together. | 2026-08-13 |
| P-10 | South Africa's 2026 FAQ describes portfolio evidence including writing, worksheets, workbooks, creative materials, and a summative record or assessment schedule. | [South Africa 2026 home-education FAQ](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) | South Africa | Required / Recommended | Tier 1 | Medium | The FAQ must be read with the current law, policy, and provincial process. | 2026-08-13 |
| P-11 | Texas Education Agency says it does not regulate, index, monitor, approve, register, or accredit homeschool programs. | [Texas Education Agency Home Schooling](https://tea.texas.gov/families-and-students/finding-school-your-child/home-schooling) | Texas, United States | Informational | Tier 1 | Low | A state-agency statement does not eliminate local receiving-school or higher-education requirements. | 2026-08-13 |
| P-12 | Texas districts may evaluate homeschool records, curriculum, student work, or assessments for grade-level or course placement. | [Texas enrollment in public school](https://tea.texas.gov/about-tea/contact-us/general-inquiry/enrollment-public-school) | Texas, United States | Institution-specific | Tier 1 | High | District and school placement practices can differ. | 2026-08-13 |
| P-13 | Florida describes a parent-directed home-education route with notice, annual evaluation, and termination steps. | [Florida parent home-education resources](https://www.fldoe.org/schools/school-choice/home-edu/parent-resources.stml) | Florida, United States | Required | Tier 1 | Medium | This is a Florida route and is not a national U.S. requirement. | 2026-08-13 |
| P-14 | Florida dual enrollment includes home-education students but requires eligibility criteria and a home-education articulation agreement. | [Florida dual enrollment](https://www.fldoe.org/schools/higher-ed/fl-college-system/dual-enroll-transfer/) | Florida, United States | Required / Conditional | Tier 1 | Medium | The college and agreement can impose additional conditions. | 2026-08-13 |
| P-15 | FERPA gives covered parents and eligible students rights to inspect and seek amendment of covered education records and controls many disclosures of personally identifiable information. | [U.S. Department of Education FERPA](https://studentprivacy.ed.gov/ferpa) | United States, covered educational agencies and institutions | Conditional | Tier 1 | Medium | FERPA does not automatically govern a private homeschool family archive. | 2026-08-13 |
| P-16 | FERPA disclosure consent must identify the records, purpose, and recipient and be signed and dated. | [FERPA consent requirements](https://studentprivacy.ed.gov/faq/what-must-consent-disclose-education-records-contain) | United States, covered educational agencies and institutions | Required / Conditional | Tier 1 | Low | Applies to FERPA-covered disclosures and not every private record exchange. | 2026-08-13 |
| P-17 | The European Data Protection Board describes children as receiving specific protection under GDPR because they are among the most vulnerable people in relation to personal data. | [EDPB Children](https://www.edpb.europa.eu/topics/key-gdpr-concepts/children_en) | European Union and EEA context | Conditional | Tier 1 | Medium | Local implementation, controller role, and processing purpose matter. | 2026-08-13 |
| P-18 | The UK ICO distinguishes access to education records from general data-protection access rights and explains that not every parent-created item is an education record. | [ICO Accessing pupils' information](https://ico.org.uk/for-the-public/schools/pupils-info/) | United Kingdom | Informational | Tier 1 | Medium | The source concerns records held by schools and does not settle private family-archive questions. | 2026-08-13 |
| P-19 | The National Academies describes assessment as a reasoning process connecting a model of learning, observations that provide evidence, and interpretation. | [Knowing What Students Know](https://nap.nationalacademies.org/catalog/10019/knowing-what-students-know-the-science-and-design-of-educational-assessment) | International assessment research, U.S. publication | Research principle | Tier 1 | Medium | The report is a general assessment framework, not homeschool-specific evidence. | 2026-08-13 |
| P-20 | The OECD describes portfolios as systematic collections of learner work that can represent competencies, exemplary work, or developmental progress. | [OECD Learning Compass glossary](https://www.oecd.org/content/dam/oecd/en/publications/reports/2019/03/oecd-reviews-of-evaluation-and-assessment-in-education-serbia_cee482c8/225350d9-en.pdf) | International assessment synthesis | Research principle | Tier 2 | Medium | OECD examples are generally school-system contexts, not a universal home-education standard. | 2026-08-13 |
| P-21 | OECD assessment work notes that portfolios may support self-assessment and goal reflection, while selection and consistency can create challenges. | [OECD upper-secondary certification assessment tasks](https://www.oecd.org/en/publications/the-theory-and-practice-of-upper-secondary-certification_b3fea5ba-en/full-report/assessment-tasks_64b2b9f0.html) | International assessment synthesis | Research principle | Tier 2 | Medium | The source discusses certification and education systems, not parent-directed portfolios specifically. | 2026-08-13 |
| P-22 | The National Academies identifies portfolios, journals, lab notebooks, investigations, and research reports as possible evidence forms in science assessment. | [Classroom Assessment and the National Science Education Standards](https://www.nationalacademies.org/read/9847/chapter/2) | U.S. science assessment research | Research principle | Tier 1 | Medium | Examples are not a global required evidence list. | 2026-08-13 |
| P-23 | EEF's evidence review treats metacognition and self-regulated learning as a research area relevant to goal setting, monitoring, and reflection. | [EEF Metacognition and self-regulation evidence review](https://educationendowmentfoundation.org.uk/education-evidence/evidence-reviews/metacognition-and-self-regulation) | England evidence synthesis | Research principle | Tier 2 | Medium | The review is not a claim that any specific portfolio practice causes attainment gains. | 2026-08-13 |
| P-24 | UC guidance recognizes home-schooled applicants and asks them to complete academic history and explain their home-school environment, structure, and activities. | [University of California home-schooled students](https://admission.universityofcalifornia.edu/admission-requirements/first-year-requirements/home-schooled-students.html) | University of California, United States | Institution-specific | Tier 1 | High | Campus and program requirements still control eligibility and selection. | 2026-08-13 |
| P-25 | University of Toronto considers home-school applicants and lists a letter, course outlines, textbooks, evaluation method, written work, independent evaluations or transcripts, and standardized results where relevant. | [University of Toronto Canadian high-school requirements](https://future.utoronto.ca/requirements-canadian-high-schools) | University of Toronto, Canada | Institution-specific | Tier 1 | High | Program prerequisites and competitive requirements remain separate. | 2026-08-13 |
| P-26 | Christ's College Cambridge welcomes suitably qualified home-educated applicants but identifies suitable examinations, practical science where relevant, a non-family referee, predicted grades, and admissions assessments. | [Christ's College Cambridge home-educated applicants](https://www.christs.cam.ac.uk/how-apply-1/home-educated) | Christ's College Cambridge, United Kingdom | Institution-specific / Conditional | Tier 1 | High | College and course guidance is not a universal Cambridge or UK rule. | 2026-08-13 |
| P-27 | King's College Cambridge says it considers home-educated applicants and discusses workload equivalence for a relevant final-year context. | [King's College Cambridge how to apply](https://www.kings.cam.ac.uk/study/undergraduate-study/how-apply) | King's College Cambridge, United Kingdom | Institution-specific / Conditional | Tier 1 | High | Applies to the College and context stated on the page. | 2026-08-13 |
| P-28 | Massey University provides a Discretionary Entrance route for domestic home-schooled students without a recognized formal qualification, using evidence and registered-teacher assessment. | [Massey home-schooled students](https://www.massey.ac.nz/study/entry-requirements-to-study-at-massey/secondary-school-and-home-schooled-students/) | Massey University, New Zealand | Institution-specific / Conditional | Tier 1 | High | Domestic status, age, course, and current criteria apply. | 2026-08-13 |
| P-29 | NZQA's International Qualification Assessment is scoped to defined tertiary or vocational upper-secondary qualifications from recognized and accredited providers. | [NZQA evaluating overseas qualifications](https://www2.nzqa.govt.nz/international/recognise-overseas-qual/iqa/) | New Zealand Qualifications Authority | Conditional | Tier 1 | Low | The service scope does not create a global rule for all credential evaluators. | 2026-08-13 |
| P-30 | NZQA says it cannot evaluate secondary school qualifications, incomplete programs, attendance certificates, or programs that do not lead to a qualification under the stated IQA service. | [NZQA IQA scope](https://www2.nzqa.govt.nz/international/recognise-overseas-qual/iqa/) | New Zealand Qualifications Authority | Not eligible under stated scope | Tier 1 | Low | Applies to the NZQA service and its published scope. | 2026-08-13 |
| P-31 | NZQA requires verified documents, color scans of originals, identity evidence, and recognized official translations for non-English documents in the stated application process. | [NZQA evidence and document requirements](https://www2.nzqa.govt.nz/international/recognise-overseas-qual/iqa/requirements-for-evidence-and-document/) | New Zealand Qualifications Authority | Required | Tier 1 | Low | Requirements are for NZQA IQA or OSA applications and may not match another recipient. | 2026-08-13 |
| P-32 | Cambridge International private candidates must find an accepting centre or approved provider and arrange registration, payment, identity, results, and certificates through the centre. | [Cambridge International private candidates](https://www.cambridgeinternational.org/exam-administration/private-candidates/) | Cambridge International, global exam network | Required | Tier 1 | Medium | Availability and syllabus rules vary by subject and country. | 2026-08-13 |
| P-33 | Cambridge International states that some syllabuses or options are not available to private candidates and that coursework authentication belongs to the entering centre. | [Cambridge 2026 Handbook changes](https://www.cambridgeinternational.org/exam-administration/cambridge-exams-officers-guide/changes-for-2026-cambridge-handbook/) | Cambridge International | Conditional | Tier 1 | Medium | The exact syllabus guide and centre arrangement control. | 2026-08-13 |
| P-34 | JCQ identifies home-schooled and self-taught candidates as private candidates and directs them to approved centres, with special attention to coursework and non-exam assessment. | [JCQ private candidates](https://www.jcq.org.uk/private-candidates/) | United Kingdom qualification system | Required / Conditional | Tier 1 | Medium | Applies to UK awarding arrangements covered by JCQ. | 2026-08-13 |

## Ivy Waters synthesis claims

These claims are editorial frameworks, not official standards. Their source basis and limitation should remain visible when the report is republished in other formats.

| ID | Synthesis claim | Source basis | Limitation | Checked |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| S-01 | A portfolio has at least three legitimate jobs: family learning, legal or evaluator review, and transition. | P-01 through P-14, P-24 through P-34 | Some families have only one purpose and some jurisdictions use different terms. | 2026-08-13 |
| S-02 | A portfolio is strongest when a specific artifact is matched to a specific claim. | P-19 through P-23 | This is an assessment design principle, not a validated homeschool scoring rule. | 2026-08-13 |
| S-03 | Dated, contextual, sequenced evidence is generally more interpretable than an undated archive of finished products. | P-03 through P-09, P-19 through P-22 | The report does not measure the relative effect of archive styles. | 2026-08-13 |
| S-04 | A private master archive plus purpose-specific packets reduces unnecessary oversharing while preserving flexibility. | P-15 through P-18 and receiving-institution sources | Practical guidance, not a universal privacy-law conclusion. | 2026-08-13 |
| S-05 | Minimum, Strong, and Transition-ready are useful planning tiers, not judgments about children or families. | Full audit and report framework | The tiers are not psychometrically validated. | 2026-08-13 |
| S-06 | Grade-band benchmarks should describe evidence emphasis and destination planning rather than impose a universal developmental sequence. | P-03, P-05, P-19 through P-23 | Development and local curriculum expectations vary. | 2026-08-13 |
| S-07 | A portfolio can support a transcript or application without becoming a credential, diploma, or guarantee of acceptance. | P-11 through P-14, P-24 through P-31 | Destination-specific rules control. | 2026-08-13 |
| S-08 | The readability rubric should assess the record's usability, not the learner's quality or homeschool quality. | P-19 through P-23 and privacy sources | Ivy Waters synthesis. | 2026-08-13 |

## Planned chart and interactive mappings

| Asset ID | Publication asset | Supporting claims |
|---|---|---|
| V-01 | One learning life, three portfolio jobs | S-01, S-04 |
| V-02 | Evidence taxonomy wheel | P-19 through P-23, S-02 |
| V-03 | Minimum, Strong, Transition-ready ladder | S-05, S-07 |
| V-04 | Grade-band evidence emphasis matrix | P-03 through P-10, S-06 |
| V-05 | Artifact annotation anatomy | P-19 through P-23, S-02, S-03 |
| V-06 | Transition packet decision tree | P-11 through P-14, P-24 through P-34, S-04, S-07 |
| I-01 | Interactive Portfolio Checker | S-01 through S-08 |

## Annual maintenance protocol

1. Recheck every official government, qualification, examination, receiving-institution, assessment, and privacy source before the next edition.
2. Check each landing page and each linked PDF, form, template, and handbook separately.
3. Record publication date, effective date, update date, and last-checked date.
4. Preserve old claim wording and add a correction note when a requirement changes.
5. Reclassify a claim when recommended becomes required, a local example is generalized, or a source narrows its scope.
6. Recheck the current Alberta.ca home-education page, its linked handbook, forms, and supervising-authority requirements before treating the Alberta example as a current legal baseline.
7. Add jurisdictions only when direct primary sources are available and important pathway differences can be preserved.
8. Review grade-band language for developmental bias and keep it framed as flexible evidence emphasis.
9. Reconcile every chart, PDF, press finding, interactive rule, and AI summary with the current claim IDs.
10. Remove or qualify any claim whose direct source is unavailable.
11. Update the report's last-reviewed date and correction history.
12. Keep the report's core promise intact: parent-directed education is legitimate, records should make it legible, and no portfolio can guarantee an institutional decision.