The Short Answer
On Alberta's supervised path, a certificated teacher does at least two evaluations of your child each school year, usually in the fall and spring. The teacher reviews a portfolio of your child's work, talks with you and your child, and advises you on progress. Your child is measured against their own ability, not against other kids, so there is no passing or failing. Provincial tests like the PATs are optional for home-educated students. The not-supervised path has no required evaluations at all.
Verified June 2026. Reflects the Home Education Regulation (AR 89/2019) and Alberta's Home Education Handbook.
Alberta Homeschool Evaluations at a Glance
| How many per year | At least two on the supervised path, usually fall and spring. |
|---|---|
| Who runs them | A certificated teacher (your facilitator) employed by your associate board. |
| Where they happen | Often in your home; many boards also offer video or in-office visits. |
| What the teacher looks at | A portfolio of your child's work, and a chat about progress. |
| Pass or fail? | No. Progress is measured against your child's own ability, not other students. |
| Provincial tests (PATs)? | Offered, but optional for home-educated students. |
| Not-supervised path | No evaluations required. |
Who Does the Evaluations
Your associate board assigns you a facilitator, a certificated teacher who supervises your program through the year. The same person usually runs both evaluations, so they get to know your child and your approach. This is the teacher you call when you have a question, and the one who signs off on your funding claims. A good facilitator works with you, not against you, and most families come to see them as a helper rather than an inspector. For how the supervised path fits the bigger picture, see our guide on how to homeschool in Alberta.
What Happens During a Visit
An evaluation is mostly a conversation. The teacher sits down with you and your child, looks through the work you have collected, and asks your child about what they have been learning. They want to see growth since the last visit and confirm your child is making progress toward the outcomes in your program plan. Many visits happen at your kitchen table, and boards often offer a video call if that suits you better.
The teacher then writes a short report on your child's progress and gives you advice on what is going well and where to push next. That advice is the point. You get a trained set of eyes on your child's learning twice a year, for free, which is something classroom parents rarely get.
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Why It Is Not a Pass-or-Fail Test
This is the part that calms most parents down. The teacher measures your child against your child, not against a class average or a grade-level cutoff. A kid who moved from sounding out words to reading short books has shown progress, and that is what the evaluation records. There is no score your child has to hit and no way for them to flunk the visit.
Because the measure is personal growth, a struggling learner and an advanced one both pass through the same friendly review. If your child is behind in a subject, the teacher flags it as something to work on, not as a failure. If you want a clear read on where your child sits before a visit, our free reading assessment gives you a concrete starting point to share with your facilitator.
Building a Portfolio the Teacher Wants to See
The portfolio is your evidence of progress, and keeping one is easier when you do it as you go. Drop a few items into a folder each week rather than scrambling the night before. A strong portfolio usually holds:
- Writing samples from across the term, so growth is visible
- Math pages or workbook sections your child completed
- A reading list or log of books your child read or you read together
- Photos of projects, experiments, and hands-on work
- Any tests, quizzes, or course work from online classes
You do not need to save everything. A handful of pieces per subject that show your child moving forward is plenty. The teacher is looking for a story of progress, not a complete archive of the year.
What About the PATs and Diploma Exams
Alberta gives home-educated students the chance to write provincial assessments, but it does not force them to. The Provincial Achievement Tests in grades 6 and 9 are optional for your child, and many homeschool families skip them. Diploma exams are different and only come into play if your teen takes diploma-level courses for credit toward a high school diploma. Our guide on Alberta homeschool high school covers how those credits and exams work.
Val's Note: What This Really Means for You
I will be honest about the first visit: you will probably over-prepare, your child will be a little shy, and twenty minutes in you will wonder what you were worried about. The teacher is on your side. They chose to work with home educators, and most of them love seeing the creative, unhurried learning that happens at your house. They are not there to catch you out.
My one piece of advice is to keep the portfolio as you go and let your child do the talking. When a kid explains the volcano they built or reads a page out loud, the teacher sees the progress instantly, and you barely have to say a word. Treat the visit as a free coaching session, ask your facilitator the questions piling up in your head, and use the report to plan your next few months.
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Frequently Asked Questions
How Many Evaluations Does Alberta Require?
On the supervised path, a certificated teacher does at least two per school year, usually fall and spring. The not-supervised path has none, since no board oversees it.
Is the Evaluation a Pass-or-Fail Test?
No. The teacher measures your child against their own ability and advises you on progress. Your child cannot fail, and there is no score to hit.
Do the Visits Happen at My House?
Often, yes. Evaluations commonly happen in the child's home, and many boards also offer video or in-office options. The teacher reviews a portfolio and talks with you and your child.
Do My Kids Have to Write the PATs?
No. Home-educated students are offered the chance to write provincial assessments, but they are not required to. The teacher evaluations are a separate requirement from those tests.
What Should I Bring?
A portfolio of your child's work: writing samples, math pages, a reading list, and photos of projects. It shows the teacher the progress your child has made since the last visit.
Sources
This guide was verified in June 2026 against the following primary sources. Confirm visit formats and timing with your associate board, since boards run the evaluations.