Collecting entries is the first process students engage in when creating their graduation portfolios. All entries will be kept in a working portfolio from which students will generate their graduation portfolios. School graduation programs may determine many of the entries a student collects but students should have room to choose some entries to ensure that final portfolios demonstrate student interests.

Working portfolios must be monitored to ensure that students are collecting the number and types of entries needed to successfully complete a graduation portfolio. Communication of student progress, as well as plans to support their progress, should be shared with parents and faculty. Someone must take responsibility for organizing the monitoring process. In some schools, advisors are responsible for monitoring student progress. The use of an electronic portfolio system will support the monitoring process and make it easier for a number of people to monitor student progress.

Districts will determine the specific number and types of entries to be collected each year. However, as a rule of thumb, students should collect two to four entries from each course each year as well as entries from other educational experiences such as internships, community service activities, performances, transition plans etc. Students' progress must be monitored in a regular and timely fashion to ensure that students collect sufficient entries to successfully complete the graduation portfolio. Students who fall behind must be given appropriate support and additional opportunities to complete the required entries.