Student assessment and classroom goals

While reading material for another class, I came across an article by Jennifer R. Jacobsen regarding the use of student portfolios as evidence of performance based assessment.  The article pointed out that parents find portfolios a good source of information about thier child's progress and school expectations.  Parents are telling teachers that when they review their child's portfolio of work, they are able to see the quality of their child's thinking, the effort that was applied, and the outcomes.  Some parents suggested conferencing with teachers following the receipt of portfolios to discuss future goals for their child.  I may use more performance based assessment in my own classroom.  Specifically I'm thiking about charts and descriptiions that show how a child approached a math or science project, drawings and other artwork, and a report or project done over time.  I may even include a self-assessment piece for the student.