HOMESCHOOL TESTING

By Bing Howard 

In our home, achievement test results are not the main goal why we homeschool. It is not the rule! It is simply one of the many tools we use to guide us in educating our children. We do not spend months gearing up or taking sample tests so that we can  pass the CAT test. We work daily on the actual curriculum designed for our children - from cover to cover - until finished! This provides mastery of the subject and reduces learning gaps. 

In many public schools these days, there is so much emphasis on test results that majority of the school year is spent on practice tests instead of learning the actual school curriculum. There is a reason for this: if the students do not perform well during the standardized testing, it is a bad reflection on the school and its teachers. And schools that do not fare well often lose funding. There are financial incentives for pushing higher test scores. Read this article about teacher's pay tied to tests scores.

If you decide to test your child, relax. Test-taking is NOT the only skill that your child needs to survive on their own later in life. It is just a tool! Here are resources that will assist you in learning about the many types of standardized tests, preparation, assessments, and where to get them. 

• A Collection of Articles on Testing - recommended readings for every homeschooling parent.

   

   

• Bayside School Services - Donny & Sandy Ball's Bayside School Services offers do-it-yourself standardized achievement tests, available all year. Bayside gives you original publisher materials plus genuine CTB scoring reports. We include free practice tests for all grades where available.

   

   

  Bob Jones University Press - We provide home educators an opportunity to test their students with a variety of reliable and nationally recognized tests. Our testing services are fully authorized and approved by the test publishers to offer academic and learning abilities tests. We also offer a variety of other resources to enhance your students' educational experience.

   

   

• Christian Liberty Academy - To help you in the critical task of selecting appropriate materials for your child, Christian Liberty Academy has developed several specialized services for homeschoolers. We can test your child, provide a customized curriculum recommendation that is suited for your child’s skill level, and critique your child’s writing ability. It is our desire to assist you in any way we can as you train your child in the way he should go.

   

   

• Diagnostic Prescriptive Services - Learning styles assessments, vocabulary curriculum, homeschool testing, solutions to learning problems and ADHD, Person Optimized Curriculum, etc.

   

• Family Learning Organization offers homeschooling advice, support and standardized achievement testing for home-based education. Provides encouragement through networking and legislation and curriculum information.

   

• Hewitt Educational Resources -  The PASS Test was developed specifically for home schoolers. It has certain similarities to other achievement tests in that it estimates student achievement in the subjects of reading, language, and math.

• Home Education & Family Services - We offer a number of nationally normed and well-recognized individual standardized achievement tests as the end-of-year assessment option. The fee is based on the average time for administration, scoring, and analysis. In Maine and other states, the achievement test can be used as the end-of-year assessment. 

   

• Homeschool Test Service - a service of Rainier Christian Schools and Rainier Christian High School, provides the Stanford Achievement Test (SAT) to homeschoolers in Washington state. 

   

• John Hopkin's University SCAT and STEP - offer students in grades 2-12 ability testing using the School and College Ability Test (SCAT) and achievement testing using the Sequential Tests of Educational Progress (STEP).

   

• KidTest.com - Students who are schooled at home as well as their families will find a wealth of valuable products and services within the Kidtest.com^SM system. In many ways, the services and products we have developed closely match home schoolers' specific needs. We are happy to be able to serve this important and growing community.

   

• Seton Home Study School  - is an accredited Catholic home schooling apostolate under the Roman Catholic bishop of Arlington, Virginia. We provide curricula, materials, grading, counseling, record-keeping, online testing, standardized testing, and other services, including personalized online assignment management.

• Summit Christian Academy - DIAGNOSTIC PLACEMENT TESTING. Summit Christian Academy has been a distributor of Alpha Omega LIFEPACS since our inception because of the quality of the curriculum and in large part because of their excellent Diagnostic Placement Test. As a result of diagnostic testing, we are able to "tailor make" an academic program that meets each individual student’s needs. The cost for the two-part testing is $35 and it includes postage and handling but can also be purchased through our new online catalog.

   

   

• Sycamore Tree - The Comprehensive Test of Basic Skills is provided to all enrolled students at no additional cost. It will be evaluated by a professional scoring service or trained school staff. Performance results are mailed to parents and a copy will become part of your child's permanent record. We do not require children under the age of 8 to be tested, but offer it at the request of the parent.

   

   

• The Homeschool Resource for Lewis and Thurston Counties, WA - Qualifying courses, testing, and consulting services.

   

• Thurber's Educational Assessments - Gives a comprehensive description of the California Achievement Test (CAT).

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