Is Standardized Testing Required?
- You need to have your child tested during the third, fifth, and eighth grades (24 P.S. § 13-1327.1(e)(1)).
Who Administers The Standardized Tests?
- The law states that parents cannot test their own children for the required state testing.
- Many standardized tests offer an online option where the computer serves as proctor.
- Some support groups make in person testing available and provide a proctor, as do some evaluators.
- The law requires that your school district offer testing for your children if you request it. The school district will administer the Pennsylvania System of School Assessment (PSSA) at the school district with no cost.
- Some homeschoolers arrange in person independent testing.
- For in person testing, you should verify with testing companies the requirements they have for proctors.
- Find Testers in your area.
- If you have a child that requires accommodations, you should contact the testing company to see what they permit.
Where can I buy a test?
These are a few sites that offer tests to order, there are many others as well: http://www.setontesting.com/ (now offering the Stanford Achievement Test online, meaning you do not need someone else to administer it) , http://www.shopchristianliberty.com/testing-service/ (offers CAT online) ,http://www.familylearning.org,
https://www.academicexcellence.com/achievement-tests/
Which Standardized Tests Are Accepted In Pennsylvania?
As of February 1, 2017, the Pennsylvania Department of Education has approved eleven nationally normed standardized tests for homeschool use. They are:
- California Achievement Test
- Comprehensive Testing Program (CTPIV)
- Iowa Test of Basic Skills
- Measures of Academic Progress (MAP)
- Metropolitan Achievement Test
- Peabody Achievement Individual Test–Revised Version
- Stanford Achievement Test
- Terra Nova
- Woodcock-Johnson Revised Tests of Achievement III
- Woodcock-Johnson IV
- Wechsler Individual Achievement Test III (WIAT-III)
The Pennsylvania System of School Assessment (PSSA) test may also be used.
How Can I Be Sure That My Children Will Test Well?
It should be noted that you are the one who defines what grade your child is in, not the age of the student. You can also choose what level of test your child takes.
What if my child does not do well on the test?
- It should be noted that poor performance on the tests doesn’t limit your option to homeschool. Your evaluator only needs to verify that testing has been completed to meet the requirement of the law.
Practice Tests
Many people ask, “Should we order practice tests?” About half of homeschoolers use them and half do not. It is up to each individual family to choose what is best for their children. Some families feel that problem areas are discovered before the achievement test and can be dealt with in a timely manner. Others feel like it is a waste of time because they already know the weak areas.
How Should You View the Results?
Keep in mind that there may be only three questions on a particular skill and on the basis of those, a child is scored as average, below average, or above average on that skill. If you spend any time at all helping your child with his studies, you already have a more insightful assessment than such a test score gives.
Parents may get upset or depressed because their “brilliant” child did not score brilliantly on a test. They have even considered taking their child out of the home study situation and placing him back in school, all because of one test! You may rest assured that no school would change the course of a child’s education over such an incident.
Be sure to praise your child for the strong areas and work on the weak areas. The weak areas may be the priorities for your next year. There may be areas that you have not even covered yet.