Do you use specific things to measure year-to-year progress?

[fiddle]

Last year was our 1st year homeschooling and moving into next year, even though we're not in a highly regulated state, I want to be better about documenting the progress, or lack of progress, in specific areas for my dyslexic/dysgraphic dd. I'd read about things like the Brigance testing and I think somewhere something by Dixon for taking skills specific testing. I do NOT want to do the "standardized" testing on dd. I want more skills related/mastery testing to help us determine what she has and has not mastered and what grade levels those are associated with. I also want to be able to track her progress.

 

In reading Learning Without Labels Joyce Herzog talks about the Student Evaluation Plan, similar to the ps IEP's. But honestly, I've got no idea how to go about setting this up and tailoring it to my dd. :confused:

 

So, I came to you all to see what, if anything, do you do to track the year-to-year progress and/or set specific goals for your SN kids?

 

Thanks for any input.

 

Paula

[fiddle]

Bump. I'm getting stressed about how to properly record, document and set goals for our SN kiddo. :confused:

Anyone?

[FairProspects]

Well, I'm of the opposite opinion - I DO want standardized testing on ds so he can learn to work within his testing accommodations.

 

However, I know in our state it is also an option to have an evaluation done by a certificated teacher. Would that work for you? There are centers around here that will do the evaluation and I'd imagine it would provide the info you are seeking.

[zenjenn]

We use standardized tests as well. I'm curious, why are you opposed to the testing? I do not teach to the test at all. I ignore it entirely and just do my thing, and then have them take the standardized test sight unseen. I think it is a diagnostic tool with limits, but a diagnostic tool nonetheless. Anything that would do exactly what you are describing is going to be something similar to a standardized test, though maybe you'd be operating it at home instead of proctored. (I prefer proctored because there is NO issue with me subconsciously bending the rules because of my psychological impulses related to wanting my child to improve and succeed.) If you wanted something more thorough, there are psychologists that run academic achievement testing that are more in-depth. But this is pricey.

 

With my dyslexic child, my goal is in problem areas to look for improvement from year to year. So if I saw 45th percentile in phoneme awareness in 2nd grade and then 55th in 3rd grade I consider that a success - for not only did she learn a year's worth but it shows the gap is closing.

[fiddle]

I'm curious, why are you opposed to the testing?

We came out of public school even having had a 504 plan, but with not very good experiences, to put it lightly. The less government intrusion for us the better. Though we're not in a highly regulated state, we are in a state where groups have tried to shut down homeschooling if a special needs kid was too far "behind" as "educational neglect." I'm not opposed to testing as much as I don't want the testing to be done outside of the confines of for our eyes and purposes only. ;)

 

So, I don't want to be left with the extremes of NO testing or being able to show progress/accountability OR subjecting kiddo to the standardized tests (when in our state we're not required to). There has to be a happy medium. I think I may email some of the special needs educational consultants and try to figure out a game plan.

 

Thanks.

Paula

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P.S. When you all say you have your dc do standardized tests, which ones are you having them do?

[Tokyomarie]

P.S. When you all say you have your dc do standardized tests, which ones are you having them do?

 

Over the years, we have used both the Iowa (ITBS) and the Stanford-10 (SAT-10) for standardized testing in a private situation. We never used testing through the public schools during the years we were exclusively homeschooling. In our situation, we were able to find outsiders within either the private school or homeschool community who administered the tests, though you can administer them to your own children using one of the testing agencies, such as BJU. If you have philosophical objections to BJU, there are other organizations through which you can test. I just don't have the names handy right now.

[Heathermomster]

DS takes the SAT-10 at our homeschool cover and took it while enrolled in private school. The homeschool cover is great about accomodations and doing the best they can to destress all the kids.

 

I think you can administer the CAT at home. You may want to look into that.

[zenjenn]

We do the SAT-10 yearly, also in a private situation. Several homeschool groups in the area run them. I don't even belong to the group where I have had my kids take the test. The government has nothing to do with it. In March, I drive them to an area church for three consecutive mornings where they take proctored exams in the company of other homeschooled students. The tests are sent to the company that makes the test (Pearson, I think), and the results are sent to my home.