mamakelly Posted September 3, 2012 Share Posted September 3, 2012 ((sigh)) They came this weekend, those pesky papers that tell you how your kid falls inline with all the other kids in CA. I was really hoping my middle two would score better this year, but no they didn't, blah. They are still "far below basic" in math and "below basic" in English. I know they are struggling, and we worked so hard last year in areas that they were weak. I know they did better last school year. I know because I saw their work improve and their comprehension get better. I don't put a lot of stock into those darn scores, but sheesh, it's still discouraging. :tongue_smilie: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PeterPan Posted September 3, 2012 Share Posted September 3, 2012 Well when did you start homeschooling them? It's not like things repair in a year. As you say, the upward TREND, moving up from where they started, is a good sign. I can't say scores don't matter, because they are at least a dispassionate way of looking at your kids that isn't emotionally attached like we are. However they need a CONTEXT. The context can be where they were last year vs. this year. The context could be you got some evals and now know what's going on and are changing some things. The context could be that they need accommodations on the tests for what they know to come out (due to low processing speed, distractability, whatever). Is this a CA specific test they had to do? Any nationally normed test scores to compare it to? CA seems to be an oddball in how they handle things. I'd want to see my child's results compared to national norms before I concluded too much, personally. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Crimson Wife Posted September 3, 2012 Share Posted September 3, 2012 This is the STAR test? I definitely agree that the score report for that particular test is not very useful. I really wish that CA would allow charters the flexibility to substitute scores on another nationally-normed standardized test like the ITBS for the STAR. I got so much more useful information the year that I had my oldest take the ITBS than I've gotten subsequently from the stupid STAR test. I'd be willing to pay out-of-pocket to have my kids take the ITBS in lieu of the STAR and then provide those scores to our charter if that were permitted. In my cynical moments, I suspect that the state of CA deliberately makes the STAR reports not very useful in an attempt to keep parents from questioning the education their children are receiving. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dbmamaz Posted September 3, 2012 Share Posted September 3, 2012 Its just a number. It shows how your kids perform compared to other kids their age at taking tests in specific subjects. Chances are, they would not be doing any better if they were in public school. The joy of homeschooling is we dont have to focus our eductional practices towards improving test scores. We can focus on improving their understanding and improving their abilities to write, etc. What will matter most to your kids in the future is how well prepared they are for adult life, how confident they are in their abilities, how comfortable they are with the skills they need - the score on a test shouldnt be more important than all that! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mamakelly Posted September 3, 2012 Author Share Posted September 3, 2012 I've been homeschooling from the beginning. Yes, it's the STAR test. It's a totally unhelpful test, I hate it. When we were with a private ISP the kids had to take the SAT9. That was a much better test IMO. I know you can buy it and administer it yourself. I'm tempted to. The STAR gives so little information :glare: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PeterPan Posted September 3, 2012 Share Posted September 3, 2012 If you're looking for options, the CAT is available from Seton or CLP and only $25. You'll get the results super-fast and it's nationally normed. I like it because it hits the basics I need to comply with the law in Ohio and only has 6 sections, meaning it takes us 3 days. Might even take you 2 days if you're lucky. And the pricepoint is awesome. For a little more ($75), I found a lady who administers the Woodcock Johnson. That's done one on one with the tester, so you get immediate results, have no ceiling, and eliminate most issues with distractions, processing speed, etc. Our results with the WJ, CAT, WIAT, etc. have all pretty much lined up. And yes, with the CAT and doing it at home (or WJ while you watch), you're seeing exactly what's happening, which is SO much more helpful than just seeing an up or down kind of score. And if CA's standards are different from national, they may score differently. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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