umsami Posted January 27, 2014 Share Posted January 27, 2014 As this is the first year we've had to comply with either a portfolio review or standardized test, I wanted to reach out and find out what others have chosen. Our local HS group does not provide testing, so if I chose testing, I'd either have to go with the FCAT (including 4th grade writing, which would be difficult as DS1's keyboarding skills aren't the greatest) or the ITBS or SAT-10 administered by a licensed teacher (whom I'm assuming I'd have to pay). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Melissa B Posted January 27, 2014 Share Posted January 27, 2014 We use Stanford testing for grades 1st-6th if I can find someone giving it. (I haven't found anyone the last couple of years.) Otherwise we do portfolio reviews. From 7th grade on we do testing with either the ACT or the SAT. The cost to us is $30-$75 per student; portfolio reviews being the cheapest route and Stanford testing the most expensive. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dmmetler Posted January 27, 2014 Share Posted January 27, 2014 Try http://cctestingservices.com/ These are the test sites that Classical Conversations runs for the SAT-10 that are open to the public for a fee. There may be one near you. The SAT-10 is nice because it's untimed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
antsam Posted January 27, 2014 Share Posted January 27, 2014 We do portfolio reviews. Jodie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
meena Posted January 28, 2014 Share Posted January 28, 2014 In the past I have opted for the test administered by a psychologist. I believe last year's was the Woodcock-Johnson. Now that my two older children are upper elementary/middle school I want them to experience standardized "fill in the bubble"-type tests so we will probably do those this year if I can find someone to administer them before our anniversary date (quickly approaching!). I am exploring using a cover school once my oldest gets to 7th or 8th grade. There is no testing requirement then, and they keep track of attendance, transcript, etc. FWIW, I would not do the FCAT. Normally as homeschoolers you do not have to inform the district of any testing results, just the fact that a yearly evaluation (either testing or portfolio eval) has been completed. If you opt for the FCAT the district will be privy to your student's results. Also, if you are not specifically teaching to the test your child's results may not reflect his/her true aptitude in the tested subject(s) and it could be discouraging to your child as well. Yes, you will have to pay for the portfolio review or testing option. In my area portfolio eval is the cheapest, about $25-$45/child. The price for non-FCAT testing varies according to test and tester, from about $35-$95/child depending on the type of test. Your local homeschool group should have that info. BJU has a tester locator on their website where you can find and inquire about who is available for SAT10 and ITBS in your area. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Seasider Posted January 28, 2014 Share Posted January 28, 2014 Look at the fpea.com web site. I would not do the FCAT. We mostly did portfolio reviews. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
umsami Posted January 28, 2014 Author Share Posted January 28, 2014 Try http://cctestingservices.com/ These are the test sites that Classical Conversations runs for the SAT-10 that are open to the public for a fee. There may be one near you. The SAT-10 is nice because it's untimed. Thanks. I contacted them for their online one, as it is proctored over the phone. They said it wouldn't count, however, as there is no FL-licensed teacher involved. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
matrips Posted January 29, 2014 Share Posted January 29, 2014 We do the portfolio eval. It's simple, easy, and inexpensive. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sunshine State Sue Posted January 29, 2014 Share Posted January 29, 2014 We have mostly done testing. Our county lists certified teachers who will do portfolio/testing. Ours uses the KTEA. After ds hit high school, we switched to portfolio reviews which consisted of showing our evaluator ACT scores/CC transcript. I could have sent in ds's ACT scores, but I prefer that the county only know that he is making "progress commensurate with his age and ability". They never saw the results of any of the testing. ETA: I never put together a portfolio ever. I just keep everything. I don't need any more work than I've already got, kwim? The KTEA tested reading, spelling, math. Very un-intimidating. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
angelmama1209 Posted January 30, 2014 Share Posted January 30, 2014 neither. florida unschoolers all the way. only require attendance. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sunshine State Sue Posted January 30, 2014 Share Posted January 30, 2014 neither. florida unschoolers all the way. only require attendance. I just want to clarify that if you go with some sort of umbrella school like this, you cannot participate in PS at all. Ds has played basketball at PS in 7th-12th grade and this would not have been possible if he was in an umbrella school. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Halcyon Posted January 30, 2014 Share Posted January 30, 2014 we do umbrella (florida unschoolers). I may switch to "regular" homeschooling status for 7th in case DS wants to to go high school. I want to have an "official" transcript. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Irishmommy Posted January 30, 2014 Share Posted January 30, 2014 We do portfolio and it is a WONDERFUL experience for my kids! They get to show off all their projects which they are proud of, and our evaluator is FANTASTIC. She is so positive with the kids, always has some helpful hint or resource for me, and takes pictures with each kid and gives them their own certificates - telling them, "Congratulations! Welcome to ____ grade!" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SebastianCat Posted January 30, 2014 Share Posted January 30, 2014 We have done portfolio review, and I've always been very satisfied with it. This year, my kids are in 6th & 4th grades and they will do a standardized test primarily for the experience of taking a standardized test. There is a possibility that our kids will go to PS in high school, so I'd like them to be familiar with the "bubble in the answer" method and the formal testing environment. I believe we'll be doing the CAT, but am not totally sure at this point. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TKDmom Posted January 30, 2014 Share Posted January 30, 2014 I've done both. I prefer testing, because it gives me some insight (validation?) into their strengths and weaknesses. My oldest has always despised math and used to tell me (daily) that she was terrible at math. After her first standardized test, you could have knocked me over with a feather--she got 99th % on math reasoning and was about average on problem solving.Also, I'm just to lazy to pull together a portfolio for someone to look at. I keep samples of the kids' work (in accordance with the law), but they aren't laid out well for an evaluation. I just send the test scores to our evaluator instead.Are there any other hs groups in your area that do offer testing? You may not have to be a member to take the test with them. Also, I don't think you have to be a teacher to administer the test. I'm actually a BJU tester, and I'm not a teacher. I just had to have a college degree and watch an informational video. I think BJU has a directory of certified testers on their website.If you decide to go with an eval, it's really not a difficult process. You need to find a certified teacher to evaluate dc. Ideally, you would find a homeschool mom who is a certified teacher. I've done evals with PS teachers who weren't familiar with homeschooling, and everything went fine, but it was a little uncomfortable. They weren't as understanding about my curricula choices and my dc's asynchrony as the homeschool mom who now does our evaluations. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Seasider Posted January 30, 2014 Share Posted January 30, 2014 We have mostly done testing. Our county lists certified teachers who will do portfolio/testing. Ours uses the KTEA. After ds hit high school, we switched to portfolio reviews which consisted of showing our evaluator ACT scores/CC transcript. I could have sent in ds's ACT scores, but I prefer that the county only know that he is making "progress commensurate with his age and ability". They never saw the results of any of the testing. ETA: I never put together a portfolio ever. I just keep everything. I don't need any more work than I've already got, kwim? The KTEA tested reading, spelling, math. Very un-intimidating. The years we did standardized testing, I took those results to our evaluator and she composed a formal letter stating that the kids were making "progress commensurate with age and ability," which is what the statute requires. I never sent raw test scores to the state, only the evaluator's letter. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TKDmom Posted January 31, 2014 Share Posted January 31, 2014 The years we did standardized testing, I took those results to our evaluator and she composed a formal letter stating that the kids were making "progress commensurate with age and ability," which is what the statute requires. I never sent raw test scores to the state, only the evaluator's letter. Yes, I do the same. I don't see any reason to give the state more info than they require. :tongue_smilie: I just use our county's evaluation form, so she doesn't even have to write a letter. It basically has 2 check boxes: he/she is making "progress commensurate with age and ability" or he/she is not. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ktgrok Posted January 31, 2014 Share Posted January 31, 2014 Portfolio evaluation. And by portfolio, I mean a stack of papers I grab that day. I keep everything, so I just grab some stuff and bring it, and maybe print some photos of fun stuff if I have time. It's not intimidating. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChristusG Posted January 31, 2014 Share Posted January 31, 2014 I don't want to put together a portfolio.....and I also like to have an idea of where the kids scores are, so we do testing. We know a homeschool mom who has kept up her teaching certificate. She comes to our house....she's very nice.... It's all very low key. Works great for us! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChristusG Posted January 31, 2014 Share Posted January 31, 2014 I meant to say that it's the Brigance test. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SwallowTail Posted February 1, 2014 Share Posted February 1, 2014 We just do an eval and bring our portfolio. I just put samples of work and art and projects into a binder, separated into subjects. I keep a running list of books we have read aloud to her, anything she has read to us (will include books she reads once she is at that level), samples and lessons examples for math, history, science subjects we have covered, and field trip lists. The evaluator knows us well, and she just talks to my dd, does some reading evals to determine level, skims the portfolio, asks us questions, and it has been pleasant and informal thus far. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LAR Posted February 2, 2014 Share Posted February 2, 2014 We do both: ITBS and portfolio. ITBS is mainly for me to help plan for the next school year, and second, for the girls to have experience in a testing environment. You don't know what the future holds so I want them prepared. The portfolio review is all feel good. We put tons of time into the portfolio but then the girls show off their work and feel great when our evaluator leaves the house. It's a pat on the back from an outsider, but this one step is not enough for me. It costs more but I sleep better. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Melissa B Posted February 2, 2014 Share Posted February 2, 2014 I've never done a portfolio either. On the years we do go the portfolio route, I invite the teacher over to our house and the kids show whatever work they want to pull off their shelves. We usually have math and handwriting workbooks available and then it is whatever the kids have saved or are currently working on. She glances over the shelf to see what books the kids are working through and asks a question or two. It's very low key. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheBugs Posted February 2, 2014 Share Posted February 2, 2014 I have done portfolio evaluation for the past two years since we started homeschooling. The teacher I found also homeschooling so she is very supportive . My kids like talking about their work with her. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ByGrace3 Posted February 2, 2014 Share Posted February 2, 2014 We do a portfolio. It is very simple. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
................... Posted February 3, 2014 Share Posted February 3, 2014 Portfolio is fun and easy and really encouraging ! Just call the support groups and have them recommend someone. Even if you aren't part of their group they will likely respond with a few names. Cost me 45.00 for each child and she came to our house and spent an entire hour with each kid basically taking to them abd encouraging them!!! They loved it. She gave me advice because I asked for it. We miss that, in our new state! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trish Posted February 3, 2014 Share Posted February 3, 2014 As this is the first year we've had to comply with either a portfolio review or standardized test, I wanted to reach out and find out what others have chosen. Our local HS group does not provide testing, so if I chose testing, I'd either have to go with the FCAT (including 4th grade writing, which would be difficult as DS1's keyboarding skills aren't the greatest) or the ITBS or SAT-10 administered by a licensed teacher (whom I'm assuming I'd have to pay). First year we used portfolio review, which was okay, but the kids actually preferred testing! So we've done that since. We just find someone who administers standardized tests. Our homeschool group has lots of referrals for different people who offer to do testing. Not sure why you're limiting yourself to FCAT or ITBS. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kroe1 Posted February 3, 2014 Share Posted February 3, 2014 ITBS. If there is not a local group administering the test, contact the FPEA. They may know of a group within a decent radius. Our local homeschool group administers the test. A teacher signs the forms and remains in the building. Moms with college degrees act as proctors inside each classroom. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PeterPan Posted February 3, 2014 Share Posted February 3, 2014 bump Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ktgrok Posted February 3, 2014 Share Posted February 3, 2014 Just to clarify, a portfolio does not have to be fancy and professional. It was my first year. Two small children later it um..is less that. In fact last year I just brought some work of his in a plastic grocery bag, and dumped it on the table in front of the evaluator, who I'd arranged to meet at the local Chik Fil A. My 3 year old climbed in the play area, the baby nursed, my teen made conversation, and she then signed off on the form. Easy peasy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.