What to do with end of year testing?

[eesmom]

Hello all, I decided to pull my kids out of ps a few weeks ago.  I have to ask the school administrators about end of the year testing as I know that 3rd graders have them in June.  Do all of you test your kiddos at the end of your "school year"? Or is it a state by state requirement?

 

TIA,

S

[G5052]

Check your state laws.  Some require it, some don't.  Frankly I wouldn't do it every year unless my state required it.

 

And yes, there are several tests that you can give yourself.  Your best source of information is a state or local homeschool association.

 

[eesmom]

Thanks! I will definitely look into it for NC. I got a bit curious because EOG testing is a big deal for third graders here.

[PeachyDoodle]

NC requires homeschoolers to test annually. Since you are just starting, I believe you have 12 months to complete the first test. Double-check me on that, though. NC homeschoolers DO NOT take the EOG's. There is a list of acceptable tests. We're doing the Woodcock-Johnson III next week.

 

Here's the link to NCDNPE's FAQ's about testing: http://www.ncdnpe.org/FAQs/hhh114s.aspx.

 

Just curious, did the Read to Achieve initiative affect your decision to homeschool? We also have 3rd-grader, and we're hearing lots of complaints from her peers and their parents.

[Ellie]

Hello all, I decided to pull my kids out of ps a few weeks ago.  I have to ask the school administrators about end of the year testing as I know that 3rd graders have them in June.  Do all of you test your kiddos at the end of your "school year"? Or is it a state by state requirement?

 

TIA,

S

 

Most people only test if their state laws require it. :-)

 

North Carolina only has a couple of requirements: notify the Division of Non Public Education when first starting to homeschool, and test annually (test results are only submitted if requested by DNPE). Hsers are supposed to keep attendance forms (no definition of what that looks like; hsed children are always present, anyway--you get up every day and there they are--and immunization records, which most people keep without the law telling them to) but they don't have to show those to anyone.

 

Your school administrator will probably have no clue about what is required for homeschoolers. :-)

[eesmom]

NC requires homeschoolers to test annually. Since you are just starting, I believe you have 12 months to complete the first test. Double-check me on that, though. NC homeschoolers DO NOT take the EOG's. There is a list of acceptable tests. We're doing the Woodcock-Johnson III next week.

 

Here's the link to NCDNPE's FAQ's about testing: http://www.ncdnpe.org/FAQs/hhh114s.aspx.

 

Just curious, did the Read to Achieve initiative affect your decision to homeschool? We also have 3rd-grader, and we're hearing lots of complaints from her peers and their parents.

 

Thanks for the info. 

As for the Read to Achieve, we moved down to NC from VA just a few weeks before they were doing the testing.  She actually went through all of the testing and I was pretty upset that they were testing EVERY SINGLE DAY for weeks it seemed.  I also have had issues with Common Core, so it seemed to make a lot of sense to my DH and I to keep them home and do our best.

[G5052]

Your school administrator will probably have no clue about what is required for homeschoolers. :-)

 

Yes, local or state homeschool associations are a much better source of information in most cases.  My county has homeschool-savy people in their "special programs" office who know the score.  They respond quickly, research issues and get the right answers, and will work with you if you miss a deadline or some other detail.  Unfortunately the surrounding areas are not that way.

[Crimson Wife]

Even if your state does not require testing, it can be helpful for planning purposes and also if your kids test well, there can be special opportunities through talent searches like Johns Hopkins CTY, Stanford EPGY, Duke TIP, Northwestern CTD, etc.

 

I don't test every year but my oldest has taken the Iowa twice (the first time with the Cognitive Abilities Test), the EXPLORE, and she's taking the SAT this year. My DS will do the Iowa with the CogAT this year and most likely the new ACT Aspire (which replaces the EXPLORE) next year assuming that the programs now requiring EXPLORE scores accept it.

[PeachyDoodle]

Thanks for the info. 

As for the Read to Achieve, we moved down to NC from VA just a few weeks before they were doing the testing.  She actually went through all of the testing and I was pretty upset that they were testing EVERY SINGLE DAY for weeks it seemed.  I also have had issues with Common Core, so it seemed to make a lot of sense to my DH and I to keep them home and do our best.

 

Sounds like we have a lot in common. We pulled dd at the end of last year, in large part due to Common Core (or at least our district's implementation of it, if there's a difference). We had attended a meeting about Read to Achieve at the end of 2nd grade but honestly didn't think much about it because dd is an advanced reader so we didn't anticipate a problem. We're glad we missed all the hubbub around the tests, though, even if it was by accident! ;)

 

I forgot to say above that the law does not require you to test at the end of the year, just once every 12 month period while the child is homeschooled. Although the recommendation is that you test fairly close to the same time each year, so you get a more accurate comparison of progress.

 

I'll also second what Ellie said above: Your school and/or district will probably have no clue about homeschool law here. In some states, I think the public schools are more involved with homeschoolers (such as states that have to provide portfolios or be evaluated by a licensed teacher). But in NC, we are pretty much separated. Feel free to PM me if I can help.

[eesmom]

Thanks everyone for the advice!  I will definitely look into testing especially if there are some benefits for outside enrichment opportunities.