boomerangboom Posted November 25, 2014 Share Posted November 25, 2014 Hi all! Im so happy to find such an active community of homeschoolers! I am curious if any of you choose not to do standardized tests. In the state of CO if you are a CHEC member the parent can give an in depth evaluation and that satisfies the requirement. I am thinking of going this route since year before last the tests created so much stress. Any input you have is greatly appreciated!! Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hornblower Posted November 25, 2014 Share Posted November 25, 2014 I'm in BC & we have absolutely no requirement to test (or be supervised for that matter). We've never done any standardized test as part of homeschooling. First one dd did was a college English placement test. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
snowbeltmom Posted November 25, 2014 Share Posted November 25, 2014 My kids begin taking an annual standardized test around the age of 11. I do this mainly so they get used to taking standardized tests when the results don't matter at all. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Desert Strawberry Posted November 25, 2014 Share Posted November 25, 2014 We are not required to test, so we don't. Even when my kids get to high school and have to start being accountable ( for scholarship eligibility), we will not test unless the kid insists on it. I would much prefer portfolio review, or whatever other option we have. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ellie Posted November 25, 2014 Share Posted November 25, 2014 No testing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Soror Posted November 25, 2014 Share Posted November 25, 2014 We've not done any testing yet, if we did at this point it would be for my own purposes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OneStepAtATime Posted November 25, 2014 Share Posted November 25, 2014 Welcome! We are not required to test. So we don't test. When the kids are in High School I will help them prepare for the SAT/ACT in whatever way seems appropriate at that time. Otherwise, nope, no standardized testing. I agree, it can cause tremendous stress and I honestly think it does very little to actually determine how well a child is doing in their educational journey, especially in the younger grades. Others disagree, and that's fine. I just don't see any benefit for my kids. Best wishes. :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EmilyGF Posted November 25, 2014 Share Posted November 25, 2014 I test to prevent text anxiety. Our tests have no consequences except that school "gets out" earlier each day we test and we celebrate a finished test with ice cream. If your children already have test anxiety, I would work to help them get over that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SeaConquest Posted November 25, 2014 Share Posted November 25, 2014 I test to prevent text anxiety. Our tests have no consequences except that school "gets out" earlier each day we test and we celebrate a finished test with ice cream. If your children already have test anxiety, I would work to help them get over that. Ditto. We plan to test for familiarization with test taking/procedure, to reduce anxiety, and for entrance to special programs (e.g. talent search). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
boomerangboom Posted November 25, 2014 Author Share Posted November 25, 2014 Wow thanks for all the responses! The year we did test it just didnt feel right to me. Half the results got lost in the mail so we had to retake the math portion in the middle of the summer which pretty much made the math results invalid. Im going to try the evaluations and see how it goes. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SparklyUnicorn Posted November 26, 2014 Share Posted November 26, 2014 I would not do it if I didn't have to. I have to every other year from 5th to 8th and then yearly in high school. So far I've done it once. It was pointless and a waste of my time and money. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
happypamama Posted November 26, 2014 Share Posted November 26, 2014 I wouldn't test if it weren't required in certain grades in my state. I only find them of extremely limited use, because I don't feel that they reflect what my children have actually learned. However, taking tests to be used as practice for future important tests -- that does make some sense to me. The silver lining. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
73349 Posted November 26, 2014 Share Posted November 26, 2014 I'm required to test annually. If I weren't required, I think I would do it less often (maybe grades 2, 5, and 8, just to see how things looked; PSAT, SAT and ACT are enough for high school). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sahamamama Posted November 26, 2014 Share Posted November 26, 2014 Not required. No testing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
.... Posted November 26, 2014 Share Posted November 26, 2014 Nope. No plan for testing until we start getting ready for the ACT in high school. Even then, I'm not 100% sure all of my kids will even take that. We are right down the highway from a great community college and we plan to do that for a couple of years first. My kids aren't learning the same things/at the same rate as they learn in public school, so I'm not sure a standardized test is going to tell me anything I don't already know. If they are interested in taking the ACT, I do plan to do serious test prep, though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest hrnddamoro Posted November 26, 2014 Share Posted November 26, 2014 I never tested my kids except once when we lived in North Dakota and it was required by law. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Desert Strawberry Posted November 26, 2014 Share Posted November 26, 2014 I agree with PPs. When/if they need testing- ACT or similar- we will do extensive test prep. I don't think the tests for children are relevant, beneficial, or well-designed. I don't see any need to spend $$ and time on a test designed for someone else. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ScoutTN Posted November 26, 2014 Share Posted November 26, 2014 We are required to test in 3rd, 6th and 9th, though I can opt out. We do test through our umbrella school, just to get used to the process and not have it be stressful later when it can have important effects. Dd thinks it is fun. She gets to take a lunch, sees lots of friends and has a change of pace day. It is inexpensive and no hassle for me. The results come only to me and are interesting. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Farrar Posted November 26, 2014 Share Posted November 26, 2014 We don't usually test, but we don't have to. In states with two options, the test us usually the much easier option. I would think about testing more to head off the anxiety rather than trying to work around it. Though I can't say I've been great about doing that myself. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MinivanMom Posted November 26, 2014 Share Posted November 26, 2014 I test to prevent text anxiety. Our tests have no consequences except that school "gets out" earlier each day we test and we celebrate a finished test with ice cream. If your children already have test anxiety, I would work to help them get over that. This. Our state requires yearly testing, but we have used the requirement as an opportunity to have positive, low-pressure experiences with testing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HS Mom in NC Posted November 26, 2014 Share Posted November 26, 2014 No testing requirement here. The first test my older two ever took in their lives as the community college placement test (everyone who want to enroll has to take it no matter what.) We didn't do any test prep at all because I wasn't interested in getting their scores as high as possible, I was interested in what they actually knew or didn't know. They did really well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
G5052 Posted November 26, 2014 Share Posted November 26, 2014 We have an "evaluation" requirement. I have to test, get an outside evaluator to write a letter, or provide external grades. For me, testing is the easiest and least expensive option. An outside evaluator would be more expensive, and because I teach them math and English, external grades are out. I've never found standardized testing to be a big deal, but mine test well. I used the shorter tests (CAT-E and then PASS) when they were little. Once they started taking the college tests, we use that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
boscopup Posted November 29, 2014 Share Posted November 29, 2014 No testing requirements here. I tested my oldest last year at the end of 4th grade for the first time. Gave him the SAT10. It was really no big deal. I gave it myself. My son doesn't have test anxiety, since he's never learned that tests should be scary. If I lived in a state that required test or evaluation, I'd totally go with testing for this child. I will probably wait until 3rd or 4th grade to test kid #2 for the first time... he's a late bloomer in the LA department. I don't plan to do testing every year, as the testing isn't really useful at all. It's more practice taking tests and understanding that they're not a big deal. I didn't have any real surprises from my oldest's test last year. He tested very well. We don't have to turn in scores to anyone, so even if he hadn't done well, no one but me and his dad would have known. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mommy22alyns Posted November 30, 2014 Share Posted November 30, 2014 I don't have any testing requirements using an umbrella school. The girls use graded math and LA resources, so I haven't bothered with testing them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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