End of year testing in Minnesota

[Emmalm]

I am correct in thinking that in Minnesota we do not have to do end of the year testing until 2nd grade, am I not? What tests do you use, and how do you set that up with the school district?

[Ellie]

I am correct in thinking that in Minnesota we do not have to do end of the year testing until 2nd grade, am I not? What tests do you use, and how do you set that up with the school district?

 

Specifically, it says "children 7-17." Some homeschooling parents like to mess around with the grade level they think their children should be in, but in this case, the law specifies an age, not a grade.

 

I found this.

[Leav97]

A lot of parents use Piat-R, Iowa test of basic skills, SAT 10 and CAT E.  It just needs to be nationally normed.  When you fill out the fall paperwork for the school you usually list the test and if the school district has an issue they let you know.  I also put TBD one year (and they never followed up) and went on to pick a test that spring.

Edited September 8, 2016 by Leav97

[kirstenhill]

The law says we have to register and test the year that our students are 7 on or before October 1st - so some students may be first graders if they have an early fall birthday.

 

You just need to list your test of choice and who administers the test ("self" if you are doing it!) on your notice of intent form (the MACHE form can be downloaded free on their website). As PP said, any nationally normed test is fine. We did the ITBS with a group from our co-op for several years, and have had a PIAT administrator come to our house to do the Peabody the last two years. Several of my good friends do the CAT and administer it themselves.

[Emmalm]

Specifically, it says "children 7-17." Some homeschooling parents like to mess around with the grade level they think their children should be in, but in this case, the law specifies an age, not a grade.

 

I found this.

Thanks! DD6 won't be 7 until the end of October, but we are doing " first grade" work this year, so I am reporting her this year although I wouldn't legally have to until next year. I don't want to make the school district nervous...it is a small town and school and they are not well versed in homeschool law. So technically I wouldn't have to test until next year...so maybe I will just say it isn't applicable until next year and leave it at that. If they follow up with me I can get into the details with them. It is frustrating when people ask what grade the kids are in....well...they aren't!

 

I appreciate your help👧ðŸ»

[Insertcreativenamehere]

We are in MN and have used the Stanford and CAT. On the intent to homeschool form you submit to the district, you specify which test you plan to use.

[Ellie]

Thanks! DD6 won't be 7 until the end of October, but we are doing " first grade" work this year, so I am reporting her this year although I wouldn't legally have to until next year. I don't want to make the school district nervous...it is a small town and school and they are not well versed in homeschool law. So technically I wouldn't have to test until next year...so maybe I will just say it isn't applicable until next year and leave it at that. If they follow up with me I can get into the details with them. It is frustrating when people ask what grade the kids are in....well...they aren't!

 

I appreciate your help👧ðŸ»

 

But if your dc is 7 in the spring (which is when schools normally test), then she is legally required, yes? Because 7 years old, not second grade?

 

I take that back. It would be a good idea for you to get some good advice for this, but it looks to me as if your dc is not compulsory school age this year, as her birthday is at the end of October, and the cut-off date is October 1. That your local school district is not "well versed in homeschool law" does not mean that you should over-comply. :-)

Edited September 12, 2016 by Ellie

[raptor_dad]

I haven't looked at the law recently but I recall it being a little ambiguous. If your kids is 7+ you absolutely have to test. We enrolled in PS and then withdrew and in that case you have 15 days to register regardless of age and have to test yearly from there forward. If you register before age 7 w/o enrolling, then you probably don't have to test.

 

Minneapolis this year started sending testing info in the huge packet of stuff I throw away every year. We just use the single page MHA reporting form. If you want to order tests you can do it through your district or UMN, https://oms.umn.edu/mstp/order_forms/MSTP%20Order%20Form_Individual%20[FY%2016-17].pdf. We have never used these test, we have done oral 1:1 testing using PIAT or WJ-3 through a private tester like http://hsadventures.org/homeschool-testing for $50-75 a year.

Edited September 13, 2016 by raptor_dad

[LifeLovePassion]

If your child is not 7 by October 1, you don't have to report or test this school year.

 

We did the online CAT from Christian Liberty. You can do your test at any point in the school year. Some families I know like to test in the fall.

[SkateLeft]

Like others have said, if your child isn't 7 by October 1st, you don't have to report or test this year.

 

Also, you don't need to test at the end of the year. You can test at any point, and those test results don't get sent to your school district or anyone else. I don't get too hung up about which test to use or when to test. The results don't tell me anything I don't already know, so I only do what I need to do to stay in compliance.

 

You can get more information on the specifics here at the Minnesota Homeschoolers' Alliance website.

 

I prefer the Peabody for young children, since it's an orally administered test and pretty much stress free.