Homeschooling Testing?

Question

This is my daughters and my 1st year homeschooling. We live in NC and I have checked out all of the NC requirements for end of year testing, but am still unsure on how to purchase and give the nationally standardized tests. Where can I purchase this test? How do I go about scoring them? When do I test? I have searched all over the ncdnpe.org website, but it leaves just as many questions as it does answers. Can anyone help me with these procedures? Thanks to all in advance. PLEASE ONLY SERIOUS ANSWERS. IF YOU DON"T HAVE A USEFUL ANSWER PLEASE DON"T RESPOND!!!

Answer 1

I found the following at http://www.nche.com/law.html . It sounds like the easiest thing to do would be to locate a support group that organizes testing.

Testing
The state law requires each home school to administer a nationally standardized achievement test, or other nationally standardized equivalent measure to all students. The state does not dictate which test must be given or who is to administer it. If your students are younger than 7, or older than 16 and not desiring to drive, they are not required to be listed on the "Notice of Intent" form and therefore are not required to be tested.

Many local support groups organize group testing for their members. If you are interested in group testing, contact your local support group leader. If you need help in finding the support group nearest you, contact the NCHE office. A good source of information for those who are organizing a group is the NCHE Homeschool Leader's Handbook.

Tests may also be ordered and administered individually. Below are sources of some of the commonly used tests. The first two are designed for group testing and are available for all grade levels.

California Achievement Test
Source:
Bayside School Services • 800-723-3057
Crosspointe Educational Services • [phone]
Southeast Educational Associates • [phone]
Thurber's Educational Assessments• [phone]
Iowa Test of Basic Skills
Source:
BJU Press, Testing Service • [phone]
Piedmont Education Services • [phone]
Woodcock Johnson Psycho-educational Test
(designed for individual testing and administrable to all grade levels)
Source:
Educational Consultants, Private Schools and Learning Centers. Check the phone book or contact your local support group leader or NCHE.

Answer 2

glurpy's answer is very thorough. I'd choose it as the best answer!

You don't have to do everything yourself. There are so many people out there that can help you with your testing needs.

If you don't absolutely HAVE to test -- don't. If it is mandatory then go ahead.

Testing doesn't tell you much more than what you will already know about your child. When you are working with a student one on one day after day you will have a very good idea of what the child can and can't do.

Every time we received our test results I would laugh because I could have put those dots and lines on the graph in the correct spaces without my children even going through the test.

After all it isn't the test that teaches them anything -- it is the daily practice from which they learn and grow in knowledge and skill.

We've always tested at the end of every year just because the children liked to do it as a fun distraction from the regular grind of studying. They enjoy looking at the results and deciding for themselves which area needs more attention.

Answer 3

Homeschools do no longer emphasize standardized sorting out to an same quantity that public colleges do. the numerous reason is that public colleges might want to respond to to such issues because the NCLB (No baby Left in the back of) and different rules of their respective state Departments of education. some states require some sorting out for abode colleges. some are annual, some are each and every 2-3 years, some haven't any, many supply it as an option as a kind of evaluation. mom and father have a tendency to be sure those as a "examine" to seek for gaps, no longer as something to attempt to teach in the direction of like the conventional public colleges do. maximum homeschooling mom and father have a sturdy idea what their baby is conscious, so checks are not from now on of a lot fee in that respect. also, homeschools usually teach to diverse criteria. i recognize in our case we spent much better time on our usa's founding and on the structure and really a lot less time on the civil rights move than the conventional public college counterpart. SAT and ACT checks are outdoors the criteria-referenced checks designed to quanitfy state criteria. they provide the effect of being at flair better than success or mastery over the easy curriculum. Homeschoolers do properly on those checks.

Answer 4

I found this really good website that has TONS of information about homeschooling. They're also having an essay contest, in which the top two essayists will each win a Nintendo Wii!! The essay must be 500-1,000 words, and the question to be answered is: How is your family putting "Christ" into Christmas this year? The contest ends December 31st, 2006.

Check it out at www.learningbygrace.org

Answer 5

Check with your local public school, since these tests are given through your school district, usually, and not something you have to buy.

In fact, the school district administers them in because they need to be "standardized" -- if the tests are not taken under controlled situations, then the conditions of one student verses another could radically alter the measurement of the outcomes.

So check with your local school or school district. They usually have a specific venue for home schoolers to take the required standardized tests.

Answer 6

If it is a state test it must be administerded by a school. I would check with the local school district and see when they are testing so that your daughter can, what they call, sit in on the exam. the state won't just send you a test packet becasue there are regulations that need to be put in place.

Answer 7

Hi there. I don't live in NC, but there are several support groups over there who would have a LOT better answers than anything you'd get here.

http://homeschooling.gomilpitas.com/regional/NorthCarolina.htm

Good luck!

Answer 8

I was homeschooled... Umm, you need to contact a local elementary school and ask about your tests. That's what we always did.