Excuse Me!!!?

Question

I was wondering, how exactly do things like tests etc take place for homeschool students?

Do they go somewhere?

Answer 1

It depends on the test. The SAT/ACT/PSAT, etc are all taken at a designated testing center just as they are for any other student.

Some states require an anual (or bianual, or whatever) evaluation. This can take the form of a portfolio review, interview witht he child, or in many cases a standardized test.

In the cast of state standardized tests, the test will usually be administered on a designated saturday to all homeschool students who registered for that test at a local school... A testing center, just like with the SAT.

As far as your regular non-state-mandated, non-standardized tests, it depends on the homeschoolers. Some families do not administer tests in the form you may be thinking of. Instead they may do more unorthodox examinations such as having the student write an essay or do a creative project/presentation on the material covered, or observe the student performing certain tasks to demonstrate competance. Some times they may not use any method and just take the student's improved ability (evident in the day to day work they do) as an indication of competance in a subject.

Some people do online or corespondance school, in which case the school they are involved with will either administer a test over the internet or have them come in to take an exam.

Unschoolers let the learning process occur naturally and pay no mind to grades or exams or other artificial tools of measurement.

One method we use for testing is reteaching. When I feel I've mastered a certain concept or unit of study, I attempt to teach it to someone else... Usually someone ahead of me in school who will know if I'm BSing or just don't know what I'm talking about, but in many cases to a younger or slower friend in the presence of someone who already knows the material. Reteaching is an excellent way to determine how well you're doing. If you don't fully understand something, you won't be able to teach it or put it in your own words.

Some homeschoolers take a traditional approach and give their children/teens a written exam with all the trimmings... multiple choice, essay questions, fill-in-the-blanks, true/false... Just like in government schools, and then the child completes the test and the parent or someone else grades it using an answer key. You can get tests for subjects off the internet, out of the textbooks, or buy them along with whatever curriculum you use... Or write them yourself based on what you teach your child and want your child to know.

Many homeschoolers find testing in the traditional way simply unnecessary though. Some even find grades unnecessary, as when you're home schooled you work at your own pace (whether it be fast and furious or slow and steady) and don't need to progress until you've mastered what you are currently studying.. until you have an "A+" so to speak.

Answer 2

My daughter is enrolled in a public charter school, so she takes her tests at the computer, or prints them off, takes them in her room and then scans them in and sends.

My son takes online quizzes at Chem4Kids.com, bookadventure.org, brainpop.com,  and other various websites, and a Saxon Math test once a week.

Standardized tests are not required in California for either public or private school students.

Driving tests will be taken at DMV.

Community College placement exams will be taken at the local CC.

AP Exams: at a local school, just like other private school students.

PSAT & SAT, same thing:

http://www.collegeboard.com/student/test...

SAT for younger than 13 years old, you must register by mail, rather than online:

http://www.collegeboard.com/student/test...

Answer 3

Well, you don't really make clear what kind of tests your are talking about.  If you are talking about the general assessment of mastery of day to day material, we don't use testing alone to assess that mastery.  We use combinations of many methods, narration, projects, quizzes and tests.  If we use tests, for instance in math, yes, I grade them.  

Standardized tests.  They are not required, but we choose to do them for two reasons:  1.  I use the results to assess areas where I may need to direct more learning activities,  2.  To allow my children to "experience" test taking in prep for college entrance exams.  

For 1.  I select a homeschooling standardized test that is geared to the individual student's level of achievement.  Since my children are at 2-3 different grade levels for materials, they can test each subject at the correct grade level.  Ex.  4th grader is 4th grade for reading/comprehension, 5th grade for grammar and usage, 6th grade for math, 5th grade for science.  He can test each subject at the correct level.  And I use the results to make curriculum decisions, etc. for the next year.  I self administer and it is graded by the testing service with a very detailed report sent back.

2.  The other test is like students take in schools, it is taken with a proctor, in a group, in a setting outside of home and I couldn't care less about the scoring (though they do very well), but it is merely for the experience so they don't panic in an SAT.

Answer 4

Our state requires a standardized test once a school year.  We usually give it during Easter week when I am not working at the public school.

We do not study for the test.  We do not prepare for the test.  We simply open the book and read the instructions.  We set a timer for each section per the instructions.  If he finishes before the timer, we go on to next section.  If he is not finished, he stops and we go to next section.  

The results have been impressive.  In public school the students studied for the end of grade tests all year long.  My son usually had to retake the tests to get a passing grade.  If he did not get a passing grade, they passed him to the next grade level anyway.

Our standardized tests that we do in our home are not graded.  We get the results, file them away, and go on with his education.

Answer 5

What sort of examinations? You mean SATs? From what I understand, they arrange to take them at a local high school. If you mean standardized testing other than that, where required, they will set the limits on who can administer the test and where--that means it'll depend on where you live. A lot of places don't require testing though.

Answer 6

Not all homeschoolers are required to take standardized tests...these are designed for public school funding and the asinine NCLB laws.  They don't apply to homeschoolers, as we receive no government funding.

In the states where hs'ers are required to test, or for those families that choose to do so, there are several options.  Many universities will offer testing, and there are several services that will allow individual testing as long as the proctor has a bachelor's degree.  Some are tested by their evaluator, some by their parents, and some by outside testing services.

Answer 7

Daily tests are non-existent in our home-school.  Each lesson is a test of its own.  They work through the material with a view toward perfection.  They don't move on until the concept of the day is mastered.

Weekly tests are also unnecessary.

Monthly, zippo.

Yearly --- not needed.

In our State the requirements are to take standardized tests in 3rd, 5th, 8th, and 10th grade.  They can take these from anyone with a certificate to administer the test.  It can be at your own home or at the tester's home.  Some go to co-op group test sessions.  Some just skip it because they don't believe that the tests are necessary and are merely an interruption to actual study and progress.  The results don't tell you anything that you don't already know.  

College placement tests are taken on campus of the college.

College SAT's are usually administered at high-schools on preset days.  The homeschool student signs up on the internet through the College Board, pays and receives a document in the mail telling them when and where to go for their test.

Answer 8

Depends. Not all homeschoolers are required to take tests. Not all choose to test. Some programs require a proxy: certified librarian so on. Some have parents administrer tests themselves and send the tests in for grading.

Some parents that choose to use testing, administer the test, grade and record it themselves.

Some people that are not familiar with homeschooling think it is downright crazy when parents choose to bypass testing. The same people think it is also crazy for the parents to administer the tests because of cheating.

But you must understand, a majority of homeschool parents are not so interested in test performance as they are in day to day comprehension of the material presented. It is not about A's, it is about making sure our children understand the material and gain a solid quality education.

I choose to do both: some things I test in, some things I do not.  When I do test, it is more of a tool to make sure my kids understand the material. If they do poorly then we go back over the material until the lightbulb flashes and then move on.

Answer 9

We are not required to take state mandated test where we live.

No child left behind also does not apply to any school private, or home school that does not receive state, or federal funding.

If a parent wants their child tested they can do so by ordering the IOWA basic or CAT.

Testing is not a real important component of home schooling because one of the reasons we home school is to allow the children to learn at their own pace, while providing an individualized education; our main focus is mastery, not test scores.

Testing will come in to play when they want to g to college, then they simply take the SAT and ACT.

Testing prior to that is really a waste of time, and serves no purpose in a home school.