Where can I find information to make sure my home schooled child is up to standards for grade 2?

Question

We are an eclectic home schooling family -

my son is reading - Dr. Suess, Franklin, Littlebear etc with ease

Understands and comprehends adding and subtracting of 3 numbers, knows his seasons, days, months, weather, and seasonal learning.

Has done this last year learning about George Washington and is in the process of learning all 50 states - he can recognize them all, but has problems remembering them without a map in front of him.

Keeps a book journal about the books he reads and reads on his own 5 books a week.

This is just general - and I am not that worried how smart he is. But I would like to make sure he is on par and not behind on anything.

Answer 1

The best way to do it is with a standarzied test, but 2nd grade might be too young.  You may have to wait for 4th grade.

You'll have to pay for such a test.  It has to be adminsitered by someone approved with a BA degree (if you have a BA you can become APPROVED and then you can charges other to do it for them!)

Answer 2

You can check your states dept of education website. They should have grade level expectations. You can also find the book series What Every ---th Grader Should Know.

Good luck

Answer 3

Here is the World Book Curriculum guide:

http://www.worldbook.com/wb/Students?cur...

Your state board of education should have the state standards posted online, or available.

You can do some online testing such as:

http://www.letsgolearn.com/

You could also administer a standardized test like the ITBS (Iowa Test of Basic Skills) or CAT-5.

Here is a place that supplies the CAT-5

http://thurbers.net/teatests.html

If you have a bachelor's degree and/or a teaching certificate, you can do the ITBS through BJUP:

http://www.bjupress.com/services/testing...

Answer 4

I would have thought that before undertaking the education of your child, you would have undertaken some research on lesson building and curriculum. Maybe you should rethink your decision and let the professionals do the job you are not qualified to do!

Answer 5

ask your local elementary school for an outline, or call your state's board of education. i'm sure they'd know.

hope this helps =]

Answer 6

The website for your local School Board should have the State Standards for you to use as a guide. I recommend finding either at your local library or buying it at the bookstore a book called 'What your (insert grade) needs to know' by The Core Knowledge Series. The website is www.coreknowledge.org. The series goes up to 6th grade.

The joy of homeschool is that the child learns at His/Her pace, not the pace that Joe Schmo thinks is important....mine is in 3rd grade and is all over the board.

Answer 7

I would say he's right on track, there's a 2nd grade child in the gifted program at our local school across the street and he can't do most of those things.  It sounds like he's at a late 2nd/early 3rd grade level.  Most kids in schools don't learn the states until 4th grade, and all most of them know about George Washington is that "he's that president guy who chopped down the cherry tree."

If you google your state and "education standards", you should be able to find what your state recommends.

Edit...Wounded Duck, you obviously know nothing about it, or you'd know that she's already far above what the schools would be teaching.  Maybe you could find out facts before you throw out judgmental comments based on stereotypes?

Answer 8

Your local school board has the standards that your child needs to meet to pass to the next grade. Check with them and I'm sure they will be happy to help!!

Answer 9

I don't know but I'm not in 1 grade, my friend told ne to write that!

Answer 10

Your state education website. They will have the public school standards on it.

Answer 11

We do not do any testing for our own children until well into their high school years, but I list Christian Liberty Press as a test source for those in our home school group who would like to test their children.

They will send you a grade level CAT test for around $22.00, you administer the test, send it back to them for evaluation, and if you'd like they will make recommendations based on the scores.

All tests, and scores will be send back to you for your records.

The web site is: http://ebiz.netopia.com/clpress/copyof/