When does my child need to be tested?
A home school student must be tested at the completion of grades 3, 5, 8 and 10 by August 15th.
New home school students are not required to submit the first test result for the first 18 months after being withdrawn from public or private school. If your child completes the 3rd, 5th, 8th or 10th grade during this 18-month window of time, testing does not need to occur until the next required grade level. If the child never attended public or private school, the first test must be taken at the end of 3rd grade.
Home school students establishing eligibility for interscholastic activities (athletics, music, speech, etc) must test annually at the end of each school year (prior to Aug. 15th) because test scores are used to determine eligibility for the following year. Parents need to submit these test results directly to their resident school district.
Can we opt out of testing?
A home school student who pursues a GED or High School Diploma is not released from regular home school testing requirements.
How do I have my child tested?
Parents need to contact a private tester to arrange a test for their child. Tests must be given by a qualified and neutral person as defined in OAR 581-021-0026(1)(e)(i). The Oregon Department of Education provides a list of local testers as a service to you. If you use a tester who is not registered, please include a copy of the examiner’s qualifications with the test results.
How much does testing cost?
Testers are independent contractors, not employed by LBL ESD or the Department of Education. For information on testing costs please contact testers directly.
What tests do home school students take?
Tests approved for assessment of home school students include TerraNova 2nd Edition/CAT 6, TerraNova 3rd Edition, Stanford Achievement Test 10th Edition, the Iowa Test of Basic Skills (ITBS), Iowa Test of Educational Development (ITED) and the Iowa Assessments. Public school tests such as the OAKS test or Smarter Balanced test are not acceptable for home school testing.
Testing must include the basic battery, which includes reading, language and math, is provided in both complete and survey editions of the tests. Some testers may offer the complete battery, which may include social studies, science, and other subjects but these are optional tests, and are not required as part of the student’s ‘composite score’.
What do the test results mean?
For help interpreting your child’s test results, please contact your tester. Also see the Parent Guide to Standardized Achievement Testing.
What happens if my child gets a low score?
Oregon law requires that a home school student achieve at least the 15th percentile on the test. If a home school student does not meet the 15th percentile, the student will be required to test again in a year. If the result of the second test shows a declining score further steps may be necessary. Student’s wishing to participate in interscholastic activities with the resident public school must achieve at least the 23rd percentile on achievement testing.