A home school student must be tested at the completion of grades 3, 5, 8 and 10 by August 15th.
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.
Oregon State law provides that children with disabilities be evaluated for “satisfactory educational progress” according to the recommendations of an individualized education plan (IEP) or privately developed plan (PDP). See the Assessment of Home School Students with Disabilities or call our office for more information.
Home school students establishing eligibility for interscholastic activities (athletics, music, speech, etc.) must test annually at the end of each school year (prior to August 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.
Testing FAQApproved Tests
- Tera Nova CAT/3 Test
- Iowa Tests of Basic Skills / Tests of Achievement and Proficiency
- Stanford Achievement Battery
Public school tests such as the OAKS test or Smarter Balanced test are not acceptable for home school testing.
Achievement Test Levels Coinciding with Grade Levels
| Grade | TerrNova (Level) | Iowa Test of Basic Skills (ITBS)/Iowa Test of Educational Development(ITED)(Level) | Stanford Achievement Test Battery (Level) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 11 | ITBS 7/8 | Prim1 |
| 2 | 12 | ITBS 8/9 | Prim2 |
| 3 | 13 | ITBS 9 | Prim3 |
| 4 | 14 | ITBS 10 | Intermediate 1 |
| 5 | 15 | ITBS 11 | Intermediate 2 |
| 6 | 16 | ITBS 12 | Intermediate 3 |
| 7 | 17 | ITBS 13 | Advanced 1 |
| 8 | 18 | ITBS 14 | Advanced 2 |
| 9 | 19 | ITED 15 | Task 1 |
| 10 | 20 | ITED 16 | Task 2 |
| 11 | 21/22 | ITED 17/18 | Task 3 |
| 12 | 21/22 | ITED 17/18 | Task 3 |
Tests must be given by a qualified and neutral person as defined in OAR 581-021-0026(1)(e)(i). A test may be given by anyone who meets the legal criteria, but LBL ESD does provide a list of local testers as a service to you. If you use a tester not registered with Oregon Department of Education or LBL ESD, then please include a copy of the examiner’s qualifications with the test results.
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’.
Test Preparation
For information on what material is covered by a specific test, you may try an internet search with the test name + “scope and sequence” or “test preparation”, ask your tester, or visit the test publisher’s website.
High School Level Students
High school level home school students are not able to substitute other tests – GED, SAT, ACT, etc. for an approved home school test which are defined in OAR 581-021-0026(1)(a).