Educating Locally. Learning Communally. Living Freely.

Testing Questions - Answered

/

Monday, May 7, 2012

Image from Google

Questions – we get questions!

Since we mailed out the renewal forms and included the requirement for students in 8th-12th grade to do standardized testing, we have received many questions about the policy.  Here are the most common ones.  If you have others please let us know and we will post answers to those as well.

1)        Why did PHEA institute the testing requirement?

Our goal in the testing requirement is not to penalize the home school family with extra requirements.  It is to ensure that we all know the approximate range the student is testing in.  We are looking for test scores that match what the parents expected and what is within a normal range for their grades.

2)       Will I have to have my high school senior take achievement tests or will taking the ACT be sufficient?

The SAT or ACT is actually the preferred test in the sophomore, junior and senior years.  In addition, if the student scores in an acceptable range in his junior year, we will waive the senior testing requirement.  Our goal in the testing requirement is not to penalize the home school family with extra requirements.  It is to ensure that we all know the approximate range the student is testing in.  We are looking for test scores that match what the parents expected and what is within a normal range for their grades.

3)       I have a disabled son that is under PHEA that would not do well in that type of environment or that kind of testing.  Will he have to do standardized testing?

Any PHEA student who is registered as special ed will not be required to do the testing.  In addition, for students who are not specifically listed as special ed but do have a documented learning disability we would like a brief explanation of the disability to keep with the records.  We will waive testing on a case-by-case basis for these students.  Many of these students still go on to college and will need the test scores – perhaps with accommodations or perhaps without.  That depends on the long-range goal of the student.  On occasion, by the time the student is a junior or senior, having the LD label attached is not helpful for them to pursue the goals they want to reach.

4)       Where can we do the testing?

Bob Jones testing services have a number of choices available.  These include:
a)      A list of approved testers who will come to your home and do testing with your students.
b)      Options to become a tester and do the testing at home yourself.
c)      On-site testing – this is in classroom size groups of like grade range.  Individual testing is available for students who need accommodations.  This test comes with a half-hour session with a counselor who will explain the test scores.  Please visit  their testing center online for more information on this option.

Again, if you have any other questions, drop a comment or an email our way and we would be happy to help clarify these requirements.

2 comments:

Ellen Schulze said...

I have been using the Hewitt tests for several years to give our girls testing practice. These tests go up to 8th grade. Do you want their 8th grade scores? Or skip those and send you their SAT scores in March?

RK CLOTHING DESIGNS said...

I have read some excellent stuff here. Certainly price bookmarking for revisiting. I surprise how so much attempt you put to make this sort of great informative web site.
qa jobs

Post a Comment

 

Followers