Complete Guide to Homeschool Testing

February 21, 2019
Written by:
Tasha Swearingen
Featured, Homeschool Resources

Should your homeschooling student participate in end-of-year testing?  Depending on the state you live in, you may or may not have a choice; some states require assessment tests for homeschoolers. If you’ve decided to participate, you may find yourself stuck trying to figure out how to squeeze in annual testing, when, and where. While it can feel overwhelming initially, we’ve pulled together the most important pieces of information to make it easier for you!

State Laws for Homeschool Testing:

Before you can decide whether or not you’ll have your students participate in annual testing, you’ll need to know if it’s mandatory in your state.

Alabama No testing requirements.
Alaska No testing requirements.
Arizona No testing requirements.
Arkansas Most students are required to take achievement tests selected by the state board of education. Failure to cooperate may result in prosecution for truancy.
California No testing requirements.
Colorado Students must be tested at the 3rd, 5th, 7th, 9th, and 11th grades or receive an evaluation by a qualified person.
Connecticut No testing requirements.
Delaware No testing requirements.
District of Columbia No testing requirements.
Florida Students must be tested or evaluated annually if parents are operating under the state homeschool law (as opposed to an umbrella school).
Georgia Beginning in 3rd grade, students must submit take an a national standardized achievement test every three years.
Hawaii Students in grades 3, 5, 8, and 10 must take a standardized achievement test chosen by parents.
Idaho No testing requirements.
Illinois No testing requirements.
Indiana No testing requirements.
Iowa Students (ages 8+) who aren’t taught by a certified teacher must submit annual assessments (which can be in the form of an exam if desired).
Kansas No testing requirements.
Kentucky No testing requirements.
Louisiana Students taught a “sustained curriculum of quality at least equal to that offered by public schools” must take annual achievement tests but those taught in a home-based private school are exempt.
Maine Testing is mandatory for students educated under the homeschool statute but those taught in a non-approved private school are exempt.
Maryland No testing requirements.
Massachusetts Students must take a standardized test or submit to an alternative (approved) type of assessment.
Michigan No testing requirements.
Minnesota Students must take annual assessments, but the results do not have to be reported.
Mississippi No testing requirements.
Missouri No testing requirements.
Montana No testing requirements.
North Carolina Required on an annual basis for grammar, reading, spelling, English, and math.
North Dakota Students in grade 4, 6, 8, and 10 must take standardized tests administered by a certified teacher.
Nebraska No testing requirements.
Nevada No testing requirements.
New Hampshire Parents must have an evaluation conducted annually, and standardized tests meet this requirement.
New Jersey No testing requirements.
New Mexico No testing requirements.
New York Most students must take a standardized test at certain intervals. There are five to choose from/approved tests.
Ohio Students must satisfy one of the three testing options but may obtain a waiver for “truly held religious beliefs.”
Oklahoma No testing requirements.
Oregon Students in grades 3, 5, 8, and 10 must complete a standardized test. Students who perform below level may be subject to closer monitoring.
Pennsylvania Required for students in grades 3, 5, and 8.
Rhode Island No testing requirements.
South Carolina Students must take annual assessments unless they are either a) members of the South Carolina Association of Independent Home Schools or b) part of a homeschool association with at least 50 members.
South Dakota Testing is mandatory for students in grades 2, 4, 8, and 11.
Tennessee Families my operate their homeschool under one of three options, and testing requirements vary based on the option chosen.
Texas No testing requirements.
Utah No testing requirements.
Vermont Students must be evaluated annually and there are several options to satisfy this requirement.
Virginia Students homeschooling under the homeschool statute must take standardized tests annually.
Washington Annual testing is required but results do not need to be submitted to the school district.
West Virginia Testing is required under the “notice” or “approval” option but there are options in how you meet that requirement.
Wisconsin No testing requirements.
Wyoming No testing requirements.

Where Can Homeschoolers Take Annual Tests?:

So, you’ve decided to have your student participate in homeschool testing. Just how do you go about doing that? In part, that depends on the test your student is taking. If your student needs to take an annual standardized test, you can actually order and administer that yourself if you have a four-year degree. Also, many homeschool support groups provide homeschool testing services. For this, parents get together each year and have a Test Day for the students. In those cases, one of the parents (or hired help) is certified to administer homeschool exams for all students. Often, this person holds a current teacher’s certification perhaps from a former career.

Another option for affordable homeschool testing is to become a certified Test Administrator through Bob Jones and have your student take the Stanford-10 Achievement Test. To do this, you must hold at least a four-year degree. You then fill out the online application and watch the training video. 

Finally, there are many online options for homeschool standardized testing. Seton Testing offers the Stanford-10 for students in grades 3-12 (worldwide). In addition, Homeschool Testing Services (HTS) offers tests both online and on-site at various approved locations. HTS offers the CTP for students in grades 1-10 and the Stanford-10 for grades K-12. If taking timed tests isn’t ideal for your student, consider the CAT (California Achievement Test) through Academic Excellence.

Standardized testing is useful for homeschooled students, though it’s not required in all states. It provides parents with clarification on how their students are doing academically, and it prepares students for high-stakes tests like the SAT and the ACT. In the end, your student will be able to put another year of schooling behind him or her!

#HOMESCHOOL CURRICULUM, #HOMESCHOOL RESOURCES

Tasha Swearingen

Tasha is a homeschooling mom to 5 and has been homeschooling for 14 years. Currently, her children's ages span from toddler to young adult. Tasha has a Bachelor's of Science degree in Social Sciences from Florida State University and is working on her MBA through SNHU/Berklee School of Music.