Standardized Testing Options

Standardized achievement testing is one method of annual assessment that fulfills the assessment obligation under Maine homeschool law.

Standardized testing isn't the best way to measure progress for every child. However, research shows that most homeschooled students do very well with standardized testing. Testing not only evaluates  how your child is progressing in various subjects, but also measures how effectively your teaching methods are working. 

Use standardized test results to adjust your curriculum and teaching style, or to evaluate your child’s individual needs. If you find your child is not well suited to the testing experience, give yourself plenty of time to choose another method of annual assessment.

Any nationally normed standardized achievement test is acceptable, even if not all subjects required by Maine law are covered in the test. Because not all subjects are covered, be sure to  keep a portfolio of work for your student that shows progress in all areas for your records.

Below are some standarized testing options.

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If you have chosen to use standardized testing as your method of annual assessment for your child, be sure to consider whether you want to submit the actual test results. Many parents do not want their child's testing data collected and filed with the Maine Department of Education. 

Instead of submitting test results to officials to be stored in a database, many parents choose to have the test results reviewed by a Maine certified teacher. A signed teacher review letter, confirming progress and verifying that legal requirements have been met, can then be submitted instead of the actual results. More about this option is provided when you register for a HOME portfolio review.  

If a review letter from a Maine certified teacher is not possible, it is necessary to submit the test results themselves, not merely the cover letter showing that the test has been administered. 

Most students, even Valedictorians bomb standardized tests like the SAT or ACT. These are not about content but are logic-based, critical thinking and reasoning tests. The questions are purposely misleading students with appealing answers. Students only get around a minute per question so they burn up the clock with time, but they can be answered in 30 seconds or less.

It takes a different skillset to beat college entrance tests. These strategies are not taught in most schools. These tests put everyone on a level playing field since they are standardized, and every test is the same for all students. A 4.0 at one school is not the same at another. They can be beat by learning the recurring patterns and practicing with actual tests. A standardized test has standardized questions and standardized answers.

College Prep Genius is an award-winning company featuring test prep that works for SAT, PSAT, CLT and ACT. Students can raise their test scores to receive scholarship money, even free college. Their students have raised their SAT as much as 700 points, ACT, 9 points, become National Merit Scholars and even gone to Ivy Leagues for free. 

* Hewitt Learning offers the PASS test.

The P.A.S.S. Test, or Personalized Achievement Summary System, is a non-timed, standardized test that has been administered over 360,000 times, designed to help homeschooling families assess their children's academic strengths and weaknesses in three key subjects: Reading, Math, and Language.

One of the key benefits of the P.A.S.S. Test is its personalized approach. Because not all students are at the same level in any particular grade, it incorporates a pretest to determine the most appropriate level test to administer in each subject. And, because the test is untimed, it reduces or eliminates the test anxiety often arising around standardized testing.  The P.A.S.S. Test also provides a comprehensive report that includes a comparison of your child's performance to others in their same grade, with percentile scores provided both referencing homeschoolers and referencing public school students.  The report also includes feedback in relation to specific goals, identifying areas where they are strong as well as areas where they may need extra support or challenge. (Thus, the test is both norm-referenced and criterion referenced.)

So, if you're looking for a reliable and personalized way to assess your child's academic progress, the P.A.S.S. Test may be just what you need. To learn more about how it works and how it can benefit your homeschooling journey, visit  http://mypasstest.org/.

Classic Learning Test (CLT)