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Some would say that evaluating your homeschooled child's progress is difficult and definitely prone to bias. Actually, a wide array of evaluation tools is available for all incomes, all ages, and all curricula. Many states such as Florida require some form of a yearly evaluation to be given to the student. Most colleges and universities are accepting of the ACT and SAT test scores for evaluating the graduating senior homeschooler, but what about elementary and middle school age homeschooled students? Take a look at the following evaluation tools. Each offers a slightly different use or advantage.

Standardized tests

Some parents of homeschooled students opt for the traditional standardized test. These timed tests are usually ordered by a testing coordinator and administered at a church or a community center in a group setting. A few weeks after the test, scores are distributed or mailed to the parents. Parents can then have an accompanying form signed by a certified teacher to verify that their child is indeed ready to advance to the next grade level. Call your local homeschooling group for information. Cost depends on the local testing coordinator, but is usually under $75.

If your student is uncomfortable in large groups, unfamiliar with standardized testing or the testing administrative staff, an evaluation tool that might ease them into a standardized test format is the Brigance test. This test is, for the most part, an oral test given one on one by a certified instructor. The spelling and sentence portion, along with some math, is the written portion. This test is very good at revealing "gaps" in your child's education. I used this test on my own children through fourth grade and it served as a great evaluating tool. The "gaps" or areas of low scoring would be the areas that I reviewed in the summer months before the next school year began.

Often, the curricula publishing houses offer some evaluation tools. Bob Jones University Press has tests available for purchase. Parents can purchase these as a test prep tool for a standardized test. The BJUP test can be administered first and then followed by a group standardized test. Both can be good evaluation tools.

Portfolios and Teacher Evaluations

Many states require that homeschooling parents maintain a portfolio. Each state varies in the components of the portfolio. For most counties in Florida, a portfolio is comprised of a curricula list, reading lists, an attendance or instruction hours log, samples of each subject

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